The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-04

mat lingering hope until the remain
J DER OF her money was gone Then, at
her wits end, she had accepted the
position which the landlady told her
could be obtained at Darrows
She had lost all faith in herself.
She had worked like an automaton
Ior four months and had done moth ,
. ing. Her best drawing, one which she
nao thought could not pass the observ-
ant eye, had never been returned to |
her from the magazine to which she |
had submitted it, and she had lacked |
the courage to call and inquire about |
it.
AT Darrow's she had toiled behind |
the counter Of the hosiery department,
at the beck and call of vulgar frock-
coated noorwalkers, a cipher among
ciPners. She felt crushed by this at
mosphere that surrounded her. She
felt utterly out of place among the
young women. of a different type and
education. with whom she came into
touch; and they. sensing the differ
ence were not slow to let her perceive
their resentment.
Then temptation had come to ner,
too.
1t had been in less loathsome guise
than with the boy. 1t was not one
OF the hoorwalkers. but the son Of the ,
owner, young barrow, fresh from col.
iege and taking his fling before set
tilng down in the world. He had come ,
into the store with his mother. who
was making some purchase there.
With worldly wisdom he had not )
approached her while the other clerks I
were present. But he had found the h
means to see her twice or three times
AND he had asked her to dine with \
MIN the following evening
She was hot ignc rant OF the world. i
she saw from his demeanor that il n
dld not occur to hin that she was any,
thing but one OF tile underlined. under. r
paid drudges IN lis fathers store. ie
one mad known what Significance S
would attach itself to iItI acceptance. 81
but she was desperately lonely, and
me thought of an evening in a restau- A.
rant, and at theater afterward the al
sight OF other faces. The touch with rs
lie was overwhelming. w
III have to accept or go home"
she thought YEARLY m
If she could have known at that mo.
mem ! letter, signed by the editor of
ne iA-e.t~ine, enclosing a check for tn
twenty-five dollars for her drawing. sn
ana ash'ns for more, lay in the wire
basket bes :. the desk Of the editors an
photographer, ready |, be posted Oh We
ne morrow-if she could have known. LEI
She got up from her chair. The
10Y was going out Of his room at the so
anne moment. They knew each other ar,
y sight; sometimes they sat near
acn other in the cheap little restau an
INT where they got their meals when.
yer they could afford the luxury. he
iney were both too shy to speakuo "A
acn other, and desperately alone: hut
ow. staring into each others faces
the deserted hall on the ton story 10
the rooming house, they drew tn. ID
ara each other like abandoned banks WI, u
avn by some current into a vortex.
Are you going to dinner?" asked s'a
70 boy timorously. reti
YES she answered, looking at him ,n.;
th shy approval. mo-
Let's go together" he said. great. .hi,
daring luis
iney descended the stairs together A
the street door she took his arm. som
nj witbnut y .o"aro the restau- ing
! nat was the most wonderful mea, 81
her OF them had ever had. Their "W,
nversation was monosyllabic b,t Mr.
ire was little need of words in the .,
pplhess OF this strange sympathy turn
q afterward they strolled together III
ana down the lit streets. They but
'sed at the theater door Women Ar
costly furs, accompanied by men in as h
ming clothes, were going in refu,
m glad I'm not among that crowd " the
usnt the girl, and wondered how On
~ young Darrows there were early
Jug .nem. He h
nu 'he boy utterly abashed at the when
ueht or the temptation that had 1T
le 10 MIN, and feeling himself Who'll. joe"
unworthy of the girl whose arm some
SUN linked in his. was planning to old n
WI vincent ON the next morning Joe
.Ao anu tel MIN OF the conspiracy. went
Us great, isn't IT," said the how man
u hVing, | mean" a hea
e. us great" the girl answered Il
she knew then that she wo,,Is Joe,"
strength to refuse young Oar. Joe
ana TO remain at her post. II twent
only humble post in the ont. trouse
Ks Of civilization, but suddenly che hundr
like soldier. hand
thought once Of going how, the W
lg up-all this" said a. -, der
ely as they strolled homeward money
now I'm going tn stavn down.
nd I'm going r. ..,, Joe
answered w. 'no male /
ey reached tho do,r - he ask
tairs together in silence. At her was m
the girl turned. I'm M
have an,ov.s !. when
;. ! nave spent such happy eve sha,s !,
one pushed at her own au- ~.
y. 1T has meant such a LOT 70 anus
you don't know how MUCH she s "W,,
a moisture o. h." conscious with
IN don, l., Eyes slamme
ne answered. And he never No, -,
now II came about, but the next 90. -
or Iins NO. a ~ eacn otners arms, "Sure
ei ups met his in that first kiss OF them
Ill