Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-24

CLEAR AS DAY.
news smoke penetrated far in the icy
air,
Miss Olivia stood in the yellow oblong
o. light which her window made. a thin,
dark silhouette against the snowy sur
face of the street. She stood so long
that Miss Laura came 10 stand beside
her
My" Miss Laura said, this is a cold
night Everybody but US has gone to bed
TO keep warm. There isn't light any
where"
Yes. there Is" Miss Olivia continued.
I've been watching it. Just look over
there. Laura. It's in the tannery house.
Do you suppose that anybody's moved
In there this awful day.
The tannery house was some distance
away Between II and the sisters was
wide. snow-covered fiat where the
children played ball in summer and fox
and geese in winter. There were no
other houses near. but the buildings of
the ruined and abandoned tannery hud-
died about it gray and forlorn. For
about a year nobody had lived in the
tAnnery house. A family must be very
poor. indeed. that would accept it as a
shelter. especially in bitter winter wealth
er. II seemed now from the light that
somebody actually had moved into the
~retched old dwelling. the very thought
Of which made the sisters shudder They
were glad to turn back to their own
warm. glowing stove and big golden
lamp, TO their cushioned chairs and con-
venient hassocks
y was in hopes" Miss Laura said
that there wouldn't be any more ten.
ants in that old house and that John
Iovle would have TO pull IT down.
She took up her rug and began &c
braid very fast Miss Olivia sat WITH
her hands folded. watching the rug
making somehow their pleasure ir
their own cheerful society in this cold
evening was spoiled.
IT was perhaps half an hour later thai
they heard strange sounl-actually
footsteps running over the Nranda te
the door. and a knock Miss Olivia wen1
10 the door. while Miss Laura dropped
her work and waited. startled. to set
such a night. Miss Olivia pulled tn,
creaking door open. and into the room
stumbled half-frozen little girl veay
Ing an old brown shawl Her uttl,
pale face seemed full of ewes "a ali,
looked up at Miss Olivia Miss Laur,
rose
For mercys saker' she exclaimed
Then she seized upon the child ant
drew her to the fire and freed her a
the Inadequate yet cumbersome shawl
Where do YOU come FROM" she de
nanded.
The child was painting hard and ~.
cold nearly had taken her breath awav
enc made an effort to answer
over there, she pointed Il saw vor,
hEht That's why | came"
The tannery house, Miss Olivia said
What do you WANT" Miss Laur;
asked. There. love hold your uttI
hands UP SO to the FIRE. Now tell me i
you can. what is the matter over 1T you
house,
II vas evident that something wa
the matter. else the child would NOT b,
out seeking strangers on such a night.
Mamma's sick" said the little girl
We moved in this afternoon It's awfu
cold. amt It? We come on the train
Papa's dead and mammals going to wor]
In the knitting mill; only she's sick
here" She put her hand to her chest
and there wasn't anything to eat, so
came" she ended. simply
For the love OF the Lord breathe
Miss Laura She looked at Miss Olivia
Il guess we've got our work cut out 10
US. Oily. Let me think"
Miss Laura thought about two minutes
while Olivia took the child out of he
dre. thawing out all sides of her
There" said Miss Laura arcusins
y see Just what We've got to do View
got TO 20 over there. Look here: love
will you sit right here by the stove Xix
good little girl till we come back
There's some apples in that dish on tn
table. see ] guess. Oily, we bette
amt got a stove up or anything. I'll &c
the sled out of the shed. Some Of ther
sill have to ride, probably. Now we
ret peaAy. Bundle up like anything"
They equipped themselves quickly. Mt
kAp1s dragged the sled and led ths ~