The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-28
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MAGIC OF nina HITLER
BY MAX STEINER.


Higgins was more surprised al Tue
apparition which appeared in her snap
by sitting room or whether Nina Hiiier'
personifying the apparition, was more
surprised at the prevailing sloVenil.
ness Of the place. Certain II was tna'
the dingy room which served as al
Office for Mrs. Higgins hfth-ciass
lodging house had never been graceo
by 80 neat and smart and altogether
charming a person as Miss Hitler. Ger
tain It also was that Nina never nao
dreamed there were SO many unutter-
able kinds of dirt as she saw ABOUT
her.
Mrs. Higgins was inclined at nrs1
to be a bit belligerent, but Nina's per
feet frankness and gentleness dis
armed her. As for Nina, her lips trem-
bled Just for the fraction Of moment
as she contrasted the cherries place
with the neat and comfortable country
home she had left.
do you have furnished rooms 10
rent?" she inquired.
Il d." replied Mrs. Higgins shortly
May l see one?" persisted Nina.
what for?" rejoined Mrs. Higgins.
II am looking for ROOM" replied
the girl.
Mrs. Higgins gasped in surprise.
There's plenty vacant, the Lord
knows" she said, but they ain't
hardly your kind"
Il am not very particular 80 long
a. the place is respectable and the
rent is not high" said the girl
Respectable" snorted Mrs. Hug
gins; Il never ran no place that want
respectable"
I'm sure of that" the girl FASTENED
to say. II only meant that was why
came here"
"well. its cheap enough" went on
the landlady. Goodness knows. It hae
to be. There don't seem to be nc
money any more. have to take wha'
folks can AFFORD to pay"
Then she looked shyly At the CIR
and said with rough kindness: q
really think you might ind place
you would like better. It's only pool
folks that put up here"
Il am very poor" replied Nina sim
ply. Then. noting MIRA Higgins keel
glances at her neat and tasty clothes
and more especially at her gloves ant
rather stylish hat she smiled ant
added: II am from the country. M!
parents died very recently and lef
me alone. and there was not much lef
after the bills we're paid"
Tho city is poor place to come,
replied Mrs. Huggius grimly, but no
unkindly. Goodness knows there
. plenty here now tryin' to keep sou
and body together. II you've got an,
friends in the country you'd better g
back and get any kind Of work Il
do to keep an honest roof over you
head. There's an army Of EN- her
walkin' the streets, lookin' for work.
and It's a bad business for a youn
girl and q purity one like you. a.gettir
discouraged and hungry and lonesom
and all that"
The girl blushed and smiled brave
confident little smile.
Il had a good mother and a goo
father" she said with quiet dignity
land l am sure l will do nothing t
disgrace them. have no doubt at a
but I will find work to do and tha
I will get on famously."
The upshot OF 1t all was that Min
became established in dingy ROOF
on the second floor with two ding
windows. There was a dingy carpe
on the floor and q meager quantit
of dingy furniture. There was also
neglected fireplace in the corner.
was all 80 hopeless and sQualid thu
1t required all Nina's courage to face
While waiting for her trunk the new
conner went out and returned with a
armful of packages which filed tn
person of Mrs. Higgins with burnin
curiosity. A boy followed her with
) i good-sized box. Mysterious sount
came from the room Of the new lodge
; Presently coal man carried sever,
sacks of coal to the room. This wa
the straw that broke the landlady
. back, so to speak. She simply had
go up and see what was going on.
, If curiosity filled her before 81
opened the door establishment Or
! vailed when she gazed at the tran
formed apartment. The windows wei
, washed inside and out, the carp
frightened up. all the furniture wipe
! and cleaned, dainty coverlet was {
! the bed and score of pretty and a
tistic things were tastefully plac.
: about the room. And in the CRATE
fire was burning smartly. The enti
effect was most homelike and chez
full. Mrs. Higgins could scarcely b
lieve 1t was her own house. She new
had seen anything like it-certain
nothing even suggesting it there,
Are you goin' to have a fire all Il
timer" demanded Mrs. Higgins. Go
does cost lot"
I'm going to try to be comfortable
replied the girl. 81 think l can ca
enough to keep warm and have enou,
to eat"
The miracle was duly announced
various of the dodgers, as they car
In that evening, principally In the for