The Lambertville record., 1903-03-25
IN THE WEE
SMA' HOURS
BY a NJ y LEI E
Copyright, la2, by the S. 5. Mcclure
Company
BY a NY LIE E

sisted, that she would need for their
little home when the wedding occur
red i'll October things without which
she could not keep house, but which
her mothers limited income would not
permit her 10 buy. Seven dollars II
week and her three meals daily. with
absolutely nothing to do but hand out
keys and mail! The hotel was within
walking distance of their home so she
could save every cent of her salary, to
say nothing of what her mother could
save on their table in her absence.
Mrs. Ruggles had the old fashioned
southern prejudice against business
life for women. In vague way she
realized that ii was perhaps n particu-
larly perilous position in which to
place her pretty daughter. Then, too,
she looked forward with dread to the
three meals alone each day. Little did
her daughter realize how much she
would save on the table. how seldom
she would set forth for herself more
than tea and bread and fruit.
Anstruther felt the rooted objection
which every good. manly fellow must
make at thought of his sweetheart
working for her daily bread. He want
ed to assume that burden himself, but
Elsa had insisted upon waiting until
every cent WAS paid ON their home
nest. Moreover. he disliked the publici.
ty of 1t all, the phase of life which she
must inevitably see day after day.
But Elsa alternately pouted and ca
joled until she won her point and WAS
duly installed as key and mail clerk
ut the Stuyvesant House.
AT first she was radantly happy in
her work. The manager of the hotel,
Mr.. Paxton, had been her fathers
friend and took more than passing i'll
terest in his new employee. 1t was
pleasant TO Wear her long, trailing
black skirt aud fresh, dainty shirt
waist every day and 10 sweep Into
the dining room, where we'll trained
walters served her And pleasanter
still II WAS To buy certain little luxu-
ries she had long wanted to add TO her
wedding outfit.
But by and by the serpent of envy
IdIHtu ITO utAQ III ltI btN lpuAI lAltils
The regular guests passed her in such
bewildering variety of frocks that
her own simple outfit turned rusty in
her eyes. out Of town people, in for u
few days shopping, sent home c. o. ID.
packages that made her own pur-
chases look absurdly small. She dis
covered that what appeared like luxu-
ries to her We're the everyday necessi-
ties to the majority of Stuyyesant
House guests. And why should these
women who carried their beautiful
gowns with such poor grace be given
all the good things of life while she
had SO little to set off her natural at
ters of Butte mine operator who
wore rings outside their gloves and
tipped the walters with crisp bills.
They had actually offered her Il tip one
day as she handed out their keys.
Thinking of II all, II fever sometimes
burned In her veins that even the over
worked electric fan above her head
could not counteract.
Many of the guests tried TO patron
ize her, but she kept herself proudly in
hand. As for the men, she youchsafed
them only the demurest good morn
ing" when they made frequent and
often unnecessary trips TO her desk.
This until Ainslee came. Ainslee rep
resented prominent New York i'm
porter, ordered his clothes from
Broadway tailor, knew life and how to
enjoy it and had been privileged
guest at the Stuyyesant ever since he
had been on the road. lie was n spe-
cial favorite with Mr.. Paxton, who
granted him the unusual favor of an
Introduction to the new clerk.
Ainslec was to stay week this time.
When Mr. Paxton heard 1t, he regret
ted the introduction. Ainslee convinced
the head waiter that it was the diplo-
matte thing and likewise a pecuniary
advantage to that dignitary to give
him seat at Miss Ruggles' table.
Later he assured his pretty table visa
Wis that she was looking peaked and
pale. Her position was too combining.
ahe needed more fresh air In the even
lngs. Now, the very next night he must
run out to Lake Placid TO meet II Gus
toner. Would she go along? 1t meant
lovely trolley ride, dinner with mu-
tacle at the Casino. It would take him
but short time to go over business
details with his customer, and In the
meantime she could be drinking In
that much needed fresh air
Elsa consulted both her mother and
her fanee, but with an air Of 1nallty
that showed the futility Of objections.
A note of complaint sounded In her
voice. She never went anywhere, while
everybody at the hotel seemed to live
for pleasure. Anstruther might have
reminded her that last year they had
gone everywhere together, but that
now he was denying himself every
pleasure to make the final payment on
their home Instead he kissed her long
and tenderly and said he felt quite
sure that Mr.. Paxton would permit her
TO meet no one who was not fit COM
panion.
1t was a great evening for the unso-
DhlollNatNd W bO Nih bOh ANoiHo
that the money Mr. Ainslee lavished
was his firms and was used to enter
tain the customer rather than herself
In reality she was merely side issue,
a reward that Ainslee felt he deserved
for the efforts he was putting forth to
secur, q poa line of trade, II would
all appear in ais expense account,
Then Aillslee was SO different from
her own quiet lover. She wondered IL
all New York men would be like this
50 excessively watchful of her comfort
IN small things, 80 entertaining Ia their
persihage and delicate In their flattery.
She wished that Anstruther had ac-
eompanied them. Lately he had seemed
so preoecupled and was less mindful Of
her little needs when In public. Yet
when she reached home she was not
entirely sure that she had enjoyed the
evening, Perhaps the serpent of dis
content had raised his head too boldly
this time.