Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-26
THE EVENING STORY.
HER PATIENCE.
Copyright, 1918. by ". werner.)

'tcpyrlght, 1915, ny w NeFuefJ
LISA was humming happily as she
stepped carefully through the narrow
dim hall to her three rooms in the rear
Her arms were filled with bundles, gro
ceries, a new stewpan and some trifies of
dress that she had been wanting for a
long time. Usually the shoe factory didn't
let her out till o'clock. But they were
putting in new machinery and many of
the employees went home early in the
afternoon. She took advantage or the IN
expected leisure to do some shopping
that the long hours had prevented ever
since she went back to work And TO-DAY
was the first time in these two years she
had hummed so gayly. 1t hadn't been
nleasant to go back. In the factory they
jeered-jocularly, but none the less tney
ieered-at the girls who married ana
couldn't get along with a HUSBAND
money. 1t argued failure on his part or
hers. LISA was proud. She had con-
cealed that ii was on Harold paII.snc
had pretended that she wanted tninss
that his motorman's wages Wouiun -,
clude She would have died before ten
ing them that Harold was motorinan
about two months out of five and that at
other times he played pool, snooh uice
and tried to see how far ne couid slr1lcl
a saloonkeeper'S trustfulness. he hdo
been ashamed when she threatened 10 80
back-begged her not to go-proiiiiseo
everything that men like Harold promise
when they are ashamed. She had worked
a month and he had worked so steauiis.
Then she quit A week later he was sus-
pended twenty days for fntoxicauon. Inc In.
with such as Harold. couldn't anord 10
risk accidents, they declared. So she had
gone back or else they would nave gone
hungry.
He was ashamed again and worked
steadily for a long time-three months.
Then there was a slack season. He was
laid OFF, which meant. to the inihateo'
that his services were not satisfactory 10
the railway company. LISA Went pach
and. by that time some OF the ulster mao
left her keen, dark biue eyes, and she
looked more than her TWENTY-FIVE years.
: And she did not take the veied slpinS
good naturally. She developed tenn
per-something the unmarried Liss had
never owned. The girls talked she
heard them. Her temper grew. But now
for six long months Harold had been
pattern Life was getting back Its nrst
pink haze. 1t was not so pink, OF course.
and the luster would never come pach
wholly to Lissa's eyes. But sne wore
tolerably contented smile She mao peen
saving all her money and shortly they
could give up the poor ugly nat and move
into a better neighborhood. And she
could buy some furniture that was furni-
ture. instead of dilapidated trash. She
kicked with gay dislike at the ragged
rug in the entrance. In the new nat she
would have a strip of grass green mating
and a dazzling hall tree. She looked dep
recatingly at the battered center table as
she advanced into the dark room tnat
was dining room and parlor. She would
have in a month or so an elegant pohshed
Of inst
was going to be married next month, had
bought She sighed with pleased thank
fulness More than once in the past
she had almost given up-almost LEFT
Harold. Her patience. strained, had al
most snapped Now she was glad that