Evening star., 1914-02-05
THE EVENING STORY.
When Misfortune Came.
Copyright. 1911, ,, W werncr.)

Veronica Hay sat at her window and
looked at the brick wall. four feet away.
down which the rain was drearily drip
ping. 1t was a cold. gray fall Of rain
and, together with the brick wall. 1t
seemed to shut out everything that made
life worth living.
The room In which Veronica sat was
rust such room you might have ex-
pected from the window. The wall pa
Per, the worn red and green carpet the
few sticks OF dark furniture conspired
with the brick wall to prevent light or
IT'S semblance- Yet the room, being warm
and quiet and a reasonable shelter
seemed good enough when one came back
10 1t tired at the end of a hard day be-
hind the counter.
The night before Veronica had sprained
FER ankle. The doctor had said IL would
be week at least before she could 90
oack to work. The prospect was not en-
iivening. but Veronica, having provided
for Just such Il rainy day, vas deter
mined to take her hardship bravely.
Ihere was one difficulty about the al
fair which she could not yet manage to
her liking. She must eat. Veronica faced
the possibility of being very hungry with
out any food in sight, for Mrs Crun did
not feed her people and there was no res
taUrant nearer than the next block. We
ronica could not hobble that distance.
Moreover, she dare not ask Maud, the
maid. to buy eatables for her.
Il haven't single friend she thought,
signing. That comes from being brought
up In the country and the Presbyterian
church. | don't even make acQuaint-
vors-thats hardest Of all
Somebody came upstairs quickly and
slammed d door across the hall.
II wonder II that's the woman I've
m he u ~ ha "
haired woman who peddles church liter
s.ture. She looks as if she could be trust
ed and as If she wouldn't mind doing
bit Of missionary work, even II 1t takes
the form of buying rolls for d spraincd
ankle salesgirl I'm positive she has the
room across the hall. l could ask her
10 get me something tomorrow.
Veronica got up and hobhled to her
storehouse-the top bureau drawer. The
window ledge was her refrigerator. when
she, had anything that required cold stor-
age She had in the bureau drawer not
{, few graham waters, two oranges. half
a can OF dried beef and egg
II Thought there We're two eggs. she
Ituudered. surely l bought half q dozen.
! ate two for breakfast. two for lunch.
stG--ah. dear me, that grocers clerk
,s.s' have cheated me or else lost one
g.. III, way-" Yet this last did not seem
.-,'ea5l..-
. VII eo and ask that woman now.
wait l may miss her altogether. And
-, IL have to ask somebody 1 don't
! e. TIE looks of we'll or starve-
-rou:ca was not without prop. Be
~ tn bsireau stood the blackthorn
.i,.lS which her grandfather had cut in
LIS ilatIre boEs and brought TO the new
ro4ntry Vi his desire and bequeathed to
the one H. thought would most prize 1t.
Veronica took it and. leaning upon II,
Knocked softly at the opposite door.
There was al. instant's pause, then the
door opened and on the threshold stood
a good looking young man. who first
looked, then stared, at Veronica through
his glasses without even smiling.
.'Oh, / beg Your pardon" gasped We
ronica- I've made a mistake.
thought
II came to this room last night. said
the young man, as if he foresaw that