The Washington herald., 1914-03-30
DAILY SHORT STORY.
ACROSS THE STREET.
ny OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON.

by OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON.
Rosemary jumped out of bed with her
eyes shut. and had the alarm siIenced
before she opened them. The room was
dark and chilly. for o'clock Is early
in March. In summer Rosemary got up
at S.
She lit the gas and caught sight Of
the ribbon on her finger. tied there the
last thing the night before. Memory.
suddenly logged, woke up. Mackeral!
That was it, They were out of salt
mackeral for breakfast, and she knew
that Uncle Peter would peeve II II were
missing. She had not discovered that
the kit was empty until bedtime. when
she had gone to the kitchen to put IL to
soak. Uncle Peter liked 1t pretty salt.
20 she had decided to hurry and dress in
the morning and slip down to the store
before the neighbors were up. That
would give the fish two hours to soak
for Uncle Peter never breakfasted un-
til o
She dressed, then looked at herself
in the glass, undecided about her curl
papers. They We're not becominG-in
fact. they were decidedly the reverse
but their removal took time. and time
was precious.
When she was dressed and her hair
properly curled and arranged she looked
like the first half OF her name; that is
II she were with pleasant people who
took her out OF herself long enough to
forget the slaty grayness OF her every
day life. Then she would become really
beautiful. the years semed to drop of
and she was a girl again. vivacious and
charming.
But she generally was called by the
last half Uncle Peter had chopped OF
the Rose when she came to keep house
for him He said II was fiippant. And
so. little by little, he had chopped of
the best things in her life until only
time. Rosemary had begun to look older
than she really was. This morning in
the gaslight and curriers' she looked forty.
In reality she was thirty-three.
A month ago she would not have given
the papers a single thought. But things
were different now. What II she should
happen to meet the boarder across the
street.
She glanced at the clock. She would
have TO risk il anyway 1t was nearly
now and she must hurry. She put on
a sweater, tied a scarf over her head
and. started down the street. The shut
ters Of the Blacks second story front
were closed, and the windows all down.
He was probably dressing and had yet
to eat breakfast. She was safe.
She sighed. Pretty plump little Polly
Black probably looked as fresh as a daisy
in the morning. She did not need curl
papers for her thick. wayy. reddish
brown hair. Mary sighed again, for as
she was picturing to herself charming,
smiling little Polly handing the boarder
his cup Of coffee. she caught sight Of
herself in a plate-glass window.
Don't ha mol
why. you don't even know his name.
and you certainly have no identity as
far as he goes. He probably thinks
you're the maid: for. dear knows, he
always happens along when you're out
cleaning windows or polishing the door
bell. Didn't he even catch you hanging
out the clothes the day he hunted for
Mrs. Blacks cat in the alley, That is
II he noticed you AT ALL" she added TO
herself
The store was open when she arrived,
She bought her fish. but held il away
from her, for the odOr penetrated the
Drown paper wrapping and it made her
sick. She hated fish.
Going home. she planned for the day.s
work Her purchase had knocked senti-
ment out Of her head. Love may laugh
at locksmiths, but II turns up its nose
at other things and walks away. Mary
was wondering II she could get the lunch
dishes washed i'm time to go down for
some new tea toweling and be home be
fore the baked beans for dinner would
burn. when she slipped on two-thirds of
a square inch of ice and fell.
II was most awkward fall-the kind
when ones self-respect suffers most. To
make things worse, her package few. the
dampened paper parted and Uncle Peters
breakfast lay shamelessly exposed upon
the brick pavement
First We listen for n laugh-if We can
think Of anything but a Jared anatomy
next we glance surreptitiOusly to see how
the public takes IT, Everything favorable,
and If our belongings happen to be any
thing in the world but fish we pick them
and ourselves up and march away, haugh-
tily or belligerently, according to our ais
positions.
Mary didn't hear any one laugh. but
before she had time to pick herself up,
much less her belongings, she saw a man
running across the street toward her
Horror of horrors! 1t was the boarder,
Are you hurt?" he asked anxiously.
Mary shook her head. She felt that
her face would soon burst If the blood
did not stop rushing TO it so. No. thank
you," she finally stammered. and started
He helped her to her feet and started
for the fish.
''Oh, no. no! Please DON'T she pro-
tested. I'll get another. It's only few
steps back to the store" In her con-
fusion she had not noticed that her scarf
had become loosened. until IL dropped at
her feet. With a quick, self-conscious
motion both hands flew to her head. The
man picked il up. When he handed 1t
to her she scarcely thanked him in her
haste to get the telltale knobs under
cover Her face had become suddenly
MAYORS NALNUT-0n