Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-01-30
IT PAVED THE WAY
BY cLARISSA MAcKIE.

Little Miss Cricket toiled up the
long flight of stairs to her hall bed
room on the third floor back. Once
inside its narrow confines she closed
the door and sank down upon the
small bed that sagged in the middle
'Oh, dear, am SO dreadfully tired"
she sighed as she pulled out her hat
pins and smoothed back the gray
brown hair from her forehead, ut
must be perfectly lovely to have a
home of ones own and somebody to
earn the money. I'm SO tired of sew
ing, sewing, sewing-and coming home
to this!" She locked around at the
shabby room with it's battered oak fur
niture and hideous wall paper
There came knock at her door.
Come in," she said as she stood be-
fore the mirror "Oh, good evening,
Miss Browns supper ready?"
Il guess it is-the bell rang five
minutes ago; just button my waist for
me will you, Miss Cricket? Say, hasn't
1t been an awful day." Miss Belle
Brown, who worked in hairdresser's IS
shop, turned her broad shoulders en-
cased in a crisp white waist and Miss
Cricket stood on iptoe to reach the
top buttons.
Miss Brown chartered incessantly
while the little seamstress struggled
with the buttons.
81 had a ride home tonight-Mr.
Dickson came along in that funny lit
tie red car of his and brought me Up
In a jiffy. Saved carfare and l tell
you every nickel counts, don't it?"
Indeed it does" sighed Miss Crick-
ct; there, Miss Brown, that's the last
one"
Thanks. You're not anywhere near
ready, are you? Can't l help you dc
your hair? It's pretty. SO thick and
wavy-say, you've got some gray
hairs. We've got some stuff at the
shop that'll fix that in no time; but
don't know as I'd touch it; that little
bit of white along your temples is
mighty becoming-t goes thai
second bell; l expect Biddy will be
cross as two sticks. If it's her even
ing out she'll expect us to gobble and
git. There, / thought I'd make you
laugh! You oughter laugh more, Miss
Cricket, it's so becoming to your pret
ty teeth and it shows your dimplesn
Nancy Cricket laughed all the hard
er at this last sally, for she knew
very well that the dimples which had
been one of her girlish charms must
be entirely absorbed in the creases Of
time.
The Beeks boarding house was sc
thoroughly respectable that its in
mates endeavored to endure its in
creasing shabbiness as the years went
by and the monotony of its plain but
substantial home table. The dwellers
on the second floor who occupied the
larger and more comfortable rooms
had been there for many years anG
Mr. Benjamin Dickson, who kept 3
stationery store on the Main street oI
the large city, was unquestionably the
star boarder" of the establishment
There we're never any frowns for Mr.
Dickson even if he did appear late a;
his meals, nor was his especial liking
for particular cereal overlooked ir
the morning. The other boarders, ano
those on the third floor especially
meekly accepted what masterful Mrs
Beeks placed before them with the
understanding that Mr.. Dickson pale
fancy price for his room and
board
Miss Brown and Miss Cricket fount
all their fellow boarders gathered
about the long table. There was the
usual assortment of workers.
Mr.. BENJAMIN Dickson looked across
the table at Miss Brown and Miss
Cricket. He was a quiet, middle-aget
man, with handsome face and kint
brown eyes. Mr. Dickson was always
Immediately clothed and on one fin
ger of his left hand he wore an oil
fashioned ring that had belonged tt
his mother.
Mr.. Dickson noted that while Miss
Belle Brown complained of her foot
she ate heartily of everything within
her long-armed reach, while Mis-,
Cricket said nothing, but pecket
daintily at her food like some tirec
little sparrow who tries to make 1
meal from bit of string in lieu O
something better.
When the meal was over the board
ers gathered in the front basemen
sitting-room, with the exception of Mis-
Cricket who started upstairs to he
room. There were SO many things t.
be done to make herself comfortabl,
for another long days drudgery at tht
needle and her weary body cried ou
for sleep.
1t was a very surprising thing tt
find Mr.. Dickson standing in the from
hall at the foot of the stairs and ap
parently waiting for her.
Good evening, Miss Cricket" h,
said rather difidently; Il was won
dering if breath of fresh al
wouldn't be good for you this even
ing"
Nancy Cricket caught her breath
Never before had Mr.. Dickson invited
her to ride in the little red car, al
though once, several years before, h'
had taken her to lecture. How de
lightful it would be to join that pro