Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-26

| NO TRAIN UNDER TWO HOURS.
ing hot chocolate over town and went out
| hastily, admitting a draught of chill ali
hecked with snowfakes.
Why. I'd like some hot chocolate my
self" Elida thought. ut will do me
! good to walk and / am taking cold here. "
| At the first corner she entered little
drug store. A very young clerk came
| from the back of the store to wait on
her. Its a disagreeable day he OBJ
served, with smile.
| Its a very disagreeable day And
have a two-hour wait in this town, which
l never entered before. l missed my train
| on the c. and l..
That's too bad His look held the
| warmest sympathy.
Elida's heart went out to his sunny boy
| ishness. She often half wished she had
married and had sons of her own. But.
then, taken as a whole, her life had been
eminently 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 questionably near.
As she looked at the boy closer it
seemed to her that he bore a growing
| likeness to somebody she had known, but
| whom? AS she slipped her chocolate 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, lovely Celia Cuthbert. The
boys voice recalled her.
You won't be leaving town, then, be-
fore o'clock?'
mo. Up to this point I've had per-
feet 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
IL, al f,,n Ian ,ho1 oh
half embarrassed. Il travel good deal
in books. Probably that's the only way 1
ever shall travel"
"All things come to him who waits
quoted smilingly.
He drew deep breath. ooh, can wait
and hustle, too. l guess. I'm going to a
school of pharmacy next year
"You ought. then, to come to my town.
Bolton There's a fine school of phar-
macy there" -
why, that's where I'm going he said.
"You see. mother used to live there
Elida Interrupted him. Then you are
Celia Cuthberts son.
Yes. But how-how-"
You look just like her.
He seemed a bit puzzled. <"You knew
my mether?"
when We were young girls she was
my dearest friend" Mist rose TO Elida' 8
eyes. 1--WE drifted far apart. I've never
seen her since. Where is she now?'
"Oh, she lives here. We all live here.
We're quite family-seven besides
father and my mother. 1 wish you'd see
her. I'll get permission to take you over
II you'll CO.
DO" said Elida.
The boy went to door at the back OF
the store and spoke to his employer 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 Efida through dirty vestibu-e lit
tered with umbrellas and rubbers into a
large living room, which at first glance
seemed small so crowded was it with
every imaginable thing. An ancient
piano held the largest space, q huge stove
| radiating heat, stood opposite, and near
the stove stood two old chairs, one still
rocking as IL one who had sat in 1t had
left hastily at sight of the approaching
stranger, and the other filled with pill
lows upon which lay dropping month
old babe. Standing in bigeyed amaze
| ment upon Elidas entry was a beautiful
boy Of three In a ragged blue blouse suit.
Cuthbert cleared a chair and asked
Elida to sit down. Then he went to find
his mother. He came back in a moment.
Mother will be right in. I've told her
you were here but / didn't tell her who
| you were. I've got to go now. I'll see
| that you get to your train all right
why. thank you,' replied Elida.
moment later Celia entered the room