The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-14
cep,,lshs. 1904.

membership IN circulating library,
and then another excursion up the
~. into her basket, and with no clue
whatever to the donor. This secrecy,
as she well knew, was an easy matter
to accomplish in the crowd which al
ways thronged the sidewalks when the
shops closed.
It was making now existence, rose
tinted and fairy-like,, for the white
and disheartened no longer. Some one
was interested in her. She was becom-
ing more eager and friendly. She was
losing much of the natural difidence
and shyness and distrust which she had
! brought with her from the country. All
her-hard, unfeeling, selfsh-and now
from the very hurry Of it was this vol
untary proffer Of friendship, unexpected
| and unsought. The thrill Of it grew
stronger day by day, and changed the
brief mods and smiles with the old
candy woman to occasional fve-minute
talks, and caused the new friendlineas
illness from the acknowledges she met
upon tho stairs and in the halls. When
she saw the janitor holding small
child in his arms one day, she stopped
and asked about his family, and when
the postman reappeared after week g
| dUS0uCO BIO 4uQu1Icu IL A0 udO DCo0 III.
And so it went with her into the
Vice. 70 The he new s1 Warmth In Eer heayt
was making the whole world seem
brighter and more lovable The ticket
in the basket had become almost a
matter Of course. She looked for it
regularly now. when taking out her
Of detecting the donor: In good time.
when the unknown friend was ready,
she would know.
She was accustomed to leave her
basket at the grocer g on her way to
work, and stop for it when she re-
turned at night. One morning when
her provisions were nearly out she took
it as usual, but the grocer and his as
sistant were busy in the back shop,
with two or three impatient customers
waiting, so she PLACED her basket upon
a barrel with note, and hurried off
to her work. When she stopped at
night the basket was just as she had
left it, and the grocer, who had always
filed her orders, had gone to his sup
per.
The assistant was comparatively
new and had done little waiting on
customers. He went behind the coun-
ter, wiping his hands upon his apron
and looking embarrassed.
soon, - he volunteered nervously.
Glow long?'
"Well-er, ten minutes, mebbe, or a
little more. He has to walk quite a
piece.'
May looked perturbed. Her last
, ticket was for a concert to be given
) that night, and she had determined
. on retrimming the hat which month
! she asked. Tim in hurry. I can
s show ,.oy you o. what i I want and where
. NOh, know where things are kept
well enough with goood-natqred
sme o% as bs fycd hdng the 1e o pasfS
J, tyin' up bundles that T hate. Ny fin.
: gers are too big: They do all right fol
Q plowhandles an pitchforks, but string
}, is too small for 'em.''
{. "What! Are you from the coun
g tryq' with a sudden usefulness in hel
g voice.
Eyes, six months ago, and" emphat
tis 5ks have eye O fssm thf5s s sssis
t to get livin' there than here, an
j. a sight more comfort. I ain made 6
/ friend yet-'cause I'm too green an
bashful, suppose. But it makes thu
|, place seem awful lonesome. 1t s differ
d ent with you, I guess, being used to {
=, city,
n "No, IN not used to it, she de
q clared, "though I've been here two
! years. I came from the country, too
o Ny folks died and had to get work
-. I think the city is q lot more 1onesom.
= than the country
-. |, "You do?' his face beaming will
"a sudden pleasure. He tied the last pack
n age awkwardly, dropped it into thu
70 basket and walked with her to the door
l.. al g. xlol
a Il, but pshawl' breaking off alb
r rup pEyi.t,v
r ooh, nothin'l" retreating towar'
the counter; "only IL was thinkin
a of an excursion up the Sound Sunday
4 an we both being lonesome an alone
+ it seemed-but I know it's imperti
nent.''
- She looked at him thoughtfully, he
a boy and from the country, and hi
j. face was open and honest, though jus
n now very red and embarrassed. Sh
ID nodded, little doubtfully.
A. ~ don't know but I might" sh
t. conceded. 1T know what tits not t
~ be acquainted with anybody in tn
at city. It's awful lonesome. Yes,
id guess I IL be willing
OF May had gone half block befor
Ia Sno missed ueT DaSheC. w men SuS re
e, turned she found it on the counter
in The assistant had retreated to the bac
lg room. By this time The shops an
ne great stores were closed, and the side
ut walks were crowded with hurryin
on pedestrians. May and her basket wer
! thrust to right and left by impatien
us home-seekers pushing by. So when sh
r reached home she was not surprised
~ find the customary slip Of pasteboar
X among her packages.
I This time, however. it was not
;. ticket, but few penciled lines whic
~ read:
d. If it is a good day Sunday I'm conir
to for you to go on an excursion. I kno
en- where you live and will be there at eigh
or Your friend, William Saunders.
y. ~ In the tumult of anticipation whic
a. !, filed her mind, May did not even thin
~ of the grocer g assistant until 81
= passed the store the next morning. The
ek she turned and went in. The groc,
81 came forward, but she shook her hea
ne II don It want anything, Mr.. Broy
n en-" she said, "only just to see 20,
re boy minute.,'
IS "Oh, him. nodding toward the BAG
lis room, from whence came the sound
he hammering. elias he been maxim
at some mistakes with your orderf Ju
nd step to the door there
to May did SO, and found the assistaI
Ial bending over box. He looked up q
pectantly.
lis ct just stopped in to say. I.can t :
be Suuday'' she said hurriedly. g