Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1909-10-09
ONE AUGUST NIGHT.
She Was Told the Story of the
Lady of Shalott.
Nv VIRGINIA LEILA wENTz.


slept with half mcndcd boots In their
laps; Italian women slept at their fruit
stands with sleeping babies ut their
breasts: horses trotted conscientiously
along In front of sleeping drivers.
In the department store whose An
tona Wheaton worked the day had
been difficult. especially behind the
stuffy corner where she measured out
ribbons. And. oh. what a godsend the
loud sounding bell at q had been. Most
of the girls In the store were city bred.
and they accepted the conditions of
August philosophiaclly. but Antona
Wheaton had come from II fresh little
country town In the west and as she
leaned from her boarding house win
dow-the third floor hall room. back
few minutes before going down to
dinner IL seemed to her that she was
locked In u place of torment from
which 10 escape was possible.
They dined at In Mrs. Browns
boarding house In the half hour that
a sponge bath. brushed her silky. flax
ell hair and changed her black alpaca
dress for II simple white muslin. As
she leaned ont of the window from the
open space beside the storage house
In the rear she could see the dust
carts roll down the streets. The whisk
ing OF their big rotary brooms remind.
ed the country bred girl of large tur-
key gobblers sweeping the earth with
disdainful proud wings. The open
space faced the west. and. resting her
little oval checks In her hands. Antona
could see that the sun was doing It's
best to set with some sort OF rightful
beauty. even in this homely downtown
section.
"Wherc the quiet colored end OF
evening smiles"-
Antona was speaking to herself In a
rcprehcnsible fashion that was grow
Ing on her. trying to recall some verses
which Francis Logan had quoted to
her one sunset time down on the Bat
terry. She had fancied she could re-
member them. they were so simple and
lovely.
Just then Mrs. Browns cracked din
ner bell rang.
Across the long, narrow table Fran
els Logan glanced Mt Antona with
something like lump born of big.
protective instinct rising In his throat.
Every vestige of fresh country rose
bloom had fled from the girls sweet
face. and in the intervals when she
fancied she was not observed the
young fellows alert eye noticed that
black lashes rested heavily against
her cheek as would those of one who is
overweary.
Antona's WEAKNESS struck home per
haps because of contrast. Francis him
self was more than usually happy that
night.
The big importing house where he
was employed had that very morning
sent note TO his desk informing him
that his salary had been increased
some $40 month His dear mother.
over in Devonshire. had just written
him that relative had left her an UNI
expected little legacy. Altogether the
world was going well with Francis Lo-
gan.
"You look pleased. Mr.. Logan" OBJ
served Mrs. Brown from her accus-
toned seat ut the head Of the table.
"Ah. | remember-this Is your favor
| lite SOUP
For five years now young Logan had
been an inmate Of Mrs. Browns estab-
lshment without having ever changed
his seat at table or his ROOM Natural
ly Mrs. Brown sought to ingratiate her.
self with him.
"why, my dear" she had exclaimed
once TO Antona In burst of enthusi.
assn, "he knows all the poets by heart.
He sees only the best plays, even
though 1t may be from gallery seats.
He knows all the finest pictures up In
the Metropolitan. He has what they
call an artistic taste too. My lands.
you should hear him notice the sunset
at the end OF narrow city street or n
| tiny flower out I'm the park orr
Yes, know" said Antona impul-
sively. for once coming out of her re-
serve. Ae pure Soiu-that "h"a nv
| isr'
Huh! 'GoldT" Mrs. Brown had re-
torted disdainfully. None o. your
pretty. soft yellow stuff for him. He's
good. solid. practical steel, II any one
asked me. Don't you forget 1t. Miss
Wheaton. And II you could be fortu-
nate enough to tie up TO him
Mrs. Brown had broken Off abruptly
ut fash from Miss Whe" toms eye.
One dared not presume too far with
Miss Wheaton. In spite Of the silky
flaxen hair aud the childish dimples.
as many Of the young men In the de-
partment store had found out.
If only they could be little more
like Mr.. Loganw Antona had more
than once found herself commenting as
she pinned up her colored bolts. HE
Is the soul Of honor, and II don't
know what I'd do without him."
HAD stroke of luck today, little
girl" Logan waylaid Antona as she
| was going upstairs after the scanty