Middletown transcript., 1910-01-15
''New joy
BY AIDS DUNBAR

cared I0r me
I do! You know I do, Nan, dar.
ling! But She prepsred to.
step out. Miss Blunde.l caught
her back and jerked the cord
again.
Meekin Court, Jasper! Drive
as fast as you can You don't
know where it is9
OF Hooper street, explained
Rosalys. You're not angry with
me, are you, Nancy /? as the
coupe whirled round and off at q
rapid pace.
But Miss Blundell sat back in
her corner without replying, and
looked obstinately out of the win.
dow as they rolled farther and
farther from her flowers.
Not until they had left the paw
ed business section for the cob.
blestones Of Hopper street did
she ask. indifferently;
Who is your womsnV
Miss Achsah Cone. A queer,
withered up old maid who does
plain sewing for mother some
times. She's pitifully poor, I'm
afraid, but the neatsst worker.
You'll come with me, Nancy?
I don't care for Summing, as
the carriage stopped, and Jasper,
disapprovsl of the locality in
every seam and button Of his
livery, opened the door to say,
I can't go any further, Miss
Blundell.
Rosalys gave her one appealing
glance as the unlucky box was
lifted out. 1t is swfully poor,
but not quite a slum.
Oh, / suppose must You'll
stay an hour if I don't come |!
scolded Nancy, under her breath,
following with an i'll grace as
Miss Haven, IN her gown of pale
gray, delicate lace With a sug-
gestion Of green leaves about her
neck, passed through brick
archway into Meekin Court, q
dark shaft among crowding
tenements.
Nancy caught her own dainty
skirts close about her as they en-
tered the dSor of the tallest and
dingiest rookery, and Rosalys
Haven led the way up the mar.
row, rickety staircase. Queer,
foreign-loo heads were thrust
from half open doors as they
passed; and on the second land
ing, as the two girls paused to
take breath, a file Of ragged
urchins, with big, wondering
black eyes, stood in a solemn row
against the wall to let them pass.
That in the soft color is mine,
whispered one, putting out a
hand toward Rosalys, then draw
ing it 'shyly back.
No! 1t is the signorinA in red
l choose, returned a sober atom.
All, bellissima
But Nancy Blundell hardened
her heart. What did she care
for the wretched ragsmufins ?
At the top of the third fight
only a single CLEAN straying
through the crack in a door panel
revealed some one crouching on
the floor. Nancy, startleA by
the sound of quick, sobbing
breaths, would have turned and
fed, but Rosalys spoke at once:
Miss Cones door 10 here. .
With gasped word, the dark
figure sprang up, away from
them. Rosslys took one step
forward, when Nancy caught her
arm.
Rosalys Haven Do you notice
anything? In the air
Notice what |? Why-why.
Nancy She gave a hasty wrap
at the door. Let me speak to her
she warned.
Into the gloom of the passage
way came a sudden stream Of
light and rich perfume. Half
dazzed for an instant, the two
girls could scacely make out the
tiny, worn figure that stood be.
fore them, fairly trembling with
eagerness to speak.
Miss Haven! The'-the' amt
no words to tell! You-you
never could know what it's been!
But there! Tn lettin' you stand
in the hall You can come i'd
side for just q minute, can't your
III take your bundle. Do sit
down after climbin' up them
stairs! :
It's the suit for Patsy. Whalen,
explained Rosalys, as they obey,
ed, half mechanically
Then would youmiHd if / ran
right down with iti He's Chat
fidgetg; for fear twasnt edmin!