The Press., 1907-06-12
HER DAY OF FREEDOM.
By RosAL1H DAVIS.

OoOeOOOOOoOOOOoOoOeOoOOOOO Grace Cramer received the news of her aunt's trifling illness with outward manifestations of regret and sympa- thy, but an inward feeling of exulta- 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 I hope she will be feeling very much better when come back from a drive. Is there anything could bring her-violets or perhaps rosesT
 Madam cannot endure perfume of any sort when she has one of these at tacks, but shall tell her of your kind thoughtfulness," said the precise, black Rowned maid. who had been in Mrs. Cramers service for fifteen years.
 We'll trained and capable was this maid, but 1t never dawned upon her that she should personally see that Mrs. Cramer's order for the carriage was executed. Certainly this sturdy young woman from the west, only daughter of Mrs. Cramer's only broth CT. looked as if she were quite capable of giving her own orders.
 And so 1t 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 briskly 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 1t was for sightseeing!
 In front of the Waldorf-Astorla stood a line of hansoms. With deliberate steps and keen glances she turned her feet in their direction. The cabbieS looked at her expectantly-sharp fea- tured English drivers, heavy 5owled 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 hez long fiat purse.
 "How muchp
 Where. missT' said the driver cour- teously.
 "Oh. I don't know just whereby the hour, guess"
 "One-fifty 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 CTS booth laughed. Grace started. Perhaps she had better not. Then she glanced up at the young man on the box. Ills 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 lon 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 afraidp' she mur- mured. "Why, at home l go every where alone-and he Is such 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 a curious mingling of triumph and reproach.
 They bowled through the park and drew up with flourish in front of the museum. Grace sprang out.
 "Oh, 1t Is so much larger than ex pected," she said, turning to the driver in frank surprise, not untinged with appeal. "T had no idea there was SC much of it. You don't suppose I car begin to see 1t in half an hour or ever 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 I'd seen the half, of 1t yet"
 "Oh. then you don't work on Sun daysT
 The cabby flushed.
 "After 6, miss. There's not much do ing here on Sundays till dinner time."
 "Do they have guidesT' she said waving her hand toward the museum.
 "No, miss. But you can buy a cata logue"-
 "And spend all my time trying to fig ure out the catalogue. Goodness, ev erything is so big in New York! Il appalls me-" She took a step forward then turned.
 q don't suppose-would you mind-li you could get some one to hold the horse-could you take me through9 Il would save so much time If you know the building. and then maybe I could see Grants tomb too"
 The young Irishman swung around on the box. Yes; there, a few rodi away. was a policeman. He drove to ward the officer, held a whispered con versation and In a few moments re turned on foot. leaving the horse 1T care of bright looking boy, with tho sympathetic policeman in higher au thority.
 You'll want to see the Vanderbilt loan collection, a few of the biggest and finest pictures and the Morgan jewels" he said. But they saw much more, and 1t was fully an hour and half before they emerged from the mu scum.
 Tt isn't hard to see that you hay , spent your Sunday afternoons to goo l advantage" said the girl without r touch of patronage, and the young ma , looked at her gratefully. ''Once thought I'd like to be paint CT, but now"-
 Il He signaled to the lad, who led u