El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-10
The Seasons Serial Sensation
In the Web of
X Life X
Constance Goes to an Old Friend Of Her Mother and Tells
Her Story.
By Virginia TerhuDe Van de Water.
Her Story.

CONSTANCE NEDFORD'S decision
may have been the result Of re-
sentfuI impulse, but she had
planned her first step and could see
it plainly. Beyond this she would not
look just yet.
She was not penniless, for her ex-
penses had been few and she had
saved much Of the money she had
earned by giving music lessons. This
was in the. little bag which she
grasped tightly as she aIighted from
the New York train She remembered
with a sense OF gratitude that her pa
irons had been in the habit OF paying
her in the 18th or each month, and that
only last week she had received almost
all the money due her.
This would support her until she
could secure a few music pupils. She
would drop a line to each OF them to-
night saying that she had been called
away. and advising them TO secure
some oIher teacher At first she had
tnouSht Of committing to HomewOod.
IN the light Of recent events she felt
she could not do this
As child, Constance Medford had
Llau a goVerness Of whom she was very
iona She was a Mrs. Blair-whose
husband had died at the end Of a year
OF welded life. She had been a school
friend OF Coustance's mother For a
Nulle the young widow had barely
supported herself by conducting a
small kindergarten, but when under
the strain Of work and anxiety her
heaith broke down, Mrs. MedfOrd had
taken her to her home and nursed her
back to health, then offered her the
position Of gOverness TO her little
daughter. This offer the widow &C
cepted thankfully and became Con-
stances only instructor
charges education TO be carried on by
her own had died, leaving her his
her former pupils often went 70 see
her
Even after Mrs. Medford's death Mrs.
Blair continued TO teach the motherIess
child, but when Constance was Il the
conscientious governess began to fear
that her methods were perhaps, be-
hind the times, and she wondered If il
were not her duty to allow her
changes education TO be carried on by
more competent persons than heselL
The news tmat a distant relative OF
her own had died. leaving her has
small property-the income from which
would enable her TO live simply but
comfOrta bly-Cecided the matter for
her, and she settled in small apart
meut in New York Here she had re-
books and charitable work. and here
her former pupil went to see her
Constance Decides to Go to Mrs. BIair's
Home.
It was to Mrs. Blair's home that
Constance directed her steps today as
soon as she reached New York As she
rode uptown she tried TO forget that /
there was now no place in the world /
which she could feel she had a right |
TO call home" Perhaps the loneliest !
place IN the world TO the homeless I
man or woman is a great city
One feels apart from the busy, hust- /
ling thrOng. all working for their own I
homes or TO maintain homes for those I
they love Constance felt a lump come /
in her throat as she faced her lOneli- |
ness, her sOlitarinesss but she con-
qUered the pang Of self pity and told 4
herself that she was, after all, not so I
very desOlate.
To her relief she found her old friend {
IN, and laid before her the plan which 3
she had formed. She would like she I
said. TO share Mrs. Blair's apartment /
at least to be allowed to sleep on the /
couch in the hall bedroom until such /
time as she could secure enough music !
pupils TO warrant her in taking a .
room in a respectable boarding house 4
and hiring her own piano
You see have plenty Of money TO
nav Won board for some weeks" she
explained hurriedly, and I am sure
you Will not object to my using your
piano for practicing-in fact, I would,
OF course, want to pay for the use Of
that too"
She talked fast and excitedIv. telling
the story she had outlined in the early
morning hours She told nothing that Z
was not true, yet she withheld the
truths that she could not bring herself
TO tell She explained that for reasons
which she could not divulge-"family |
reasons" she called them-she had de- I
cided to leave her uncle's home. She !
did not want anyone TO know her /
bouts. Then she hesitated and I
blushed holly. She would like. II pos
sible, to have her new scholars know
her by an assumed name.
But at this suggestion Mrs. Blair
gasped so audibly that Constance
stopped with a sudden appreciation OF
all that she had been demanding Of
this friend
She Fears Mrs. Blair May Refuse Her.
"Oh," she exclaimed contritely, i
have been so full Of thoughts Of my
self that I have not thought Of all the
trouble I may cause yout Tell me
frankly If you would rather not take I
me in"
Dear childr' exclaimed the sweet
faced woman. Il want you here I get