The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-10-09
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MAGIC OF nina KILLER
BY MAX STEINER.

| Hugg1nS was more surprised at the
apparition which appeared in her shah
by sitting room or whether Nina Hitler,
| personifying the apparition, was more
surprised at the prevailing slovenli-
ness of the place. Certain it. was that
the dingy room which served as an
office for Mrs. Higgins fifth-class
lodging house had never been graced
by so neat and smart and altogether
charming a person as Miss Hitler. Ger
tain 1t also was that Nina never had
dreamed there were so many unutter-
able kinds of dirt as she saw about
her.
Mrs. Higgins was inclined at first
to be 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 a moment
as she contrasted the cherries place
with the neat and comfortable country
home she had left.
DO you have furnished rooms to
rent?" she inquired.
Il do" replied Mrs. Higgins shortly.
NA"y cOo oAO. PCAoAcIOu WHO.
What for?" rejoined Mrs. Higgins.
Il am looking for a ROOM" replied
the girl.
Mrs. Higgins gasped in surprise.
There's plenty vacant, the Lord
knows" she said, but they amt
hardly your kind"
II am not very particular SO long
as 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. Il only meant that was why
came here"
well, it's cheap enough" went on
the landlady. Goodness knows, it has
to be. There don't seem to be no
money any more. have to take what
folks can afford to pay"
Then she looked shyly at the girl
and said with rough kindness: II
really think you might find. a place
you would like better. It's only poor
folks that put up here"
Il am very poor" replied Nina sim.
ply. Then, noting Mrs. Higgins keen
glances at her neat and tasty clothes,
and more especially at her gloves and
rather stylish hat, she smiled and
added: Il am from the country. My
parents died very recently and left
me alone. and there was not much left
after the bills were paid"
THE city is a poor place to come"
replied Mrs. Huggius grimly, but not
unkindly. Goodness knows there's
a plenty here now tryin to keep soul
and body together. II you've got any
friends In the country you'd better go
back and get any kind of work to
do to keep an honest roof over your
head. There's an army OF em here
walkin' the. streets, lookin' for work.
and It's bad business for young
girl and a purity one like you. a.gettin
discouraged and hungry and lonesome
and all that"
The girl blushed and smiled brave.
confident little smile.
Il had a good mother and a good
father" she said with quiet dignity,
and l am sure l will do nothing to
disgrace them. have no doubt at all
but I will find work to do and that
I will get on famously."
The upshot of it all was that Nina
became established in a dingy room
on the second floor with two dingy
windows. There was a dingy carpet
on the floor and q meager quantity
OF dingy furniture. There was also a
neglected fireplace in the corner. It
was all 80 hopeless and squalid that
1t required all Nina's courage to face it.
While waiting for her trunk the new
conner went out and returned with an
armful Of packages which filed the
person of Mrs. Higgins with burning
curiosity. A boy followed her with a
good-sized box. Mysterious sounds
came from the room Of the new lodger.
Presently a coal man carried several
sacks of coal to the room. This was
the straw that broke the landlady's
back. so to speak. She simply had to ,
90 up and see what was going on.
II curiosity filled her before she
opened the door establishment pre-
vailed when she gazed at the trans.
formed apartment The windows we're |
washed inside and out, the carpet |
frightened up. all the furniture wiped |
and cleaned, dainty coverlet was on |
the bed and a score OF pretty and ar.
tistic things were tastefully placed !
about the room. And in the crate a
fire was burning smartiy. The entire
effect was most homelike and cheer.
hull Mrs. Higgins could scarcely be-
ieve It was her own house. She never
had seen anything like it-certainly
nothing even suggesting 1t there.
Are you goin' to have q fire all the
inner" demanded Mrs. Higgins. Goal
loes cost a lot"
I'm going to try to be comfortable"
'eplied the girl. Il think l can earn
enough to keep warm and have enough