The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-28
THE MAGIC OF NINA FILLER
By Max sterner.

fCopyright, i9os. by Daily Story Pub.
 co.)
 It is not to be written whether Mrs, HugEins was more surprised at the ap- partition which appeared in her shabby sitting room or whether Nina Hitler personifying the apparition. was more surprised at the prevailing slovenliness of tbe place. Certain 1t was that the dingy room which served as an office for Mrs Huggins' fifth class lodging house. had never been graceh by so neat and smart and altogether charm ing person as Miss Hitler. Certain if was also that Nina never had dreamed there were so many unutterable kinds of dirt as she saw about her e
 Mrs Huggins was inclined at first to be a bit belligovent, hat N'sta perfect frankness and Eentleness disarmed her. As for Nina her lips trembled just for the fraction of a moment as she con- 4rssted the cheerless place with the neat and comfortable country home she had left.
 DO you have furnished rooms to rent?' she inquired
 ''I do," replied Mrs. Huggins shortly.
 May ! see one?' persisted Nina.
 What for? ''rejoined Mrs. Huggins.
 T am looking for a room" replied the girl. .s--
 Mrs. Huggins gasped in surprise
 yThere's plenty vacant, the Lord knows" she said But they ain't hard ! ly your kind.
 T am not very particular so long a the place is respectable and the rent ss not high" said the girl.
 'Respectable" snorted Mrs. Huggins. T never ran no place that want re- spectable.'
 "rm sure of that" the girl hastened to say 'I--I only meant that was why came here"
 well. its cheap enough" went on the landlady. Goodness knows. it has money any more. have to take what folks can afford to pay"
 Then she looked shyly at the girl and said with rough kindness: T really think you might find place you would like better. Its only poor folks that put up here"
 'T am very poor" replied Nina simply. Then noting Mrs Huggins keen glan- cAa at her neat hat and tasty clothes and more especially a her gloves and rather stylish hat. she smiled and ad- ded: T am from the country. My parents died very recently and left me alone. and there was not much left after the bills were paid"
 'prhs city is poor place to come" replied Mrs. Huggins grimlY, but not unkindly. Goodness knows there's q plenty here now trvln' 10 keep soul and body together If you've got any friends in the country you'd better so hack and get any kind of work to .fo to keep an honest roof over vour head There's an army Of 'em here svaikin' the streets looKin for work -and it's a bad business for a young ssjri and q purty one like vou. 2 get ftr, discourage and hungry and lo-e- serna and all that
 rbn girl bIushed and smiled tca-e confident Iiltle smile.
 .I had q good mother and E-t fatnery' she satd wish qpiet f.rrirt- s.smA I arn sure ] would dc nothing -a ai~~rece them. hove no daubt at oI5 but I will find work 70 g. anl that vyili get on tamously"
 The upshot of 1t all was that No7 aeearne established in dingv room on fine second floor with two dingv win flows. There was a din%y carpet on tha floor and a meagre quantity of dingy furniture. There was also a ne- elected fire place in the corner. Ii ras all so hopeless and squalid that 1t reauired all Of Nina's courage to face
 While waiting for her trunk the new conner went out and returned with an armful of packages which filled the person of Mrs. Huggins with burning curiosity boy followed her with good sized box. Mysterious sounds eame from the room of the new lodger. presently a cnal man carried several eactxs of coal to the room. This was the straw that simply broke the land iady's back, so to speak. She simply