The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-05-22
Married Life
the Fourth Year
Ev MABEL HERBERT URNER.

The unswept steps and dingy door
way proclaimed the cheap rooming
house as loudly as did the sign Fur-
rished Rooms for Rent In tne WILL
dow.
rhe door was opened by strange
looking creature-a tall, tnin, wiz,
eyed woman. with yellow, shr1velleo
skin and frowsy black hair
who advertised for Homework, raj
tered Helen.
Il am the young woman. glarlng
at Helen defiantly. Il advertised.
20. II see," murmured Helen.
longing to turn and rum down the
stems. for there was something weird
and uncanny about this woman.
Her matted black hair was only a
wig. which did not hide the closely
shaved gray hair around her ears.
She had closed the door and stood
with her claw-like hand on the knob,
and for a moment Helen felt thrill
of fear as she found herself alone
with her in the darkened hall.
II hope you amt like those two
gentlemen who were just here she
began excitedly They asked me to
60 upstairs to get my references, and
when l came back they were gone!
No good will ever come to anybody,
menacingly. who treats a hard-work
ing girl like that"
Had she been drinking, or was she
under the influence of some drug!
Helen was almost AFRAID or her.
sELF-PRAlSE.
Now what kind of girl did you
want, ma'am?" she demanded shrilly
Just young girl-quite a young
girl for general Homework" answer
ed Helen nervously edging toward the
door.
We'll, there isn't any kind of house
work that | can't do. I'm loOkin' fol
a nice, quiet place, where somebody
will appreciate a hardworkin' girl.
kept house for Mrs. Eldridge-may be
you've heard of the Eldridges Of
Brooklyn? Well. ma'am, you could
have wiped your handkerchief over
her kitchen floor and you wouldn't
have found any dirt"
We'll, there are several other girls
[ want to see before l engage any
one." murmured Helen, thinking only
Of how she could get away. I'll lei
you know if l"
You'll let me know? wildly
That's what they all say, and l never
hear from 'em. I put in an ad. last
month; dozen people were here tc
see me, and they all went off sayin
I'll let you know!' Why can't you
decide now? I'm ready to go back
with you, if you want me-"
But II really wanted a younger
girl" Helen felt that she was bruta
IN saying this. but she had to gel
away
Oh, a YOUNGER girl, is it? They
all say that, too. It's the YOUNG
girls they want. | advertised myself
as young woman-not young girl
IN not young-and I'm not old. But
| can do your work a lot better than
my of those giddy young girls hel
wild eyes fairly glared.
Through the glass in the door Helen
aw postman coming up the steps
He rang the jangling bell, the woman
>pened the door to take the mail anC
y flash Helen had slipped out.
so you want young girl, eh?" she
Jailed shrilly after her. We'll l hope
YOU get one-a giddy rattlebrair
.Linc No good comes to people wht
wont give an honest girl chance tt
earn her Twin. You're just like thu
est" and she turned back into tn,
house and slammed the door.
II Slon 1leW GOWN the steps ana dl
most ran around the corner to thu
,ext block. She wanted to get as ia
away from that house as she could
She felt it would be days before sh'
roud blot out the memory of those
Wiid black eyes and claw-like hands
THE NEXT.
The next advertisement she hat
marked was of Young Irish girl
atelv landed" and the address wa
II West Twenty eighth street.
Helen's heart sank when she saw
hat this. too. was a rooming house
cut it was plainly better elias
rouse. The steps. the entrance ant
ne windows had the appearance o
being well kept.
However, when she rang the bell
Helen was careful not to enter tn
sestibule. She would not chance
repetition of that last experience.
But this time the door was opened
y a clean, wholesome looking Irisl
girl. She wore a blue bingham dress
very short. a ruffled white apron an,
neat white collar.
Some one from this place adver
Used for homework" said Helen.
oh, yes; it was me, miss. Won
iou come upstairs. miss"
lfnheSitatinply Helen followed tn,