Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-12-13
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CHAPTER /.

mon place houses, q fgG OF when tne
builder or some other equally high
flown individual had called Paradise
Terrace, sat a young girl. II was an
evening in June, and the sun, sinking
up the room, and showed plainly that
it was small and also shabby Every
body knows the kind of room which
you may obtain, furnished" in such
places as Paradise Terrace Camden
Town-the square of gaudy though
faded felt carpet; the hideous wall.
paper, with its confusing and hea l.
ache-producing patterns and colors :
the atrocious German Autographs, that
the landlady so fondly admires and
greatly values as "pioers:" tle cheap
and SHINING furniture; the rickety
armchair, with the "stuffing' peeYing
out of the rents in the American cloth,
which tries TO palm itself off for
leather; the shaky table, with the glar.
ing red cover; and the lookinl-glass
which is warranted to transfer N the
most perfect face into hi locus carl
cature
There they all were, and. in add
tion. a cheap tin-kettle piona; and in
the midst of them was this girl. ! cant
describe her; if | say that she had an
oval face, it gives you no idea OF its
wonderful expressiveness, which is
indeed the greatest charm or a wo
mans or mans face; if say that
she had dark eyes, you cannq.
realize the glorious depth and purity
Of them; if say that she had dark
| hair ten to one YOU win at once pic
ture the usual thick, dull-coloned kind
which this girls was not being in fact
as soft as silk, and as glossy; and il
! / say that she had a good figure.
shall not have made you understand
/ now Undesirable grace accom-
panied her every movement, and how
the turn of her exquisitely-shapet
throat would have set d sculptor
! frantic to fix it IN marble.
There are natures noblewomen as
well as noblemcn. You pass a girl II
the street, as you look at her calm. re
poseful eyes, and note the easy grace
of her bearing, and say at once: 'Tha
| girl has coed blood in her; it ma,
have been a long way back, but he
| ancestors We're mobiles in the land,
4 1t was just this look hat Leola Dali
had and nothing could rob her of it.
She sat for some time quite motion
1I1
paler for the dark eyes, as they fixe
themselves in sad and earnest media
ton upon the gaudy paper.
/ ] don't like to write it-but-bu
truth is truth, she looked, she wa
hungry. Presently she put her hand
half-fearfully. into her pocket ant
drew out, slowly. and with culver o
the lips, a small coin; 1t was penny
She looked at this fer minute, will
a smile that was a thousand times
more piteous than tears. and she wa
still looking at it when some on
knocked at the door. and, scarcel,
waiting for permission, turned thu
handle ami entered.
She was middle-aged woman
whose face would have been good
natured, but for the hardened look o
worry and trouble.
Leola Dale looked up as the woman
entered, and half rose, then sanl
down again. and clasped her hands
Good evening, Mrs Tibbett," sh'
said, in low voice that was yer.
sweet, and would have been round an'
full but for its faintness.
"Good-evenin Miss" said the wo
man, plucking at her apron neryously
and cycling the pale face with troubled
eagerness. Il just looked up, Mis-
Dale, hearin you come in, about th'
rent"
The girls face flushed for mo
ment, then grew all the paler for thu
unwonted color.
The rent?" she repeated mechani
cally.
IT, woman nod reo. and starec
uervously a. the winaow.
Yes, Miss, you promised SHOULD
have it today--didn't YOU"
u did" came the answer, family
sadly
And I've been depending on it.,
continued the woman
Il am very sorry. said the girl, he
hands tightening in their clasp. "
cannot pay it."
oh, don't say that, Miss" PLEADED
the woman. despairlngly. Don't sa'
that, I've been depending on It to pa!
my own, and / must pay it eonight, o
shall be turned out-me and th'
poor children Oh Miss Dale, you'll
think of the poor children, You as i
50 fond Of them, and who they're 81
fond of. It's a hard landlord view
got, and he's waited now longer thar
he's ever waited before. At least
Miss, youil give me somethng?"
The girl looked at the worried, teal
full face with the expression whicl
would again have set any artist at dc
fiance
Then she opened her han. in whicl
the penny was clasped, and held !
out.
The woman stared at the penny
they both stared at it-then the eide
burst into tears.
What is to become OF us-and tn
poor children!"
! Leola Dale shook her head.
Il do not know" she said, simply
despairfully. Il cannot think. If