The Washington herald., 1907-01-27

BE sure it has six light rooms, all out
side" abjured Grace.
and remember it must be in a nice
neighborhood. added Molly.
Rowena sighed. III try" she said re-
signedly. and tucking her umbrella under
her arm. started down the stairs. II was
a cool day. with a gray sky and a promise
Of rain in the air The streets and bOule-
wards had the faded dusty look that late
summer always wears before the first
frost arrives 10 sharpen and brighten
things. Vans. laden with furniture, pass
ed with a frequency which proclaimed
that moving time had come.
7 must remember that all places look
less cheerful on dull day, said Rowena
10 herself. taking a list out Of her pocket
book and running over it with a rumi-
mating eye.
Bright, attractive apartment, six rooms
and hath" L think I'll Try that one,
though they all advertise them as at
tractive. and the reality is a lot of stuffy
little rooms overlooking an air shaft on
one side and somebody's back yard on the
other. But I'm starting awfully early in
the season and that ought to give me "a
better choice"
For a week Rowena had been fiat hunt
ing climbing endless flights of stairs and
interviewing a seemingly endless line Of
real estate agents and janitOTs- Each
morning she set out blithely and each
evening she came hack fatigued and dis
heartened. THE price we want 10 pay
and the kind OF an apartment we would
like don't seem 10 tit together" she
walled. recountins her adventures 10
Molly and Grace at nightfall- And this
particular day proved no exception to the
rule. BY II o'clock in the morning she
had tramped miles and found nothing
suitable.
rs this the Edgemere2'' she YEARLY
inquired Of an elevator boy in an apart
ment building whose marble entrance and
artistic green walls were like a ray of
hope TO her detected spirits.
''Yes'm." said he Of the trim suit and
brass buttons.
I'd like to look at one on the third
floor" said Rowona, smiling on him.
Rowenas smile was one of her chief
charms II lighted up her piquant face
and showed a dimple lurking in her
cheek. Ii would captivate any one, from
a king to an elevator boy,
The third floor Of the Edgeuere proved
desirable from every point of view.
Rowena was delighted. And all for so
a month"; she breathed.
The boy CAPPED at her. Fifty dollars, %
he scoffed. Why. these here apartments
rents for $l5O!'
"One hundred and fifty! You're Ger
tainly mistaken. The paper said" She
opened her pocketbook, found the clip
ping and showed it to him. He shook
his head.
''Misprint. lady" he answered. They
amt no such price"
Sure, that's just what I've been tell
ing this gentleman" said a neat-Iooking
scrubwoman. suddenly appearing in the
doorway. Behind her lowered a fair
haired young fellow. broad of shoulder
and firm of chin. He stared at Rowena
for an instant.
why, Miss Holden he cried with a
boyish laugh Of pleasure. Are you on
the trail, too?"
I should think you'd know it at first
glance" said ROwena. tragically. My
sisters tell me that my face has taken
on the expression Of the New York fat
hunter-a look Of grim despair that is
unmistakable
Dwight Curtis laughed again
i wonder If your trials are is great as
mine. I'm clubbing together with two
other fellows and trying to fill the wants
of each and all is turning me gray. More
over, I feel I'm getting the ricketts, from
sprinting up so many flights of stairs"
The building were in now is going
/ to be torn down, so we have TO move and
| it's my turn to search" explained Ro-
wena. And, Oh, Mr.. Curtis, have you
seen any reasonable apartments with
/ light, airy rooms in q pleasant neighbor-
I hood not too far from the car line?"
! Il have not Dwight answered gravely.
/ though 1 repeat those phrases even in
/ my sleep. l tell you what-why can
we hunt together? Ii viii be a lot more
/ SOciable and two heads are better than
1 one. you know. Besides, down at the
/ beach this summer that Hawkins man
| mOnopOlized so much Of your time that
/ it's only fair for me to have my innings
now. Shall we so to Seventy-sixth street
/ next2"
DO you realize" said Rowena a week
! later, as they sat on a bench on Riverside