The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-10
THE LITTLE GRAY WOMAN.
Quiet and Demure at Home, but Startling
When She Went Shopping. .

Il shall never forget the mystery OF that
boarding house. said the girl. Never In
the world. 1t was when / first came to New
York. Before l got wise.
sShe was a demure, quiet little. womans
who always wore gray. She wore a little
red rose on her waist. That was her
mothers trick, 1 found out afterward.
Her mother was wise all right. enough,
and lazyl Wait till l tell you. The little
demure woman supported the bunch. IL
wasn't 80 awfully much Of a bunch. either.
Her mother, herself and the kid.
THE kid was a boy Of 1. a beautiful boyI
whose face was never clean unless some OF US
washed It. The grandmother never washed
r.. She was too busy reading yellow backed
novels and dressing her daughter for her
part.
"You know how they are at boarding
houses. Well, they were worse at this.
Got TO know your business. Must be wise to
exactly what you do to make a living. Never
let up until they find it out.
well. they thought they we're wise to this
little gray woman's business. She fooled
them we'll. They never knew. 1t was I
who found her out. Yes, /. But do you
think I told on herr Never!
s'She addresses envelopes Is what
they told me when I got there. 1t was the
explanation the mother offered and long.
narrow, queer looking boxes constantly
coming in seemed to prove it.
Sometimes they we're sent by & mos
senRer boy. Sometimes she brought them
when she came home from her work. She
must nave been kept pretty busy all day
long, addressing those envelopes, because
she was never at home until dinner time
- H. $500 A~~ ttNnI e. nhA nrxV
aThe boys beauty made a hit With me.
It wasn't long before I took charge OF him.
I hadn't any. work OF my own yet and time
hung on my hands.
Ieshow him picture books and keep him
amused. Besides, ne was such a grateful
little beggar. He got 30 he would follow
me around the house like a little poodle.
] was fond Of him and he knew it.
notice me much at first, burt pretty soon,
after she had come to my room three or four
times for the child, she began to take a
liking to me, too, seeing, the boys fond
ness Tor me-, ] suppose and my love for him.
Sometimes she and the boy spent whole
| evenings in my room and I rocked him to
We'll, one day I told her I wanted to go
out shopping, but the city was 80 big and
strange and new to me was hall afraid.
lou dTt INC Iildtt yOu hiio"t IN you
know the ways of a big city.
"She said she would take me around,
II l wanted her to. said, oh, no. l don't
want you to neglect your work But she
insisted. She wouldn't be neglecting her
work, she said. b
Il was a little surprised at that, but we
went out together to a big department
store. / hadn't much to buy-some gloves
or something. I've forgotten just what.
Yes. 1t was gloves.
I'VE sat down at the glove counter and
when l had selected my gloves / looked
up at a long lovely boa hanging on the line
and said:
My, l wish I had that
Il had no sooner got the words out OF my
mouth than quicker than a fash the little
gray woman had jerked the boa down and
smuggled it into her bag.
Il was frantic. My landl II the clerk
had seen, l was done for. ! was an accom-
plioei I would be arrested and spend the
balance Of my days in jail!
Hush whispered the little gray woman,
and held my hand tight to keep me from
crying out.
u don't know bow I ever got home, I