Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-07-11
Better Things
IN Sight
Frances hurried to the telephone.

have the wrong number"
She put her pretty head on the tele-
phone table and began to cry. ooh,
dear, oh dearl It's always the wrong
number No one ever wants me. Oh,
dear, I'm so miserablel"
When she had first looked cheerful
ly at the new white card by the tele-
phone she did not know that the num-
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 a silent telephone. II
It 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 a sad sort of way,
bit consoling.
The first few weeks she had not
cried. BE busy and you will be hap
py," she would say. The tiny fiat glis-
tened with cleanliness.
After a while this did not satisfy
her. She had reduced her homework
and marketing to a system and 1t took
very little time to keep the fiat 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. 1t was not a peddler, but a
sweet young woman. She carried
some letters.
81 am Mrs. Allen from across the
hail." she said. timidly. 81 brought
up your mail"
Frances took the letters mechanical
ly. Then she noticed that the powder
was suspiciously thick around the eyes
and nose of her visitor. Clearly Mrs.
Allen had been crying, too. Impul-
sively Frances put out her hand.
'T wish you would come in," she
said.
The two tearstained young women
sat down in the living room. at was
kind of you to bring the letters"
Frances began.
ooh. it's nothing" said Mrs. Allen.
A pause. 81 couldn't help seeing that
one letter was addressed to Mrs.
Frances Stevens West. I used to hear
my cousin Eula Thomas talk of a
Frances Stevens, of Plainfield"
"Oh cried Frances That's I. Is
Eula your cousin? She is my best
friend"
'I heard so much about you" de-
clared Mrs. Allen, II didn't know you
lived in Chicago"
81 haven't very long," said Frances.
Neither have l." said Mrs. Allen.
81 don't know many people here"
81 don't know any" Frances replied.
Neither do l." said Mrs. Allen.
do you enjoy the city," Frances
asked.
"Well." 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."
yes" said Frances. "And the mod
ern copveniences simplify housekeep-
ing SO that there is time for the adj
vantages. IL like It,"
81 DON'T" declared Mrs. Allen with
decision.
Neither do l." said Frances, with
sudden decision.
you see," said Mrs. Allen, growing
confidential, 81 came from a small
town where I knew everybody. I'm
not used to the city and don't know
my way about There is so little to do
when my husband is away. Why.
sometimes l have asked Central to
ring my telephone to know IL it's in
order"
That's how It is with me-" said
Frances. Don't you want to see my
apartment"
After the tour Of inspection. in
which Mrs. Allen had been properly
enthusiastic. Frances said timidly; 81
would be so slad II you would stay to
tea"
I'D love to-" she answered IF you
will let me bring over my fresh cake"
The tea party progressed famously.
"A. 81