The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-30
AT THE FOOT
OF THE STAIRS
By A. NJ. DAVIES OGDEN.


Miss MccaIren listened in sullen 81
lence TO the matron's remarks. then
sped up the stairs. and. fiinging her
self on the bed. burst into vehement
sobs.
Cant a girl call her soul her own?"
she stormed. why shouldn't / go to
the theater without a permit? ] can't
be running home every second to ask
permission to breathe. After working
and shaving all day are we to have no
pleasure at night either? What am l
to do? l can't bear this"
Her roommate. n slender, delicate
girl with tired blue eyes. looked up.
Never mind. Maddie." she soothed.
You know those are the rules of the
house, and Miss Masters tries TO be
so kind"
Kind" shifted Maddie contemptu-
ously.
Down below in her room Miss Mas
ters sat puzzling over the same prob
lem. What was TO be done with this
ambitious. brilliant, dark-eyed girl?
How should she be tanned. interested
In the small things that made up the
lives of these girls who lived under
her charge? Miss Masters sighed.
For, OF course. Il is hard for her.
she reasoned. Brought up as she
has been in a village where she could
do az she pleased, no wonder our re-
straints are irksome, and l think she
is disappointed by the city, too. Also.
perhaps II we could have more fun
here at home in the evenings. Per-
haps-" and Miss Masters reverie end
ed in a smile.
1t was true that Maddie had been
disappointed. Coming to New York
full OF ambition and hope, her head
trimming with golden dreams, the
small salary that she had been able to
secure seemed paltry enough. To live
even respectfully she had been forced
TO seek shelter in one of those homes
for working girls, whose patronesses
think II wise to insist upon certain
regulations. Maddie, chatting terribly
under these rules, was constantly in
trouble. Yet In her reasonable mo-
ments the girl knew that Miss Mas
ters was both just and generous. She
was hardly surprised therefore, when
a day or so after their disagreement
Miss Masters stopped her in the hall.
Halloween lis next week" she
said. You country girls know all
about such festivals. Why don't you
get up little spree for that night?"
Maddie was charmed at the thought.
With her roommate, Ruth, she con-
cocted notes OF invitation to the
other girls in the mysterious
notes, which reused curiosity to fever
heat. But though full of pfans and
excitement, Maddie's spirits were fit
full, and Miss Masters, thinking of a
certain letter written and mailed by
herself to an address in Maddies own
town, smiled oontentedly.
AS the girls trooped down to the
kitchen on Halloween they found
awaiting them as hostesses two
maidens in sunbonnets and calico
gowns, while all around were home
made country decorations. A pump
kin jack-o'-lantern stood on the dress
er, a pile of nuts lay before the fire.
and by the door a big tub filled with
water displayed rosy apples floating
seductively. Maddie was the leader
In everything. Her curly head was
fairly drenched as she lifted 1t from
the tub with an apple firmly held be-
tween her firm white teeth. Her eyes
sparkled as she taught the others to
name their nuts. The kitchen rang
with laughter. and Miss Masters
watched, we'll pleased.
They dropped bits Of hot lead into
water to judge of their husbands
trade by the shapes the lead took
They counted apple-seeds.
"One ] love, two l love, three / love-
/ say, four ] love with all my heart
FIVE ] cast away. six he loves, seven
she loves. eight they both love, nine
he comes, ten he tarries. eleven he
courts. twelve he narries, thirteen they
quarrel, fourteen they part, fifteen
they both die OF broken heart" And
Maddie flushed pink as a June rose
when her seeds gave out at nine. He
comes No, not to me-" And she flung
up her head proudly.
As a climax, each girl was TO take
a handglass and with candle IN the
other hand. walk backwards down The
cellar stairs.
For your future husband will come
and look over your shoulder in the
glass; declared Maddie. Some Of the
more timid exclaimed in horror: II
wouldn't dare" 60 down those dark
stairs alone?" Suppose you saw
ghostT
Maddie. her eyes dancing, volunteer
ed to 60 first. give IL to me, ] don't
know a single man." she said lightly.
But as she closed the door behind
her and felt the chill rise from the cool
cellar, her mood changed. All the old
worries and perplexities that she had
been yaliantly fighting these past few
weeks, rushed upon her. What were
they doing at home tonight. she
wondered. Were they, too, having
a Halloween party? oh, why, why had