The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-10-25
THEIR FIRST VACATION
Good Luck Follows First Visit to
Iheater.
BY ANNA a. cREENLEAF.

= Z
BY ANNA a. cREENLEAF.
The sunny little sitting room. which
put moment before seemed the
abode Of happy content, appeared
suddenly to grow dark and chill. and
Its two aged inmates shiyered per-
ceptibly as the minister. after greet
ings were over. declined the proffered
chair. and assuming his most formal
preaching tone. delivered HIS mes
sage
The church has decided" he said.
that It must foreclose the mortgage
upon your home next week, and you
will doubtless be glad to heai that
the Home for INDECENT Women at
MIL Village is willing to take you
as Inmates. provided You can supply
the necessary fee. ! have recommend
ed that the church advance forty dol
lars towards the amount and would
have advised larger sum, did I not
deem your action in squandering your
meager savings upon the feeding and
burial OF mere tramp quite repre-
hensible. Nevertheless, then q long
clearing OF his throat as though go
Ing on to his secondly, 1--WE are in
clined to be generous with you and
I trust you fully appreciate our in
terest In your behalf"
Too stunned to speak, the sisters
sat motionless as his footsteps went
down the gravel walk and out OF the
front gate.
Mindy waited for Jane, who always
took the lead, to speak.
At the look in her sisters face,
Mindy felt all her secretly cherished
hopes totter and crumble, and she
grew dizzy and seemed to shrink and
shrivel as her trusted support seemed
to give way.
Don't you mind. Mindy,". she said
calmly, white with indignation at the
untimely reproof, "for God takes care
Of people with white souls like ours"
She stopped to put on her glasses,
better to note the effect OF her words
upon the sensitive face before her.
Nov this is my idea. We will take
the four dollars and thirteen cents we
have left and visit Boston Yes, Mindy,
and we must go tomorrow, and" here
she hesitated. then making bold
plunge, "Mindy. how would you like
to go to theater?"
Mindy involuntarily raised her
hands and shocked surprise why,
Jane, you are beside yourself. You
don't really meant"
yes, do, Mindy, and we are going
II our money will spend that far"
The next morning the sisters rose
early and dressed themselves with
the greatest care. After eating their
breakfast in silence. they made their
may toward the railway station.
After the longest fifty minutes the
old ladies had ever experienced, the
rumble Of the train was music to their
ears. Once inside, they pulled their
skirts closely around them. and hold
ing them together in front with one
hand, stretched the other hand around
to smooth out any remaining wrin-
kles. before they sat down.
But it was not until they found
themselves In the big Boston station
In the midst OF the busy, busting
crowd, that they felt that they we're
real part of the great, throbbing
world about which their tramp boy
had told them SO much.
"Oh. I'm SO glad we came today"
Mindy chirped delightedly, when all
these people are out!" Then, with
| sudden concern, II amt heard the
clock strike since we've been setting
here, have you. Jane?"s
mo, Of course not" Jane made an
swer; zone would think you had never
travelled before. Hear the clock
strike, indeed. with all this noise go
ing on, and wera little deaf. too! But
| I fear we have set here longer than
we meant to, but we can save time by
eating our lunch on the elevated.
Wasn't that the name of the train
Tom said some people were SO scary
about p
eyes," replied the timid little WON
an, her heart humping with fright.
that was the name, but don't you
L
| think we had better walk?"
1--WE can walk the rest Of our lives.
and today we are going to ride" and
with the words, Jane took her sisters
arm within her own and q moment
later they were borne away by the
Laughing, chattering procession up
numerous stairways and through many
winnings into the train.
How will we know when to get
out?" Mindy inquired anxiously.
A smartly dressed man with kindly.
twinkiing eyes overheard the Ques-
ton and upon learning their destina-
ton, offered to act as their guide.
Mindy thought she had never seen
such . flne gentleman. When the car
stopped with jerk that would have
thrown her from her seat. the object
Of her meditations held her back With
his strong arm, at the touch Of which
she blushed like school girl. They
felt sorry when their escort left them.
and watched him until the crowd hid