The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-20
NFIGHBORS
BY Baldwin Sears

I the library door and stood aside for the young
| girl who had followed her upstairs.
WHAT" came in a weary growl from the
darkness Who's going to read to me?"
| But the housekeeper had departed, and
| Mona was lef. standing in the middle of a
very large. very closely curtained room. with
| a shadowy somebody who had turned his
| bandaged eyes upon. her in way that made
her wonder who she had ever come and how
| she could get away without speaking. And
as she stood there the voice repeated, Who's
| that?"
| Mona twisted her fingers together I'll
| heard my grandmother say that you hadn't
/ any one to read to you and that it might last
4 six months She could get no further, but
! it was too late to retreat then.
| AT her first words tn eperson sprawlne in
the big chair had risen abruptly, saying
Pardon me- l didn't quite understand what
that beast of a cook said" How polite he
was compared with q moment before. Your
| grandmother is quite right. l haven't any
| one to speak Christian word to- Who was
this girl anyhow? He wished that he dared
| pull up the bandage for second. II her face
! matched her voce-well, anyhow, if she were
| as homely as sin she was al angel TO come
! and read to him. It's awfully good of you,
| Miss
| Stewart, Mona Stewart, just across the
street. she fastened to tell him.
Its mighty good of you, Miss Stewart.
What shall l get you'll mean, won't you
! find book? I stayed in town to study, and
| l haven't seen book since came here. This
cursed luck-I beg your pardon-I mean my
| eyes went back me just as began to read
| for my degree"
| 80, that's what 1 came to read, if you II
| let me-, added Mona, glad that bushes could
not be heard by people who couldn't see them
| Let you?" laughed the young man. In
deed I will, though I'm afraid you'll find
| contracts dull work.
| Indeed, it won't be dull a bit protested
| Mona, her .sixteen-year- old heart swelling
proudly as she settled herself near the win
! dow, where the light cautiously let in.
Wasn't she doing unto her neighbor she
would be done by?
II shall like it, l am sure she declared.
And l love her for doing it,, said the
| young man to himself at the end of month.
as he sat and waited for O'Clock and Mona
| But O'Clock came, then 8 o'clock and
brought no one. .--.-..s
Mona did not come the next day or the
next. Philip Strong grew crosser and crosser.
and the doctor shook his head and declared
that all the progress he had made in the last
| month would be lost if he did not stop
| fretting.
Doctor said the young man one day, do
you know anybody in this street OF the name
| of Stewart?'
Il did, said the DOCTOR but she died last
l
Nothing; a-sharp pain in my eyes. o.
| Lord, doctor, 1 can't stand it!''
| Il told you this worrying and fretting
| would injure your eyes. l wish your father
would come I'd send you to the hospital TO-
| morrow"
!
| Philip Strong hesitated and looked up and
! down the street. He had come out to larry
/ town to make will, and he did not see the
| house he had been directed to.
| A young girl was coming aoward him. He
waited and lifted his hat. Can you tell me
| where Henry Lloyd lives?" he asked
| ing at him, put her hand to her forehead
quickly and blushed. '.I-yes-that is, Henry
Lloyd" she began, but at the sound of her
voice the young man started forward, the
blood rushing to his face. Mona" he said
stammerngly, Mona Stewart! l swear I'd
know that voice in a thousand
K YES said the girl, with tremulous
laugh as he took her hand. And you are
Mr.. Strong, are you not? But why do you
look as if you had seen a ghost?"
Because i thought at first that you were
one,'' he answered, still holding her hand
as if to assure himself. They told me that
| the reason you never came any more was be-
| cause you were dead
why, that was grandmother said Mona.
And l never had chance to explain. l.
| Il never had a chance to explain either"
said Philip, slowly, looking at her.
| Explain WHAT" asked the girl.
How much l love YOU" answered Philip