The Parker post., 1912-11-23
Cold Storage

us?' inquired Anne of Evelyn, whom
she had met downtown by accident.
eff you knew how busy l am you
would not ask" replied Evelyn. with
all my office work, hardly have time
to keep neat. l came out today to
buy a new gown which I should have
bought a month ago. Come with me
! and we'll take a look at the shop
windows"
Really, dare not. Windows are
fatal to me. II I look l am lost. I
don't need thing and one hates to
waste money. I so seldom go any
where that my gowns last forever.
Evelyn, you cannot realize how curl
ously dull it is to have no occupa-
ton"
''If you understood the discomforts
of working for living you would ap-
preciate your blessings better. Lone
some, are you? Why not make friends
In the apartment house where you
live?"
"Of course, that bit Of advice is we'll
meant, Evelyn, but in the circum-
stances it happens to be absurd
81 fail to see why. If you were not
80 difident-"
"My dear girl, I'm not in the least
1iff1dent; am merely afraid Of being
frozen to death if I should try to
make friends with my neighbors."
81 don't understand what you mean"
said Evelyn.
eff that building were cold storage
warehouse" declared Anne, "the So
cial atmosphere could not be more
irigid Mother and I have lived there
4 year and a half and not soul out
Of all these apartments has made our
acquaintance"
"Have you called on your neigh
oors?"
"Of course not. would not be so
forward as to make advances"
"Then it seems to me you are as
bad as the Others"
Indeed, l am not-at least, do
not annoy others. Why, the man in
the apartment above ours plays his
piano at all hours of the night. He
does not even make music, but thumps
out some mOnOtOnous tune which is
as dreary as the moaning of lost
soul Then there Is woman across
the hall with baby that howls morn
ing, noon and night Mother went
| In one day and told her that all the
child needed was a little peppermint.
The woman replied that the baby was
not Ill, but was just lonesome when
ever she was out of its sight"
Didn't she come to call after that?"
asked Evelyn.
''Is that a jOke?" inquired Anne.
You cannot laugh me into liking
them. There is a hOrrid old creature
in the apartment below ours who
knocks on the ceiling with a broom
handle every time I run our sewing
machine. We are disgusted with the
building and mean to move as soon as
our lease expires"
"You do not need to wait, because
I'll take the lease off your hands as
soon as you like I am going to go
to housekeeping with another girl be-
fore long and your apartment would
suit us exactly. When you get ready
to move let me know"
A few weeks later Evelyn received
a note from Anne saying that she and
her mother were about to take another
apartment, so Evelyn called to see
about transferring the lease. During
| the interval she learned Anne's moth
er had suffered fall and was con-
fined to her couch with a dislocated
hip. During Evelyn's call so many
persons dropped in that she had to
remain an hour before she could have
Anne to herself.
81 thought you said you knew no one
in this building" exclaimed Evelyn at
last. 81 never saw more warm
hearted people. Yet you called this
place cold storage warehouse"
"That was before mother was hurt"
explained Anne. "The moment the
people heard Of our trouble they
rushed in to sympathize and tell us
their troubles in turn. That woman
with the baby has lost the poor little
darling and every day she comes in
and talks to us about it and tells of
the flowers she lays on its grave"
What of the lost soul above you
who thumped the piano?" inquired
Evelyn.
Please forget the cruel remarks I
made about him." cried Anne. "He
had dear mother who died, and he
played the piano because it reminded
him of her. He is not a musician, yet
he could not bear to have the instru-
ment stand silent and neglected.
When he heard that mother was hurt
he came to inquire If the noise Of the
piano annoyed her and he has been
so kind. I don't know how we could
have managed without him."
Considering the beautiful way
these people have behaved, don't
see why you want to move" said Eve
lyn