The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-06

plenty Of opportunities in the lanes and nc
obstacles 10 encounter there"
But Bertha had no special drawing toward
the lane people and their wants. Those
whom she desired to help were the women
Of the OKearney's household. and these
simply that he might be happier. or more
content.
J The going away Of the Papal recruits was
an occasion of much excitement in the town.
After they and their leader had gone. and
the place had fallen back into it's usual
staSnation, the dizziness OF It Law like lead
on Bertha's soul. She used to sit for hours
in her room. the awishing rain upon the
window and out in tho c~hurchyard deepen
ing her feeling of loneliness and loss. She
could not keep her poor Soldier of Fortune
ont Of her head. Bye and bye news came.
The chances Of battle. like everything else
in his life. were against him. as enc knew
. they would be. He would be coming home.
God sparing him. one OF these days. but
into what a home? The sisters and mother
were never seen now, and the windows had
curtains OF dust upon them that took away
all need for outer blinds. Miss Rosina, the
one who had been the beauty of the family.
had been heard to say that II she could only
! live out Of "the horrid town. II they could
! live in the country. away from the prying
eyes and prating tongues and "vulgarity"
half so bad.
Bertha lay awake one whole night think
| ing of all this. and In the morning she rose
| up, determined on a certain course OF ac-
ton.
Il am going to build a house." she an
| rounced ut breakfast.
"What?' almost screamed Miss Lizabeth.
ITO get a house built. rather. And Ill get
It done without losing a penny of my own
or any one elsc's by It," she said, antiol-
| pat.nr the objections that were rising to
Miss LiZabeth's lips.
To all tbs aunt's questions sne would only
give the information that this was a fancy
OF hers; that she would have 1t built on the
portion of tho freehold belonging to herself,
and that she meant to commence the work
forthwith. She had some ready money in
the bank to use in the beginning. This sho
would replace later on. with the interest
that should have accrued on il.
1t was an extraordinary within Miss LIZ
abeth thought, but Bertha was no child to
be thwarted. or pushed away from any
project that she seriously entertained, and
the aunt could see that this was a very
well-defined plan. however astonishing I'm
1t was an extraordinary whim, Miss Liz
abeth TO do but to let her niece take the
matter in hand and 60 through with It as
she would.
At the rear OF the Hofrmann residence |
there was a disused storehouse fitted I'M
with shelves and bins that had been empty |
since the time OF the houses occupancy by |
tie NuiItislei III seventeen children, To
make this place into q very presantah HE |
shop was a work of very little labor or az |
pense. In a week 1t was stored with a .uu !
supply Of teas. sugar, candles, cottonv. |
shoes, etc.-all the modest requirements of |
a general shops customers In such A town ,
as Kilcullen. People wondered at this. but y.
it was set down after the usual nine days' !
discussion as a 'frake'' Of one Of the noto- /
riously 'frakish" genteel folks-to do 'sinse-
less" things wal the privilege of the pros
ps, Gus. But II was soon discovered that ths
''fraks' was not quite 50 senseless az 1t had
at fIst appeared. ,
Miss Bertha had interviews with sundry
quarrymen, masons, carpenters. etc. re-
sulting In very general satisfaction to those
long idle craftsmen. She engaged then, at
iaif wages Ior the work on the building OF
tor.generai. The one condition attached to
their employment was that they should
agree to buy from her Cdiss Bertha,S) ahon
hing they wanted OF the Hind soid
therein "
Any infringement or Disregard az .b,,