News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-09-23
CHAPTER X.
A Nocturnal Visitor.


In the bungalow now new era
daWned. There was no marked change
in James mode of life but there was a
vast difference in the spirit of it. A
little army of joy gods entered and
gave battle to the glooms. Every day
in this conflict of mental legions the
joys triumphed. Not alone did they
crush the foes of James spiritual well
fare. Such victories won they took
hold of the physical being and with
deft touch here and there restored it
to the full power of it's natural beauty.
They put a light into the eyes that
had seemed, perhaps, a little tired ;
added fresh glow to cheeks that had
become a little wan and gave quick
elasticity to step that had grown list
less.
Jane was really beautiful woman.
But she was the type that needs the
full blend OF all attractions to complete
the picture of the subtle whole. She
was tall and willowy. Vivaciousness
made her slimness a charm; without
tlllo plAlL ollC w do th4us ~ IOO, hCl
hair, luxuriant, abundant raven tresses,
seemed heavy and added years unless
flashing eyes and colored cheeks de-
fed its sOnberness. And, just as a
prosaic life and tired, dulied senses
had caused the bird to dro0p, keeping
pace with frayed and worn plumage,
now new prospects and new feathers
caused it to thrill and futter
Mrs. Collins, keen observer of all
these changes, literally Winked the
other eye. She was not the kind who
scorns gossip but having once met suf-
ficient rebuke from Jane and being
more or less beneficiary of this pros
perity she held her peace. If her
nerves required material relief now
she had but to make the want known.
The means was always at hand.
There came presently into the Rey-
mods household, however, something
that disturbed even the equanimity of
Mrs. Collins. This was a servant girl.
She was inefficient and unframed, but
she kept James hands out of the dish
water.
"The extra expense is so little" Jane
had told her neighbor. why, l pay
Frieda only two dollars and half a
week."
Mrs. Collins turned up her nose and
opined that the girl was committing
larceny, at that. But the idea of the
hired help" ranked just the same.
She saw that James hands were get
ting white and soft while her own
were red and rough. She sought refuge
in rubber gloves which in many
woman's life are mute evidence of
vanity or pathos as the case may be.
But Mrs. Collins gave them up. 1t was
no use, she told herself The hands
weren't all. Jane was young and
pretty and the common bond of COM
plant over their i'll luck had been
broken. Whatever it was, good for
tune of some sort had come into the
younger woman's life and the future
seemed to hold promise of more. For
Mrs. Collins this meant only more
poignant realization of power gone for
her and gone never more to return.
One afternoon some three weeks
after her first excursion into Fifth ave-
nue. Jane was sitting with an open hand
bag in her lap counting over some
money and comparing it with figures
in little notebook. There was ring
at the doorbell, but no response from
the maid in the kitchen.
"Frieda," Jane called.
Still there was no reply and Mrs.
Collins, a silent spectator of the scene,
smiled in scorn.
"Frieda!" Jane repeated, ARE you
deaf?"
Nom" came the laconic answer,
but there came no Frieda.
James voice rose to the sharp COM
mand: "Then answer the bell"
"Yessum," Frieda agreed, and hav- !
ing Invested herself of these two
words and exhausted the full measure
of her vocabulary, she cid as she was
told.
At the door was a messenger boy
anu dlb0I muCu NOIuDl6 luSlTuCtlOU
from Jane and more 'yessums" from
Frieda, the girl signed the book and |
came forward with the message. Jane
tore it Open.
tits a lovely afternoon for an auto |
ride" Mrs. Collins remarked inno-
Gently.
"No, 1t isn't that at ALL" Jane an
swered. 81 mean the message isn't !
what you think. It's from Bob. He's |
been sent out of town and can't get |
home tonight. It's the first time since
we've been married. Oh, l know l
shall be frightened to death in this
place"
Come over and stay with u.s." her
neighbor invited promptly.
I'D like to, but" Jane looked to-
ward the kitchen-"you'd be crowded
to make room for me and / couldn't
leave Frieda here alone"