The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-01-02

Then. I'll be there in half an hour"
Helen hung up the receiver in a
furry Of excitement In half an hour!
Hurriedly she changed her house
gown for a fresher one, and again
went over the spare room with the
duster
She had not the slightest idea how
to receive an applicant for furnished
room, nor did she know what rate TO
ask But she hoped to get some idea
of this from the woman herself.
The half hour had not quite passed
when the prone rang again and Mrs.
Morrison" was announced. The name
sounded quite and we'll bred. Helen
pictured a modest little woman, a wild
ow, probably mourning. But when a
moment later she opened the door It
was to receive an overdressed and
rather flashy looking woman. She
wore an immense plumed hat with a
heavily dotted veil through which the
rouge and powder and the metallic
yellow of her hair were plainly evil
dent And with every movement
came a Whit of heavy French per-
fume.
For the first few moments Helen
was so confused she hardly knew what
was said. Instinctively she felt she did
not want to rent her room to this
woman.
NOT LARGE ENOUGH.
Yes, a very pleasant ROOM" and
Mrs. Morrison gaZed around with
keen. scrutinizing eyes. But it's very
small You haven't one larger?"
"Oh, moths is the only room
have"
is this a good sized closet ." cross
ing the room and opening the closet
door without seeming TO think il
worth while to ask IIelen's permission.
"No. It's very shallow that wOuldn' t
hold all my clothes. Rnt | suppose
you'd put in a wardrobe.
ooh, no: I cOuldnt-I haven't any"
murmured Helen
well, I suppose I could make this
do | might put some books and a cur
tain across that other door and hang
some things there. Now Id like to see
the Bathroom
Helen flushed at the woman's i'm
perative manner and silently led the
way to the end Of the hail. Mrs. Nor
rison scrutinized the immediately
clean bathroom and shot a shrewd
glance into the open doors of the din
ing and sitting room as she passed.
"Now what do YOU ask for this
she demanded abruptly as she re-en-
tered the spare-rOOm.
Eight dollars" answered Helen des
perately, thinking she was putting up
on it prohibitive price.
Eight? Do you ask eight for so
small room? I've seen lots of them
at five"
Il shouldn't care to let it go for less
than eight" cOldly.
We'll, | suppose one does have to
pay for cleanliness, and this is about
the only really clean place I've found.
Now how about breakfast? Could |
make some arrangements to get my
breakfast here"
ooh, no. no." hurriedly Il couldn't
think of serving any meals" We'll,
| I'll let You know tomorrow. That's high
for this room. but it's clean end |
rather think III take it. Here's my
card-I'm the buyer of millinery at
-----'s. You can get any references
you want there"
And before Helen could recover
from her surprise, she was gone with
a final:
q think I'll take it, but I'll let you
| know definitely tomorrow.
| Helen came back to the spare-room
and sat down Imply on the bed Eight
dollars. She had not hoped to get
more than six, for there We're many
| advertised in the "to let" column as
! low as "three-ffty
Eight dollars every week, How
much that would mean! This was not
the type of woman she would have
chosen for a roomer-but should she
| let that influence her? She had been