Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1912-07-05
Better I lai1ngs
IN Sight

!, "Healo!" she said, brightly. But In
minute her voice broke. mo, you
have the wrong number"
She put her pretty head ON the tele.
phone table and began to cry. ooh.
dear. oh dear! It's always the wrong
number. No one ever wants me. Oh,
dear. I'm SO miserable!" E. ...s'55
When she had first looked cheerful.
ly at the new white card by the tele-
phone she did not know that the mum
Der would be Of no consequence to a
solitary soul In Chicago. Occasion.
ally George, her young husband, would
call her up from his Office, but usually
all day long Frances stayed in the
apartment with silent telephone. II
1t did ring it was somebody who had
| the wrong number.
So Frances cried. She had cried be-
cause she was lonesome, for she knew
no one in the big city. She cried be.
cause she was tired. homesick and
miserable and because her sobs were
company for her In sad sort of way,
a bit consoling. .S "
The first few weeks she had not
cried. BE busy and you will be hap
py." she would say. The tiny fat glis-
tened with cleanliness.
| After while this did not satisfy
her. She had reduced her housework
and marketing to system and It took
very little time to keep the fat In or
der. George had seen her dresses
again and again and good dinners
were a matter of course. At first
Frances tried extra homework as an
antidote for loneliness, but after her
violent scrubbing had taken the shine
off the kitchen ware, after she had
broken some vases by needless dust.
ing and spilled furniture polish on the
rug she stopped. Her trousseau was
still new and did not require the at
tention Of sewing or shopping. On the
few occasions she had left her neigh.
borhood she had become lost. She had
always lived in small town and the
noise of the city streets and the
crowds in the stores confused her.
All her experiments had failed. SO
Frances cried In the midst of her
!: grief the door bell rang.
/ "A peddler," Frances said, doleful-.
. ly. She wiped her eyes and opened
:: the door. It was not peddler, but
sweet young woman. She carried
/; some. letters. .5=..
| IT am Mrs. Allen from ACROSS the
hail." she said, timidly. Il brought
up your mail" as
: Frances took the letters mechanical.
! ly. Then she noticed that the powder
! was suspiciously thick around the eyes
I. and nose OF her visitor. Clearly Mrs.
Allen had been crying, too. Impul.
: sively Frances put out her hand.
| Il wish you; would como In" she
said. :. So. ,,,..- - ......=
The two tearstained young women
! sat down In the living room. at was
kind of you to bring the letters
Frances began. ~. j.
"Oh. its nothing" said Mrs. Allen.
"a pause. ri couldn't help seeing that
I one letter was addressed to Mrs.
Frances Stevens West. / used TO hear
my cousin Eula Thomas talk OF a.
Frances Stevens. OF Plainaetd"
ooh cried Frances. That's I. Is
/ Eula your cousin? She Is my hest
/ friend" III
II heard 90 much about you" Do
clared Mira. Allen, II didn't know you
lived In Chicago" f.
II haven't very long, said Frances.
Neither have l." said Mrs. Allen.
n don't know many people here
81 don't know any" Frances replied.
Neither do T." said Mrs. Allen.
"Do you enjoy the city," Frances
asked. ,'-5:
j SWELL" replied Mrs. Allen. SIT has
SO many advantages. There are so
many things to do and see. The the
'aters and concerts are fine. One does
not waste time over social trivialities."
Eyes," said Frances. aAnd the mod
ern conveniences simplify housekeep-
ing so that there is time for the ad-
vantages. II like it, .ss;.
IT don't" declared Mrs. Allen with
i decision. K "a
Neither do T." said Frances, with
sudden decision. 3s9 81 81 ;.ss#. 53s55{
81 You see, said Mrs. Allen, growing
confidential. # came from a small
town where ! knew everybo dy. I'm
not used to the city and I5don't know
!: my way about There is SO little to do
when my husband Is away. Why,
sometimes have asked Central to-
ring my telephone to know if it's in
4 order Isl (.
s. That's how It is with me- = said
Frances. Don't you want to see my
apartment? 2" 4,
After the tour of inspection, In
which Mrs. Allen had been properly
enthusiastic, Frances said timidl 81
would be SO glad If you would stay to-
tea.
aI'd love to" she answered. ST You
will let me bring over my fresh cake
The tea party progressed famously
The brides forgot their tears and laid
plans for shopping and matinees and
promised to introduce their husbands.
Mrs. Allen gave Frances the cake that