Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-01-29
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, l am so dreadfully tired"
she sighed as she pulled out her hat
pins and snoothed back the gray
brown hair from her forehead. 1T
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 looked around at the
shabby room with its battered oak fur
niture and hideous wall paper.
There came a 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
It been an awful day." Miss Belle
Brown, who worked in a ~hairdresser's
shop, turned her broad shoulders en-
cased in a crisp white waist and Miss
Cricket stood on tiptoe to reach the
top buttons.
Miss Brown chartered necessarily,
while the little seamstress struggled
with the buttons.
Il had a ride home tonight-Mr.
Dickson came along in that funny lit
tie red car of his and brought me up
in a jiny. 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 do
your hair? It's pretty. SO thick and
wavy-say, you've got some gray
hairs, We've got some stun at the
shop that1l 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-there goes that
second bell; l expect Biddy will be
cross as two sticks. II it's her even
ing out she'll expect US to gobble and
git! There, l thought I'd make you
laugh! You oughter laugh more, Miss
Cricket, it's so becoming to your pref
~ teeth and 1t shows your dimples!"
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 vas 80
thoroughly respectable that its in
mates e~ndeavored to endure its in
creasing shabbiness as the years went
by and the monotony of its plain but
substantial home table. The jewellers
on the second floor who occupied the
larger and more comfortable rooms
had been there for many years and
stationery store on the Main street Of
the large city. was unquestionably the
star boarder'' of the establishment.
There we're never any frowns for Mr..
Dickson even IL he did appear late at
his me Is, nor was his especial liking
the morning. The other boarders, and
those on the third floor especially,
meekly accepted what masterful Mrs.
Beeks placed before them with the
understanding that Mr.. Dickson paid
a fancy price" for his and
board.
Miss Brown and Miss Cricket found
all their fellow boarders gathered
about the long table. There was the
usual assortment of workers.
Benjamin Dickson looked across
the table at Miss Brown and Miss
Cricket. He was a quiet, m~iddle-aged
man, with a handsome face and kind
brown eyes. Mr.. Dickson was always
Immediately clothed and on one fin
ger of his left hand he wore an old
fashioned ring that had belonged to
his mother.
Mr.. Dickson noted that while Miss
Belle Brown complained Of her food
she ate heartily of everything within
her long-armed reach, while Miss
Cricket said nothing. but pecked
daintily at her food like some tired
little. sparrow who tries to make a
meal from a bit Of string in lieu of
something better.
When the meal was over the board
ers gathered in the front basement
sitting-room, with the exception of Miss
Cricket. who started upstairs to her
room. There were so many things to
be do1e to make herself comfortable
for another long days drudgery at the
needle and her weary body cried out
for sleep.
It was a very surprising thing TO
find Mr.. Dickson standing in the front
hall at the foot Of the stairs and ap-
parently waiting for her.
Good evening, Miss Cricket" he
said rather d%ifidently; Il was o
dering II a breath Of fresh air
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 a r al
though once, several years before, he
had taken her to a lecture. How de-
lightful II would be to join that pro-