The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-06-23
CONTINUED From Yesterday


Patsy had never engaged in such
a quest before, and the prices asked in
houses where they would have liked to
live appalled, both of them. It was a
long and disheartening process of dis
illusion they went through before they
were in that chastened frame of mind
that enabled them to see possibilities
and good points in apartments within
their means. Then they hit upon a
treasure" in a four-roomed fiat on the
west side of the city not too far re-
moved from the theatre district. What
mattered 1t that the house resembled
in few things. except perhaps the
smallness Of its rooms, the dwelling
structures they had had in mind?
What mattered it that the rooms were
not all light INC the stairway leading
to thfm was dark? Their very pres
ence impaired brightness to them, and
the cheap furniture and carpets the In
domitable Patsy procured on the in
stalment plan at thrice their actual
selling value gave them a positively
luxurious appearance in the yes of the
enraptured girls. And when the final
touches had been added in the shape of
the dainty knick6nacks that start into
mysterious being at the touch of
woman's deft fingers and the portraits
of Dan and pop and mon" smiled
at them from their place of honor on
the parlor mantelpiece, what could be
wanting to fill the girls cup OF proud
happiness? Nothing but the actual
presence and admiration of their far
distant loved ones.
In the enchantment of the city, in
the promptings of the world of make
believe in which she played a part, the
reason for being of which is the pur-
veying of delight, is it to be marveled
at hat a young girl such as Nora, a
weakling, suddenly transplanted from
the cloistral monotony of a home fan
removed from even the unexciting
whirl of a country town, should be
daZzled, hypnotized into a gradual dis
regard of warning and advice? Selfish
ness and curiosity were her chief traits
and with her selflshness was doubled {
persistence in the pursuit of her desires
which from her cloak of i-ngenuousnesi
and submissiVeness never would havI
been suspected. There was nothing
consciously or at all events intention
ally evil in these desires, but she wa
impatient of counsel, especially sine
she had tasted of the liberty of her nev
life. She could learn no lesson from
the wisdom acquired by others through
experience and suffering. 1t had to b
forced upon her by consequences dis
agreeable to herself. Yet she was o
those natures which when their owl
actions have landed them in trouble
founder, clutch at any and every stray
! and 20 II uTi11xT for holm hut nrn ra rely
grateful to those who may respond ant
extricate them.
She did not of herself seek Crawford
but when he secretly sought her sht
saw no harm in continuing on goot
terms with him, Notwithstanding Pat.
sy's preaching. Patsy was old maidisl
in her views, anyhow, she old herself
She liked Crawford, and he had proved
his friendship for her by enabling hel
to win not a little money or the races
She had a very strong p%enchant fol-
gambling. 1t was ar easy way to sup.
plement her earnings-nearly all Of
which went for her own keep and Il
the folks at home-whcn she could gel
tips from a gentleman like Crawford
who knew all about horses and horse
racing, was in the position to get sure
things and was anxious to help her
He was very nice, too He treated
her as an equal and a chum and mani
tested his solicitude in many delicate
ways. She almost wished that Patsy
was not in New York. so that she could
be more free to profit by his kindness
and TO spend more on dress. He had
given her pretty presents that h waf
obliged to hide and had insisted upor
taking her to lunch more than once
She liked to go to the luxurious dining
halls he escorted her to; also she liked
the attention she never failed 10 at
tract among the people there.
But it was only very rarely that she
was able to accept these invitations
only when she could escape h society
Of Patsy on the pretext of going shop
ping or Of taking a walk when hel
sister was busy at home. Patsy liked
10 keep the fiat in apple-pie order
Nora, whose zeal in the performance OF
the household duties had lost its edge
was not averse to letting her do as
much Of the work as she wanted to and
as she herself could escape from doing