Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-03

friends At last he went on: When
you were younger woman | thought
you would do good and useful things
in your little world. This was after
saw a hope slip out of my life
1t was his first reference in six years
to the fact that he had once looked
upon her with other than the eyes of
friendship, and now he appeared quite
unruffied Miss Meadows flushed
again. this time with chargin. But
each year." he continued, has found
you little more self-centered than the
one before. You haven't anything in
your life worth while. You remind
me of an empty house. Have you
ever looked at one closely-studied
it? Doesn't it seem awfully bare and
within and felt from without is not
there. You feel you'd like to put
something into it, don't you? That's
just the way feel about you, Mary
capab ility is immense"
Miss Meadows listened as If frozen.
When he paused her eyes flashed.
lawfully, kind Of you to concede that
fully. Just what do you think my
particular bent would be? What big
thing would you have me do?''
Under her displeasure Grey laughed
lightly, all deeper feeling seeming to
leave him. Nevertheless, his glance
was searching as he answered.
Sometimes, just little things are big
things, If they don't bring renown and
for Betty Hillker's children; I'm their
guardian, and I'm sure l could not
place them in better hands. because
I've always felt. Mary; that you were
choosing a single life you're defraud-
ing yourself. But the right man may
be found yet, eh. Mary?" Again he
laughed cheerfully:
his last words and his laugh had
called up still scorched her cheek
HE, is abominable," she muttered.
She lay back In her chair again. but
the complacency so marked a char
acteristic of Miss Meadows was miss
His words haunted her for the bal
ance Of the day and all of the next
Her serene belief that he was still
touchingly devoted tottered and her
disillusion was disquieting. She could
not forget that he had likened her to
an empty house. The comparison was
very odious.
On the second day after his visit
she went into town. On her way few
Of the people she met bowed to her.
She was almost stranger. for the
simple reason that she had never been
sufficiently interested in the people to
form friendships. Today she found
herself looking at them with a new
interest.
For instance, there was little Miss
Stanton just ahead of her. wheeling
an invalid chair, in which .reclined her
sister with the twisted back Today.
as she saw her talking to her crippled
sister, she discovered that her plain
little face was patient, loving. actu-
ally happy. why" thought Miss
Meadows, 1T don't believe she feels
she has a burden! Perhaps it's the
big thing she found in her life"
Farther up the street, surrounded by
a number of children. Mrs. Trant sat
on her beautiful lawn. under the shade
of giant cypress. Miss Meadows
considered Mrs. Trant, who was
childless widow. mildly ridiculous. She
had conceived the idea of taking chill
dren from city settlements for week
at time and spelling them with I'M
dreamed of comforts. Through a new
perspective Miss Meadows saw the
lovely soul shining in Mrs. Trant's
eyes and whispering that she had
found a new joy to take the place of
the one she had lost. Miss Meadows
walked on quickly She had witnessed
another big thing"
Still farther on, where the homes
were very modest, she came across
that of Jimmy, the milkman. Jimmy
had been her milkman for many a day.
So CHEEKY a man. she considered him