Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-09-02

DON'T COME DOWN"
light" Whereupon l retreated from
my own cellar and from this master.
full young woman.
l waited for few moments, and
then l heard the soft rustic of her
sldrt-no, not rustic, nothing
about her rustled; it was simply a
flap-fap of the front of her dress
against the stairs as she came up
ward
She held out her hands, showing
me the palms of her gray gloves.
They were stained q deep yellow.
''There is a bolt" she said, "but it
sticks so that cannot move it.
Could anyone break in from the out
side, do you think? 1 should die of
| fright if l thought that some man
might burst the door down and come
! up those stairs, in the middle of the
| night, to this door. Has this a lock :?
oh, yes, l see, but it must have
bolt too. Will you have one put
| you,-"
81 do not care to go to any eN-
\ pense," said l, unless i am sure that
you are coming to me. Those two
bolts will DO Is there anything
else that you will want? How about
| the windows on the piaZza?"
Somehow 1 don't mind those
she said with q quick, smiling glance
to me. Il always slept on the We
randa at home" She sighed.
Il have little room upstairs"
said l, (which I-you are so quiet
Yes, my profession requires me
to be-"
"Your profession?"
Yes" she answered quickly. 81
am q trained nurse. l have to come
and go at all hours of the night and
day. l should not want to be going
up your stairs at night. And your
| Aunt
Jane Marry
Exactly. Your Aunt Jane Mary
might object to it. l told you L am
| AFRAID OF flre and
You must often have to attend pa
tients who are on third and fourth
foors,' said l.
'Not if l can help it. Of course, 1
cannot always choose, but"
THE ceilings are low" said I.
"You could easily drop from the YER
anda roof to the floor. My boy" 1
sighed, l know, for she gave me a
quick, sympathetic look.
You have a boy then? All, so
have l, a little chap. He is at board
| ingschool. He little knows what
straits his poor mother-but that is
neither here nor there. In short,
how much do you want for your
room?" My heart warmed to this
very young mother.
"Shall you want any meals?"
mo, l am SO uncertain that shall
get my meals where l am. Just now
though, l might like my dinners
here, as l have no engagements al
present. Understand me, l can have
any number, but / truly need a rest
She looked SO.
shall you want your washing
donc?"
"No, / will see to all that. Per.
haps n few small things sometimes
l should like good cup of coffee il
the morning at eight o'clock, with
4 piece Of toast or bread and an egg
and then my dinners at-what time
do you dne?"
81 will suit you" said l. "There
is no one to consult. Aunt Jane Mary
never comes down, and"
\ smile lighted up her features.
II could not have found place
that would suit me better. How
much, them"
Five dollars week." said |, slow
ly, watching her from under my lids.
At her pleased, acquiescent smil
l saw that l might as well hav'
asked ten.
1. "And no eNtras?" she said.
"Oh, that's only for the room,
!, said /. 1.-The breakfasts and dinner
will come to five dollars more"
+ very WE'LL" she replied withou
+ demurring. And now, that is reall
I all, not another extra Of any kind?-
, lights, fires, everything included
However, l don't suppose shall wan
a light much, and will arrange wit
, your servant"
, "You had better tell me" said
; "and will sec"
| There was silence, during whic
I saw. that she was taking in tt