Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-11-11
Must be the wrong room,- : saId rns

man. ss4u '1s
-oh, here we are" cried Mra Air
less, opening the opposite door on
which she had discovered a tiny brass
name plate bearing her daughters
name. Here we are and-hers Il
FAITH"
Well, bless your heart, daughter
we've found you at last" said the
Iatner' taking Faith in his arms and
giving her a generous paternal hug
We mighty near got into the wrons
room"
fes-the poor young man across
the nall was just telephoning to some
one that he had just given away his
Iast quarter and hadn't a bite to eat
Faith, dearie, l hope you never get
that way. I've read about this studio
me IN New York, and of how young
artists often go hungry" the elder
woman was saying.
never fear, mother" said Faith.
from the stove where she was taking
up the now thoroughly cooked repast
But, the Joy was gone from her eyes
sne had taken the poor mans last
quarter!
she did not want to explain, right
away, to her mother and father that
sne had been compelled to 60 to a
strange man across the hall to Dor.
row quarter with which to have gas
enough to finish cooking the dinner.
Iney might not understand-at first
and it really had not been her in.
tention to borrow the money.
BY the time the little meal was on
the table the thought weighed so
heavily upon her that she could not
sit down to enjoy 1t. At last she
summoned courage to explain the
whole matter to her parents and It
was with difficulty that she restrained
her father from running Immediately
to the door Of Melville to drag him
bodily to the table to join them.
1T win be far better for me to &c"
Faith expostulated. IT can be tactful.
He may feel a delicacy about it."
'Yes-let Faith CO." the mother
added. She's used to city ways"
This time it was without an apron
that Faith knocked at the Opposite
door. It took her fully ten minutes
to persuade the young man to Join
the little party and eat a portion Of
the meal he had been influential in
saving. But, at last, he was induced
to go, and Faith waited while he
changed his studio coat and put q
touch or two to his toilet.
The merry little party sat about the
studio until the logs In the old fire.
place had crumpled to ashes and the
folks from the country had begun to
wonder what the hour might be.
When Melville rose to go Faiths
father shook his hand warmly. 81
shall leave my little girl stack Of
quarters when I go back to Home
town." he said, $50 you needn't be
fraid she'll be borrowing any more"
mo, indeed, she mustn't" Mrs. Air
less interjected. she mustn't get into
the borrowing habit, even If she does
live in studio.
Faith blushed and turned toward
young Melville. "You see they are al
in sympathy with you" she laughed.
IF they were." the young man said
pointedly, they would never leave
you a stack Of quarters, for how-iI
that case-can l ever expect to be
come acquainted?"
II still have this one to pay back,
Faith reminded him as she stood II
the studio door while he unlocked hi
own.
"No"-he held up his hand in re
monstrance. please don't mentor
that. Just let me come to see yov
and Wen say bought my meal witt
the quarter.
But Faith did return the money
She said, afterward, that she Away
would have felt that he sought he
studio so frequently because he hope
to get back his quarter and she pre-
ferred to have a better understanding
of his intentions.