Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-07-05
"A man 10 q protection" conclude

subjected to all sorts uf sights and Ill
Treatment from other women In au
thority, particularly II she Is widow
II am a widow--l know"
By-and-by: And Of all the women
In authority" she continued, barring
the landlady OF a boarding house. the
ianitress is the most brutal to women.
Unless you have q husband. 1t Is al
most impossible to live In HAT with
a janitress."
They walked on and on In the
drenching rain TO the next fiat on
their list There. the janitress was
occupied in polishing the door knobs.
| Ascending the steps. they furled
their umbrellas, and stood boxing at
her In a frightened way.
t<Yhey might have been stone lions
on q stoop, for all the notice she took
q them.
! l"There's a fiat for rent here" asked
the widow. presently. isn't there!
| No"
But" objected the widow. 1T was
advertised"
IT'S rented"
! How much was it,
IT'S rented"
Il understand that" explained the
widow, suavely: but ! should like TO
know at about what prices the flats
rent for in this neighborhood before
| | inquire further"
The janitress had finished polishing
the door knob. Silently she opened
the door and closed 1t with herself on
the inside.
Somewhat disconsolately the pair
once more walked into the straight
and steady rain.
MY shoes are wet" complained
Elizabeth.
And so are mine." returned the
[ They arrived eventually at the next
{ Nat on their list.
| 1t seemed to be a day for polishing
door knobs The janitress there pol
ished imperturbably. As they ap-
preached she added renewed vigor.
bending over her work In an alb
sOrbed and chilling manner which had
the effect OF leaving them out In the
cold.
is there a fiat for rent here?
asked the widow. with even more tim
idity than formerly.
! Its rented" came the answer.
II WISH" remarked Elizabeth. audi.
bly,. that we'd known before we came
they were all rented"
The ianitress turned granite face
upon her.
Did anybody ask you to Gomez"
queried she, to which question, there
being practically no answer. they went
out again In the rain. 1t showed no
sign OF decreasing. 1t rather in
creased. The rows upon rows Of fiat
buildings. gray and pink new ones.
brown and red old ones. swan In q
mist The streets shone Grayly. The
skies showed hardly at all. SO blurred
were they.
Sometimes" began the widow. Il
think these mattresses are soured by
their life underground and out Of the
sunshine: and sometimes l think they
are born that way.
Elizabeth stopped short at the cor
ner Of a street.
Let's go home now" she implored.
land get some tea TO chez: us. My
skirts are wet: my shoes are victim
drenched all over
On the way: Did you say" she
questioned, wistfully. that the jani-.
tress was not so kind 10 women with
out husbands
That" reiterated the widow. grim
ly, was what said. They are brutal
to them"
There are worse things than hus-
bands" reflected Elizabeth. softly.
As long as there's janitress in the
world" decided the widow, you can
depend upon that"
BESIDES" she ruminated. "A widow.
after all. is lonely sort Of creature.
] know. Apparently she is the gayest
Of the gay: but in reality there are
| many dark and lonely hours that she
must live through. Sometimes
widow is the loneliest creature in the
world"
At home. the hall-boy smilingly
bowed them in. At the door Of her
apartments joyous yelp greeted Eliz-
abeth. She stopped and claspcd Edo
In her arms.
Darling" she murmured, Il hope
you'll never know how near you have
come TO living with janitress."
Making themselves comfortable.
they had cups Of tea. sitting cozily in
/ opposite chairs. slipping It.
I'm glad" repeated Elizabeth.
that We never see the janitress in
, this fat"
4 should think You would be"
nodded the widow. There's nobody
| TO make yoar life burden but the
hail boy. and your husband Is here TO