The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1914-01-23
IT PAVED THE Way
BY cLARIssA MAckIE.

the door and sank down upon the
small, bed that sagged In the middle
"Oh, dear, am SO dreadfully tired,
she sighed as she pulled out her hat
pins and smoothed back the gray
brown hair from her forehead. ut
must be perfectly lovely to have a
home Of ones own and somebody to
earn the money. I'm 80 tired Of sew
ing, sewing, sewing-and coming home
TO this!" She looked around at the
shabby room with its battered oak fur
niture and hideous wall paper.
There came a knock at her door.
Come in" she said as she stood be-
fore the mirror. "Oh, good evening,
Miss Browns supper ready?"
Il guess 1t is-the bell rang FIVE
minutes ago; just button my waist for
me will you, Miss Cricket? Say, hasn't
1t been an awful day." Miss Belle
Brown, who worked in hairdresser's
shop turned her broad shoulders en-
cased In a crisp white waist and Miss
Cricket stood on tiptoe to reach the
top buttons.
Miss Brown chartered necessarily,
while the little seamstress struggled
with the buttons.
II had a ride home tonight-Mr.
Dickson came along In that funny lit
tie red car Of his and brought me up
In jiffy. Saved carfare and tell
you every nickel counts, don't it,"
Indeed 1t does" sighed Miss Crick-
ct; there, Miss Brown, that's the last
one"
Thanks. You're not anywhere near
ready, are you? Can't help you do
your hair? It's pretty, so thick and
wavy-say, you've got some gray
hairsl We've got some stun at the
shop that1l fix that in no time; but ]
don't know as I'd touch it, that little
bit Of white along your temples is
mighty becoming-there goes that
second BELL expect Biddy will be
cross as two sticks. II it's her even
ing out she'll expect us to gobble and
git! There, l thought I'd make you
laugh! You oughter laugh more, Miss
Cricket, it's so becoming to your pref
ty teeth and 1t shows your dimples!"
Nancy Cricket laughed all the hard
er at this last sally, for she knew
very well that the dimples which had
been one of her girlish charms must
be entirely absorbed in the creases of
time.
The Beeks boarding house was so
thoroughly respectable that its In
mates endeavored to endure Its In
creasing shabbiness as the years went
by and the monotony of its plain but
substantial home table. The dwellers
on the second floor who occupied the
larger and more comfortable rooms
had been there for many years and
Mr.. BENJAMIN Dickson, who kept a
stationery store on the Main street Of
the large city, was unquestionably the
star boarder" of the establishment.
There were never any frowns for Mr..
Dickson even If he did appear late at
his meals, nor was his especial liking
for a particular cereal overlooked in
the morning. The other boarders, and
those on the third floor especially,
meekly accepted what masterful Mrs.
Beeks placed before them with the
understanding that Mr.. Dickson paid
fancy price" for his room and
board.
Miss Brown and Miss Cricket found
all their fellow boarders gathered
about the long table. There was the
usual assortmNnt Of workers.
Scrambled egg night" Kissed Miss
Brown in Miss Cricket's ear as they
sat down. Il can always tell because
we have stewed apricots and ginger
bread at the same time-ugh, just
think OF eating stewed apricots when
fresh berries are in markets"
Miss Cricket smiled YEARLY and at
tackled her lukewarm scrambled egg
with small appetite. A good cup of
tea would have been refreshing, but
the black, acrid brew that Biddy placed
beside her was nauseating. 1t was
really remarkable how Mrs. Beeks
could take perfectly good tea and
make 1t taste exactly like bitter medi-
cine! The boarders all discussed this
talent of Mrs. Beeks' and Miss Finne-
gan, the milliner, said that Biddy had
told her that Mrs. Beeks put the dry
tea into the pot with cold water and
let 1t come to boil to draw out all
the strength, and no one doubted
Biddy's word, for Mrs. Beeks was
capable Of any experiment in the d.
rection Of economy.
Mr.. Benjamin Dickson looked across
the table at Miss Brown and Miss
Cricket He was a quiet. middleaged
man. with a handsome face and kind
brown eyes, Mr.. Dickson was always
Immediately clothed and ON one I'm
ger Of his left hand he wore an old
fashioned ring that had belonged to
his mother.
Mr.. Dickson noted that while Miss
Belle Brown complained OF her food
she ate heartily OF everything within
her long-armed reach. while Miss
Cricket said nothing. but pecked
daintily at her food like some tired
little sparrow who tries to make a
meal from bit OF string in lieu of
something better.
When the meal was over the board.
era gathered in the front basement