The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-24

finding hot chocolate over town and
Went out hastily. admitting a draught
of chill air fleckcd with s~nowhakes.
why. Id like some hot chocolate
myself Elida thought. lit will do
me good to walk and l am taking cold
here"
AT the first corner she entered a lit
tie drug store. y very young clerk
came from the back of the store to
wait on her. Its Il disagrceabie
day." he observed. With a smile.
Its q Very disagrecablc day. And
| have a two hours wait in this town,
which l never entered before. j miss
ed my train OH the c. and L."
That's o bad" His look held the
warmest sympathy.
Elida's heart Went out To his sunny
hoyishness. She often wished she
had married and had sons of her own.
But. then, taken as a whole, her life
had Leen emincnlly satisfactory and
easy. OF course, now the best of it
was over and the future. passed alone
in her big house, began to push itself
Guestionably near.
AS she looked at the boy closer it
seemed to her that he bore a growing
likeness to somebody she had known,
'uS "to1h' ~ SlS oli'lbSu ueI CIlOSO.
late her mind swayed this way and
that trying to find a reason for him.
All. she had it now. He reminded her
of the girl who had been her chum in
their Very young days-of gay, love-
ly. Celia Cuthbert. The boys voice re.
called her.
You won't he leaving town, then,
before 8 o'clock?"
No. Up to this point I've had a
perfect Journey all the way from
Naples. I'm beginning to think l
should have stayed there. But the
longing for home came over me-and
I've been away five years this last trip,
all Of the time in Europe"
Europe" His eyes widened and he
laughed a funny little laugh, half shy.
half embarrassed. II travel a good
deal in books. Probably that's the
only way l ever shall travel"
All things come to him who waits
quoted smilingly.
lie drew a deep breath. "Oh, l can
wait and hustle. TOO, ] guess. I'm
, going to a school of pharmacy next
year"
You ought. then. to come to my
town-Belton. There's a fine school
Ut pharmacy there"
Why. that's where I'm going he
said. You see, mother used to live
there"
Elida interrupted him. Then you
are Celia Cuthbert's som"
Yes. But how-how-"
You look just like her."
He seemed a bit puzzled. You
knew my mOther?"
'When We were young girls she was
my dearest friend" Mist rose to
Elida's eyes. We drifted far apart.
I've lever seen her since. Where is
she now"
oh. she lives here. We all live
mere. We're quite a family-seven,
besides father and my mother. wish
you'd see her. I'll get permission to
take YOU over if you'll co.
DO" said Elida.
The boy went to IL door at the back
of h store and spoke to his employ
err. who was busy within. Then he
put on his cap and led Elida forth to
a house which seemed to Elida to be
the meanest of all they had passed.
And this was where Celia Cuthbert
lived.
Without any apology whatever the
boy led Elida through a dirty vestibule
Uttered with umbrellas and rubbers
into A large living room, which at frs,
glance seemed small. 20 crowded was
it With every imaginable thing. An
ancient piano held the largest space
a huge stove radiating heat, stood op.
posite. and near the stove stood two
old chairs. y still rocking as il one
who had sat in it had fed hastily al
sight OF the approaching stranger, and
the other filled with pillows upon
which lay a dropping month-old babe
Standing in big-cyed amazement up.