Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1908-03-05
ACCOUN 7
SETTLED IN FULL
What is that orr" asked the Little


replied the Disconnected Man.
care they so rare, then?" she
asked
very. And then the circumstances
of that payment were unusual. We
had tenant "a little chorus girl, who
lived in little room in one of our
buildings. She was out of work. Had
been i'll. Hard up and behind with
her rent. Lord only knows how she
lived. Mostly on pickles, tea and
breakfast food cooked over gas Jet.
Poor little ballroom girl. But she was
honest, and whenever she earned
anything she paid dollar or two on
her rent and struggled along, eking
out her pennies with all the lodges
girls know, washing handkerchiefs
and sticking them on the window
panes instead of ironing, doing up lace
collars by rolling them round curl
ing iron and"
TT SONS to me-" said the Little
Lady. that you know too much"
Il beg your pardon?"
Nothing. Go on"
AT last she got an engagement to
go on the road. and she was as happy
as the queen Of Tarsacon. She owed
US $40 and some little scores to other
people, and before she left she called
on each one and told them she would
pay as soon as she received her sal
azy.
Il told her All right; no hurry and
20 she passed on after the fashion Of
tenants.
ut wa December 20 Of that year,
IN tho afternoon, and was alone and
working on some accounts. when I
felt sort Of cold draft, and I raised
my head to sec who was coming In,
thinking the door had been opened,
and bescide my desk stood Miss Patsy
Vane. She had come in % softly that
hadn't heard her.
why. how are your said. When
did you get back? Have you left the
company
"she sat down before answering.
The show has closed she said. I
just got back and want to pay my
debt And she opened her little peck
etbook and took out ten-dollar bill
and handed it to me. AS 1 took it
noticed that she had big red mark
across her fingers, and as l wrote a
receipt 1 asked, What's the matter
with your hand?'
81 burnt it, said she.
II gave her the receipt and she fold
lI If i,,
stood up. Thank you so much for
waiting, she said, you have been aw-
fully kind to me. Good-by.' She hest
tated a moment and then extended
her hand and l took it, Her fingers
were very colq.
Good-by, l said, and / ked to
the door with her, opened it for her,
and so she went away. In a short
+, time some Of the other fellows came
| in, and l laid aside my accounts and
5, went out and as | got out in the street
/ the newsboys were barking about the
1roquois theater fire. Good luck that
| Patsy got out before l thought.
and bought paper and saw that the
Bluebeard company was playing there
at the time of the fire.
Still, | thought she had left the
company until in next days papers !
saw that among the lost was Patsy
Vane, and then l knew that m broad
day | had sen and talked n her
spirit, just released. M. have
thought | had dozed and dreamed but
in the cash drawer of the safe was
the ten-dollar bill, just like any other
bill, except that one end was scorched
when the members of the com
pany struggled back to New York
saw Patsys chum. Oh she said
Poor poor Patsy. Sse was so glad to
get to work and saved to pay what
she owed in New York and that after
noon she told me she had all paid but
ten dollars rent, and she had just go
that and would sent it next day. Wher
the fire came we started out together
and she would have got out. only she
said: Il forgot my pocketbook, ant
she ran back for it, and never go
out
SO ! kept that bill and had i
framed as a souvenir of a remarkabl,
experience"
Do you expect me to believe that?'
asked the Little Lady.
No coolly said the Disseminated
Man. but just the same it's true, an,
she paid it to me sitting right in tina
chat, you're sitting in now
The Little Lady got up hastily an,
moved to another chair.
q did not think you were the kin,
of man to have such fancies," sh
said.
81 didn't think so myself" said tn
Discontinued Man, but it seems tina
to me it was appointed
Furniture Repairers.