Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-09
COUNTING LOVES TOLL FRANCES y n.,nu.

YOU ache all night and work. all day. all day"
She stopped. Her mind wandered back to darker
days, and she lost her way in tange OF gloomy YET
Pat the light of the coaloil lamp falling ON his req
curls listened to this intimate revelation with strange
emotions This was woman's life! To this he had
wished-did still wish-to drag his dainty Sheilahl
He loathed himself. The whole scheme Of creation
seemed wrong 1t seemed to him now that only the
rich had the right to we'd And yet his longing for
Sheah the torment of his days ana OF his nights
and one evening he off to the brownstone mansion
Of Mrs Van Tessel and penetrating the outworks
of the fortress with difficulty, found side en-
trance and asked to see Sheilah
He was shown to a small in the basement,
and hidden to wait Sheilah at last, In her pink
chambray, trinity fitting, her dark hair, no longer
pompadoured, surmounted by dainty cap, and her
slim waist encircled by what might have been dols
apron Pat looked as who has seen a vision He
rose trembling twisting his cap in his hands, and
looking at her speechlessly She had always been
somewhat of a marvel to him, but never 30 dalntiy
apart, heartachingly remote.
"Why, Pat, I'm glad to see you" she said. Sie
down. Mother told me you've kept well"
"Sheilah!" he implored. "Oh, Sheilah!
A dim shape of abnegation had begun to form OF
late in his mind He saw himself, going solitary all
his days that she might be free of care and trouble
This dim shape melted into mist at the sight OF her
Come what might, he wanted her with passion that
seemed to him he stood before her. Primitive
desires rose in his mind. He could have snatched her
up and carried her away as the Sabine women were
borne away Perhaps If his knowledge of history had
afforded him that precedent Sheilah might not tnat
night returned to her tiny room under the brown
stone caves But she did. Convention mastered Pat,
and he hardly pressed the little hand she gave him.
She was sweetly gentle. She chatted to him of
the spendors of the house of the numbers of the
wants of the entertainments the dresses, the report
ers, and the reporters plumbers!
why Pat they said that Mrs. Van Tessel wore blue
chiffon and pearls and all the time it was Nile green
moussene and emeralds! know, for | was called
in to hold down the train while her maids-she has
two-sewed some lilies Of the valley on it, On, Pat!
How I'd like to be wearing the things see!
"D'ye like seem them, when you cant?" he asked
at last Don't ye want to come away from it? Don't
We want to be the queen of litte iff'A "'a"H '"S
Of being a servant here?"
Sheilah's dark eyes widened.
Queen of little place? How nicely you put IL,
Pat! But the queen of that little place would have
to scrub wouldn't she? and cook, and carry water,
and split kndling and wash and iron? Why, my
washing's done for me- here! And we live just as
we'll, almost. as the people upstairs, we do Pat"
"And that matters to you? Why, sheilah seems to
me- I'd eat dry bread all my life to be near you
The girl turned to him sweetly. Pat, you make
me feel mean! I wish was like mother
wish"
She stopped. She had meant to say, 81 wish you
didn't care" But as she looked at the honest homely
face the clear blue the red curly head she could
not utter the wish!
az guess don't fall in love the way some do" she
said slowly Zone of the housemaids here she's just
crazy over the third footman! Sometimes Milly and
get scared she'll make away with herself IL he don't
notice her. And he won't because he's just as crazy
over the second lady's maid, and she-we, you see
she's so above him that he might just as well be In
with Mrs Van Tessel herself while he's about IT.
Pat felt a pang of sympathy with the stricken
housemad and a desire to thump the unresponsive
footman into jelly. But another fear awakened
within him-a fear for which the footman was re-
sponsible.
"sheilah The place just swarms with 'em--liv-
cries and ALL Do your" He stopped
But Sheah's frank smile dsarmed his jealous
anger. ,n..
the comfort of the life. But, when 1t comes to man
there's no like as much as like you
Pat was forced leave her with that cold comfort
And for some days he gave himself to hard thinking
Mrs. Moriarty missed him sorely for no came no