Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-08-19
HARRIET LENDS A HAND
BY CHARLES A. WILLIAMS.

were Di2ncneu WIN snow, winch came
whirling from lowering sky. The
wind blew sibilantly with vindictive
Kisses. as though determined to defeat
those who dared venture out.
Ii seemed so typical OF his life.
There had been so little in It TO cheer
and warm his heart. His disadvan-
tages were many and stretched back
farther than memory. And when Har-
riet had come into his life il had inten-
sified the pang OF knowing that. after
all, he had not succeeded IN raising
his head above those OF his class
the toilers.
He glanced about the plainly fur.
nished room, then his eyes turned TO
the girl seated at the little table be-
fore the fire.
Her soft glance met his I'm Il flash
or understanding.
Showing hard. JimmyH" she asked
Yes he answered in a tone that
revealed his mood
He crossed TO her and laid his hand
gently on her glowing black hair.
You're such a princess. Harriet,
how can l ever give you what you
should have?" he said.
She raised her face and reached up.
Grasping his hand, she pressed it to
her lips. He WINGED
1T is so hard, dear" he burst out
1T seems as If we will never know
the happiness of life together. How
can we on what am earning?"
He swept the room with a gesture.
Not l. IL, Il q
but it's comfortable, ana there's some
JOY here. and no care. couldn't give
you rs good. and there'd be the strug-
! gle TO make ends meet. with never
anything for rainy day. And the
! rainy days do come. dear"
He sat down gloomily and leaned
| forward buried his face in Mis- hands
Jimmy she demonstrated softly,
you mustn't feel that way"
lie dropped his hands and stared
, despairngly at the floor.
but ] can't help IL, Harriet liz
there anything In the world for me?
! ] am man without education or train
Ing. / must drift. I'm doing what
can to get On and improve myself,
but It's such a gamble and IL almost
| kills me to think that your comfort
| end happiness are the stakes"
She Strengthened in her chair, and
shook warning finger
stop IT, Jimmy" she commanded,
Stimulating severity. Jimmy her
tone softened, do you know what I'm
going 70 do? I'm going to give you a
great surprise. Wait. | won't tell
you until the time comes. And then,
how Jimmy will stare and wonder!"
She broke into infectious laughter.
IT injected momentary cheer into
his being. But soon his depression
rushed back and submerged him.
They had come through the years
together, hand in hand. As children
thes had romped through the careless
days side by side.
What u glorious picture the future
was then. when their knowledge OF
the world and its ways had not dimmed
the bright colors
llo had few trying moments when
no parted from her In the hall
Her arms crept up and linked about
his neck Her fair, girlish face up
| EIunG
10 his
He would have given her up for her
own sake and borne in solitude the
grief OF il: but she loved him, and
her soul was IN his keeping. a part.
ing would break her heart. He must
! so on. on. and try and hope
out OF the crucible OF torment came
fomething-a new spirit. a more tie.
nacious determination. He plunged
into his work as bookkeeper in tho
! railroad Offices with more feeling than
he had known since the great fact
had been haunting him.
Harriet noticed the temperamentaI
/ upiift. and reminded him several times
OF The great surprise that was to be
his
One morning the manager sent in
boy with request for jim.
Jim's hope rose with bound that
made his heart hammer I'm his throat
| 40 doubt the boss had noticed the I'm.
/ provoment too. Perhaps he was to
/ receive the long deferred increase in
/ wages.
When he came into tie managers
/ presence nc halted. wild-eyed. on tho
/ threshold
Harriet was iD the room
Jim the manager snapped. things
/ haven't been going well with us.
/ We've got 20 cut expenses oil around.
/ This young lady has applied for a po-
sition. I'm going to give her your
/ place"
Jim saw tho color die in the girls
/ checks as sbo clutched at chair for
I support
Hot tears flooded his eyes, and nc
I tried 70 voice a reply, but he choked
I on words that would not come.
/ And ! wanted TO help, wanted TO
/ help" me heard her murmur brokenly