Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-02-16
HER DAY OF
FREEDOff.
Ey RO5ALIE DAVIS.

OsOsOsCsOoOOOOoOeOeOeOsOsO
Grace Cramer received the news of
her aunts trifing illness with outward
manifestations Of regret and sympa-
thy, but IN inward feeling OF eXllta-
ton which she realized was, to say the
least. ungrateful. Aunt Felice had been
patient untiring. accomplishing
chaperon for one long week.
Tell Mrs Cramer | hope she will be
feeling very much better when l come
back from a drive. Is there anything l
could bring her-violets or perhaps
roses?'
Madam cannot endure perfume of
any sort when she has one of these at
tacks. but l shall tell her of your kind
thoughtfulness," said the precise. black
gowned maid. who had been in Mrs,
Cramer's service for fifteen years.
Well trained and capable was this
maid, but it never dawned upon her
that she should personally see that
Mrs. Cramers order for the carriage
was executed. Certainly this sturdy
young woman from the west, only
daughter Of Mrs Cramer's only broth
err looked as if she were quite capable
of giving her own orders.
And so it happened that the butler,
not without some misgivingS held open
the big walnut and bronze doors for
Grace to pass out half an hour later
and watched her walk briskiy down
the avenue.
At Thirty-fourth street she paused
uncertainty There were several points
of interest she really wanted to see be-
fore returning home-the statue of Lib
erty. the Metropolitan Museum of Art
and Grants tomb OF course New
Workers were always bored with such
things. but Grace was from the west
and frankly interested in sightseeing.
And such a morning as it was for
sightseeing!
In front Of the Waldorf Astoria stood
a line of hansoms With deliberate
steps and keen glanceS she turned her
feet in their direction. The cabbies
tured English drivers, heavy jowled
and red eyed Irish drivers, a couple
who looked as if they had sprung
from the ghetto and one who caught
and held her glance, smooth and boy
ish of face, smart and we'll grOomed
of coat and hat. She stopped and look
ed up into his face, shielding her eyes
with her long fat purse.
How much?"
'Where, miss?' said the driver cour-
teously.
ooh, l don't know just whereby
the hour, guess"
"One-tifty for the first hour, dollar
an hour after that
.'All right And first we'll go to the
museum in the park"
He touched the front of his hat with
his gloved fingers, and some rude young
men lOunging near the carriage start
er's booth laughed. Grace started.
Perhaps she had better not. Then she
glanced up at the young man on the
box. His gloved fingers were still
against his hat, the doors were invit-
ingly open. and. though his face was
quite grave, his eyes danced in fash
ion very much in accordance with her
own joy in being free from surveil-
lance for a whole day.
She sprang into the hanson, and the
doors clattered shut.
"How silly to be afraidr' she muir
INJURED. why at home l go every
where alone-and he is such a nice
looking Irish boy"
THE nice looking Irish boy" gath
ering up his reinS, turned his eyes on
the group of rude laughing youths near
the starters booth, and in that look
was curious minglng of triumph and
reproach.
They bowled through the park and
drew UP with a flourish in front of the
museum. Grace sprang out.
"Oh, it is so much larger than l ex
pected," she said. turning to the driver
in frank surprise, not untinged with
appeal Il had no idea there was so
much of it, You don't suppose / can
begin to see it in half an hour or even
an hour?"
The young man leaned respectfully
from the box.
Indeed you can't. miss. I've been
here nearly every Sunday for the past
three months, and I don't feel as if Ia
seen the half II it vet"
"Oh, then you don't work on Sun
days?"
The caJby flushed
after 8. miss. There's not much do
ing here ON Sundays till dinner time"
do they have guides%' she said
waving her hand toward the museum
NO, miss. But You can buy cata-
lOgue''-
And spend all my time trying to fig-
ure out the catalogue. Goodness, ev- /
erything is so big in New York. 1t
appalls me" She took a step forward
then turned.
Il don't suppose-wOuld you mind-if
you could get some one to hold the
horse-could you take me through? 1t