The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-04-02
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Copyright 1916 by the Mcclure Newspaper syndcate)

dow because she was homesick and
lonely. The next moment she was out
in the hall Not waiting for the ele-
yator she darted up the stairs.
AS she stepped out on the root a
rain drop splashed in her face. 1t
was a heat shower. The drops came
faster, rafting heavily on the tin roof
ing. The rumble Of cab came up
family from the street below.
Nora was not there. The roof was
deserted. Helen turned to go down,
then paused. What was that over by
the chimney? Something moved.
1t was Nora, huddled against the
chimney, her head on her arms.
"Why, Nora, what are you doing up
here in the rain?'
No answer except g. choking sob.
You'll be sick" Helen shook her
lightly; her thin waist was damp.
Il don't care sobbingly.
well, | do. | can't afford to have
you sick on my hands.
The heartlessness of this remark
struck Helen, but it had its effect. 1t
! checked Noras emotionalism. With
out word she rose and started down.
'Determinedly Helen followed her to
her room.
mora, you're not happy here. You
say your mother wants you to come
back to Ireland-now, why don't you
go?'
Helen was not prepared for the
storm Of tears that followed
"Hush, Nora, hush" sternly.
They'll hear you outside. If you
won't go back home, then why don't
you get another place where you'll
have only chamber work? You'd like
that better, I'm sure"
Gradually Nora sobbed out that she
didn't want another place, that she
had heard what they said about the
fifteenth, but that she wanted to stay.
Helen, helpless before this hysteri-
cal outburst, finally promised to give
her another months trial, another
chance to conquer her sullenness.
Reassured by this, Nora quoted
down, but Helen left her with vague
misgivings Already she half regret
ted her promise.
"Where in the deuce have you
been?" demanded Warren.
with Nora. i told you she over
heard us at dinl5er." Then, resigned
ly. I've promiSed to give her anoth.
err months trialS' ..s-y--------------- '
"For the love of Mike! That makes
how many times you've discharged and
taken her back?"
"Only once before, dear. And this
time, if she doesn't Impoverished
have to 60. l told her that distinctly"
well, by lingo" STOPPING for his
paper with a disdainful shrug, that
girls got your number She can work
you to the limit"
Absently, Helen tidied her work
basket, wound up the spools, and
thrust pins and needles into the
strawberry cushion. Warren was
right, Nora did impose on her. No
one else would put up with her sui
len obstinacy. Why had she prom
ised to keep her? For the moment
her resentment against Nora hard
ened into positive dislike.
Mechanically she opened a tightly
folded envelope and poured into her
hand some bullet-like pearl buttons.
Where had they come from? They
had been on that old silk waist she
had given Nora for a dust CLOTH and
Nora had carefully cut them off and
put them here.
They were a mute testimony Of
Nora's loyalty and economy. She was
always doing just such things. No
other girl ever worked so whole.
heartedly for their interest.
And it was only lately that she
had begun to slight her work. She
had said she was not well; perhaps
she was tired, overworked. She had
been with them over a year without
a days rest or change.
Slowly, thoughtfully. Helen put back
the buttons, refolded the envelope,
then turned to Warren with an abrupt:
Dear, how long has Miss Middleton
been with your"
"'Bout a year. Why?"
You're going to give her vacation
this summer"
Sure. Two weeks this month.
Why?"
Nothing. was just wondering. ,
The stenographer would get her va
cation, that was taken for granted.
Why not the servant? Her hours
were longer and her work more mo-
notonous. No wonder Nora was grow.
Ing sullen and irritable. She was never
away from that kitchen or her little
room adjoining it.
Warren, about how much does it
cost to go to some nearby seashore
for week? l mean for someone who
has to 60 cheaply. Not to big hotel,
but just to a cheap boarding house?"
What're you driving at, anyway?
Miss Middleton can engineer her own
! vacation"
II wasn't thinking If Misc M;da,.