The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-02-20
IT PAVED THE Way
BY cLARissA MAckIE.

Anttie MISS CrlCKet tOue0 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 80 dreadfully tired"
she sighed as she pulled out her hat
pins and smoothed back the gray
Drown hair from her forehead. ut
must be perfectly lovely to have
nome of ones own and somebody to
earn the money I'm so tired Of sew
ing, sewing, sewing-and coming home
70 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?"
! 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 hairdressers
shop turned her broad shoulders en-
cased in 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.
u had a ride home tonight-Mr.
Dickson came along In that funny lit.
tie red car of his and brought me up
IN jitfy. Saved carfare and | tell
you every nickel counts, don't it,"
Indeed 1t does, sighed Miss Crick-
/ ct; there, Miss Brown, that's the last
one
Thanks You're not anywhere near
ready, are you? Can't | help you do
your bairH It's pretty, so thick and
wavy-say, you've got some gray
hairs We've got some stuff at the
shop thatll fix that in no time; but |
don't know as I'd touch 1t, that little
bit of white along your temples is
mighty becoming goes that
second bell | 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 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 Reeks boarding house was 80
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 jewellers
on the second floor who occupied the
larger and more comfortable rooms
had been there for many years and
Mr. Benjamin Dickson, who kept a
stationery store on the Main street of
the large city was unquestionably the
star boarder" OF the establishment.
! There were never any frowns for Mr..
Dickson even if he did appear late at
his meals, nor was his especial liking
| for a particular cereal overlooked In
! the morning The other boarders, and
those on the third floor especially,
meekly accepted what masterful Mrs.
Reeks placed before them with the
understanding that Mr.. Dickson paid
fancy price" for his room and
board
Miss Brown and Miss Cricket found
all their fellow boarders gathered
about the long table. There was the
usual assortment Of workers.
Scrambled egg night Kissed Miss
| Brown in Miss Cricket's ear as they
sat down. 81 can always tell because
We have stewed apricots and ginger
bread at the same time-ugh, just
think of eating stewed apricots when
fresh berries are In market
Miss Cricket smiled YEARLY and at
tackled her mkewarm scrambled egg
with small appetite A good cup of
tea would have been refreshing, but
the black. acrid brew that Biddy placed
nonunntinU II
really remarkable how Mrs, Beeks
could take perfectly good tea and
make II taste exactly like bitter medi-
cine! The boardeTs all discussed this
talent of Mrs. Beeks and Miss Finne-
gan. the milliner, said that Biddy had
told her that Mrs Beeks put the dry
tea into the pot with cold water and
let it come to a boil to draw out all
the strength, and no one doubted
Biddv's word. for Mrs. Beeks was
capable OF any experiment IN the d.
rectiOn Of economy.
Mr. Benjamin Dickson looked across
the table at Miss Brown and Miss
Cricket. He was a quiet, middle-aged
man with 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
Relic Brown complained Of her food
she ate heartily OF everything within
her long-armed reach. while Miss
Cricket said nothing, but pecked