South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-28

The unswcpt steps and dingy door
way proclaimed the cheap rooming
house as loudly as did the sign. Fur
nished rooms for Beny in the win
dow
The door was opened by strange
looking creature tall, thin. wild
eyed woman. with yellow shriveiled
skin and black hair
II called to see the young woman
who advertised for homework" fall
tered Helen.
II am the woman" glazing at Helen
defiantly. II advertised
'Oh. II see, murmured Helen.
longing 80 turn and run down the
steps for there was something wicrd
and uncanny about this woman
Her matted black hair was only
q wig. which did not hide the closely
shaved gray hair around her ears. She
had closed the door and stood with
her claw-like hand on the knob, and
Tor n moment Helen felt a thrill of
Gear as she found herself alone with
her ia the darkened hall.
FL hope YOU amt like those two
gentlemen who were just here" she
began eXcitedly. They asked me to
go upstairs 90 get my references, and
when / came back they We're gone.
No good viii ever come TO anybody
mcnacingly who treats a hard work
ing girl like that"
Had she been drinking or was she
under the influence of some drug;
Helen was almost afraid of her
self Praise.
wow what kind of girl did YOU
want. ma-am 90 she demanded shrilly
Just a youSg girl-quite "a yOung
girl for general hOuseWOrk' answered
Helen nervOusly, edging toward the
door
We'll there isn't any kind of house
work that ] can't do. I'm looking
for a nice, quiet place. where some
body viii appreciate "a hard wOrllin
girl 1 kept house for Mrs Eldridge-
mayi you've heard of the EldudBeS-
of JOklynt Well. ma am, you
could have wiped your handkerchief
over the kitchen floor and you
wouldn't have found any dirt"
well, there are several other girls
/ want to see before ] engage any
one" murmured Helen thinking only
OF how she could get away. III let
YOU know If r.
You'll let me know ?' wildly.
That's what they an say and / never
heard from EN-. 1 put i'm an adj last
month. a dozen people were here TO
see me and they all went off saying,
ri let YOU know Why can't YOU de-
eide nOw2 I'm ready To go back with
YOU if YOU want me-
"Eut II really want a yOun-eT
girl" Helen felt that she was brutal
I'm saving this. but she had 10 get
away
"Oh. "a younger girl is it2 They
an say that, too. It's the young girls
they want. / advertised myself as a
young woman-not young girl. I'm
not vouug-and I'm not old But
can do your work q lot better ,han
aay of those giddy young girls her
wild eyes fairly glared
Through the glass i'm the door Hell
on saw p0stman coming up the
stems. lie rang the jangling bell. the
woman opened the door To take the
mail and i'm flash Helen had slipped
out.
CSC YOU want young girl, eh? ~ she
called shriuy after her. well, j
hope YOU get 0ne-a giddy rattle
brain thing 40 good comes of people
who won't give an honest girl chance
to earn her livin You're just like
the rest" and she turned back into
the house and slammed the door.
Helen flew down the steps and al
most flew around the corner To the
next block. She wanted To get as far
away from that house as she could.
She felt IL would be days before she
could blot out the memory OF those