Middletown transcript., 1907-04-13


blue serge garment over the
chair in front of her.
Thank you, so much. replied
Annabel, with her sweet, girlish
smile. It looks as good as new
why, you've put on new velve-
teen, Mrs. Mallock.
Yes, l didn'r want to be bother
ed with turning and piecing the
old bit, said the elder woman,
with a deprecatory gesture.
Now, now, put your purse down;
I owed you something for run
ming errands for me, and it's all
right.
How can / ever repay you?
You've been very kind to me.
I've tried to do what I could for
a fatherless and motherless girl,
but it isn't much poor woman
can do. And to think you're out
of work again, Annabel.
Yes, said the girl, with a little
sigh, T expected it when the rush
was over.
But it wasn't much of place,
commented Mrs. Mallock, with
a toss of her head. Standing be-
hind a counter all day, waiting on
a lot of ungrateful people who
treat you as if you were a
machine, and all for four dollars
a week, and you with board and
car fare to pay, wasn't what you
would call a snap, now. Maybe
something better will turn up.
Annabel did not answer, and
the woman looked at her keenly.
You're looking peaked, she
said. You've lost your red
cheeks, and your eyes are get
ting back in your head, and
you've been awful mopy lately.
oh, I've got eyes.
I'm discouraged, repliedsAnna-
bel, dropping into a chair and
leaning her face upon her hands.
You're homesick, said Mrs.
Mallock.
Annabel gave a short, mirth-
less laugh.
1 can't be that, for I haven't
any home; but I do wish Id
never left Greenfield.
Why, you had to, didn't you,
when you were left alone?
But I wasn't left alone, and I
didn't have to. Oh, Mrs. NAL
lock, I must tell you. l must
talk to somebody or I shall go
crazy. I've been such a foolish
girl! [ had a home offered me;
there was "a young man there
who thought a good deal of me,
and l of him, but I got silly no.
tions in my head. wanted to
come to the city and see some
thing of life. Two girls I knew
came here, and such letters as
they wrote! Ada Dalton went in
a jewelry store, and rich man
married her and gave her lovely
home; and Cora Bent worked for
a milliner and sung at concerts
occasionally, for she had a good
voice; she lived in big boarding
house, and had such pleasant
times. She wrote me of the
places she visited, the plays she
saw and of her friends. | got
tired /of my dull life and fields
and farm houses. I thought I'd
come to the city, too, and when I
told him = well, we quarrelled.
But, oh. Mrs. MallCck, it's all so
different
Mrs. Mallock looked at her
thoughtfullly.
My dear, she said, the city's
hard place for the poor young
girl. You're smart and you're
winning, and you see how hard it
is to get along. And you haven't
anyone to give you any pleasure;
it's been a dull time for you.
Your friends were very lucky
But they weren't! Annabel
burst forth passionately. That's
the worst of it. met Ada one
day. She was elegantly dressed,
but she wasn't happy; she told
me SO. She had married an old
man for his-money, and she was
miserable. His folks were un-
kind to her, and he was jealous,
and she had tired Of it all. An
mabel, she said, my happiest days
were in Greenfield. Then
The other girl?
Yes-Annabel's head dropped |
Il saw her, too. She was well |
dressed, too, and wore a lot of |
ieWelry and her face was painted.
She sings on-the stage now. She
didn't recognize me, and I'm glad
of it since. I've heard that-that
well, you understand, Mrs.
Mallock. Her friends could not
be my friends; they are not like