Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-04-30

I'm very much obliged to you for giving
me shelter this way.
I'm real glad to hev he'd you" answered
the woman in the chair. II don't get TO
see any too many strangers. settin here
all the time. I guess THAI muslin won't
hurt any. eff it's jest ironed out again,
fore 1T gifts time to crease
The girl followed Miss ConyerS out on to
the porch. They walked dow to the gate
side by side. over the wet boardwalk. The
syringa bushes smelled fresh after the
rain.
At the gate Miss Conyers turned.
why did you do that ?" she asked.
The girl set her teeth.
II suppose you're going to tell every one
the truth"'
Miss Conyers looked at her quietly.
Come and walk a little way up the
road with me-" she said. You won't want
a hat"
The rain had laid the dust along the
quiet country read. Late afternoon sum
light struggled through the clouds, and
cleaned on the dreEched weeds and
grasses where crickets rasped. The wet
earth gave out a pleasant, cooling smell.
The two walked slowly, holding up their
skirts from. the path.
II suppose you can't ever understand
my doing such a .thing?" said the girl.
You've always been successful, right
along. You have talent. l thought 1 had
when 1 Joined. 1 always used to recite
at the academy, here. Every one said 1
was real clever. 1 was crazy to go on
the stage, and after awhile they let me
go. Well, you can guess. after the way
Id talked and all, 1 didn't want to let on
at home that l wasn't any good. So for
the longest while l never wrote back at
all, only just letters saying l was getting
on all right. and things like that, and L
worked hard-I honestly did. 1t wasn't
any use. l only got the meanest little bits
or parts-you know the kind-it seems 1
knew just about enough to walk on the
stage and back, and that was about all.
And mother thought an awful lot OF me,
ana. she made so sure l was getting on
ana all, and she kept writing up-long
letters, asking me all about everything.
ana she'd given up a lot to let me go, and
l mated to disappoint her. And one day
l just cut out a notice about you'll don't
Know whatever made me think of it. 1
sent 1T back without saying a word. And
mother. she wrote me the longest letter
back, she was so pleased. She thought no
end OF 1T. And that was how it began.
ana then / sent her others every once In
a while. All the time I kept linking
now as soon as L began to get on at all.
I could stop 1t.
"Well. 1 never got the chance. Ant
mother got to count so o n having the no.
tees. and she thought so much OF them.
and l hated to tell her. She was taken
bad last March, and. of course, 1 came
right back. Lots of times since / won
dered whether I'd tell her. But she's so
proud, It's meant lots more to her than
ever 1T would have. done to me, even. and
If 1 told her now it'd just about kill her,
You think I'm deceitful, and no better
than a thief, but / dom care! I've lain
awake and reasoned 1t all out, and / can't
do it,"
There was a silence. Miss Conyers
looked dow at the girl beside her I'M the
cotton blouse. so oddly different from the
other girl she had noticed only to dislike.
at rehearsals. The cheapness. the common.
ness. seemed less in active evidence. In
DERIVING the shallow exterior she could
read something of the steady logged New
England character. hat would make it's
own tenets and cling to them unswerv
lingly.
curOusly asked.
y don't know. 1t just happened that
way. And they'd never heard Of you here.
and l didn't suppose they ever would,
a grim CLINT of humor came into the
girls face. II guess with all the success
youfve had, 1t won't ever hurt you to have
spared a little. without knowing it. You
aren't likely to miss 1t any"
They had come to q pause when a cart.
path crossed the road. The actress drew
q small silver case from her pocket. The
girl watched her take a card out and write
on 1t in pencil.
She held 1t out.
I am staying at the hotel" she said
Il am only here for a few days. and Tm
not likely to ever come again. If you take
my advice you'll stay of the stage alto
gether. There are lots of better things
you can do than that. But il you ever do
80 back to the city. send this card in.
either at the tkeater or wherever / am
staying, and 1 will see what 1 can do to
help you"
The girls face flushed.
You're real gooa,'' she said simply. .I
shan't ever forget 1t, hut 1 guess / won't
trouble you any"
We'll. remember / shall ALWAYS he glad
to help you,', Miss Conyers said. smiling
at her. She held out her. hand. slim and
extensively ripged. ''Goodby."
They shook hAnd&, The girl watched her
gather up hefs skirts and PASS on to the
turn Of the roa{assT The sunlight touched q
Jewelled pin In her hat. setting 1t aname.
Then she turned and walked back SLOWLY
Ito the quiet sitting. room and the shome,y
waiting woman in the big rocking chair.
Too Previous.
H. II. Wixon. the Chicago
was talking the other day about the
perils of flying.