Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-08

TN fiction the schoomistTess who foTs3kes the
Groves of Academus for that West SO telictousy
descr;bed as wild and wooly" is invariably
Young. beautiful and charming. Miss Cordeiia
Penley was neither the one nor the other nor the
Miss Penley was tall The romancer would have
described her slender; the truh-teler wouId nave
IN keenino with her appearance; both severely
plain She wore her hair drawn back tightly from her
brow and tied in knot behind, which not even the
most vivid and generous Imagination could nave called
Greek; her features not Greek either -
Alas! the inexorable truth must be confessed. She
was honley, middle-aged woman, PLAIN modest un
pretentous, well enough educated to make an eXceen
school-teacher'
Miss Cordela, firing summer of her boarding
house rented little cottage the outskirts OF the
town and lived there alone with cat and canary bird
One rainy night in the spring. just as the knight OF MISS
Cordeas latest dream was laundering with mailed fist
upon the porculis of the castle, she recalled from
Spain to her cottage by feeble knock on the door
While Miss Cordelia was tmid, she was not a cow
ard She quietly stepped toward the door, wondering
who it could be, when the knock came softly again
AS her specuations could not solve the mystery she
calmly opened the door.
ing, which was partly blocked by timd, shrinking
figure not at all like the bold knights of Miss Penleys
dreams The man was soaking wet; his clothes were
tbin and old; his hat was a sodden He coughed
deprecatngy he stood before her, staring at her IN
meek entreaty
Come in out OF the wet, she SAID, stepping DaCk d
little from the entrance
She had nothing on earth to fear from this little man
who appeared WretChedly cold ana nllseIdOIt' HC
newcomer needed no second invitation. Closing the
door quickly after him. he stood shivering on the spot
less threshold of the clean, warm little roonl
Miss Cordea, although her heart was tuil OF COM
passion for the poor man. looked very grinly at him.
He therefore resisted the inclination to step nearer to
the stove although he could not check an Involuntary
You can 90 over there and sit down." said Miss
Peney, pointing to wooden rocker near the stove.
"Thank you ma'a am; you're very good, replied the
little man, bowling ungracefuy, and eagerly avail
ing himself of the permission. g. n.,-.1 -.
I'm sorrv" went on Miss Cordelia, that have no
garments in the house suitable to your sex" -
1t don't matter, ma'am," answered the man. ms
heat'l dry me out soon" ,y
And now" asked the lady, what do you want? y
"Maam," said the deprecatingly I'm awful
down on my luck. amt really tramp, although
seem so | was worEn' back East with engineering
Gang and had accident and got sick and spent six
months in IA hospital They discharged me from
there cured although amt been well since heard
that the Arapahoe and Pacific Railroad was dom some
buildin' and walked here from Kansas City and md
I'm just too late The road buildn gang is filled, and
miles from here. haven't had nohin to eat all day
| couldn't get any work. and l haven't got cent OF
money. I thought maybe you or your husband could
give me bite eat and place to sleep Tor the night
II you've got any chores to dowood to split, or any
thing like that or garden to spade-Il be glad to do it
in the mornin. - II,
flaming into her cheeks with sort of shame that she
should be forced to such confession ,.. ,,..,,.,,
a. beg pardon ma am, I'm sure. A widow, likely! ,
asked the little man respectfully that no one could
take ofense at his query
I'm unmarried" answered Miss Cordeha severely,
"You don't say was the comment, and there was
infused in just the requisite degree OF surprise 10
escape the charge of mpernence and yet to convey 10
the listener sense of amazement that rare an op-
portuny had been neglected by the other sex
"I suppose, then, that l can't stay here! continued
the little man dublously =, ,,,.
Whv you Sec ma am, I started to walk down the
line to the next town and came on to "a ram ana e
around to the side of the house and peeped IN AnG
YOU looked so nice and comfortable, ma am settn
there all alone by the fire, | said to myself George
George Sn1ets is nv name, ma'am-George, there's a
ladv that has kind heart, and if God has distributed
things right she'll have good husband and It'll De safe
for a poor oucast to appeal to them
The Aatterv was of the grossest kind but there was
an air of sincerity about the little man that robbed 1t
of much that was offensive. Miss Cordelia had been
so little hattered rarely even noticed that she swa-
lowed the bait whole o.,
"Tm sure she said that that is very nicely 5i S2d
should be glad to take you in if had any men folks
around but it would hardly be she heStated-
proper You understand" -
-"Of course, maam, being a gentleman l see I'm
sorry I troubled you thank you for having took me
Mr.. Smets's grammar was hardly good as his
wei YOU sit down here by the fire and make your
self comfortable said Miss Cordela, and II go INTO
the kitchen and see if l can find something for you to
An old maids larder is not a very good foraging
place to find things for hungry man But Miss Cor
della managed assemble quite servceable meal 1of
she was an adept the noble science OF cookery When
the little man picked up his napkin, snowy, spotess, in
his grimy hand, the contrast struck him
" If YOU please maam," he said IS there any place
B but ~ your coffee will get cold" demonstrated Miss
Penley,
ma am and a pure heart said Mr. Smets, than hot
coffee without it I'm as hungry as dog; amt had
nothin to-day, but I'd rather wash my hands.
you'll find basin and soap and roller towel in
the kitchen" said Miss Penley, who thoroughly ap-
proved the pious sentiments of her guest.
Then covered the coffee with the saucer ana
sat down to await her guests return,
He came back in short time, looking really quite
presentabe With little bow stiffy returned by the
lady, he sat down at the table.
Miss Peney lifted her hand
Grace before meat" she said.
"True ma'am" said Mr.. Smets, "but I'm not
professin Christian will you say it for me?"
Miss Penley and repeated her invocation Mr.