Bogalusa enterprise. [volume] (Bogalusa, La.) 1914-1918, 1916-05-18

lndt, SAID ner nelgnOOr cneerIully
Taking off her dusty black hat, she
tossed it up on hook. Her dark,
cloudy hair was coiled in careless
knot low on her neck.
Helen watched her, fascinated. 1t
was glimpse into a different world
Who was this weird, dark-eyed WON
an? What did she do? In spite OF
her unhealthy pallor and her shabbi
ness. she was curiously attractive.
"Now that's what | call fetching
get-up," grinned Warren as man
came in with SLOUGH hat. baggy cor
duroy trousers, and sandaled feet
Sandals" Helen stared at the tan
straps over the black socks.
We've struck the real thing this
time" with a chuckle wonder if
that's a bomb" as another newcomer
deposited box on the mantel.
But it contained nothing more
alarming than some announcements
Of Feminist Ball" which were dis
tributed with iovial comments.
AS several were now leaving, the
man with the Vandyke beard rose and
Hospitality announced:
"A jamboree at Jimmies tonight.
Everybody come that cam
oh don't think III go after all,
murmured the dark-eyed woman.
"What're you going1o do?'
Go back to my room and nope"
Ticking the ashes from her ciga.
rette.
Don't be a fool" lighting his pipe.
"Where're YOU living nOw?'
Same place $50 Washington
square. It's rotten--but the rooms
only four per Man overhead walked
the floor all last night"
THAT was pleasant You come on
to ,Jimmie's. Have drink first"
no. thanks I'm not drinking. So
long. Tell Jimmie my moods not
hilarious enough for his party"
Taking a quarter from her hungry.
looking purse, she laid It by her plate,
reached for her hat and jacket, and
hurried out 49,.
$50 Washington square-what kind
of place was it, wondered Helen. To
what dingy, dreary room was this wo.
man returning?
1t was late now, and the crowd. Twas
gradually thinning, 8'"Mollie' herself
came out from the pantry, rolled dnmn
her sleeves, took off AeE apron, AID
sat at one of the tables "a chat She
was tall and angular withshort, bpshy
hair, and an interesting face =. y
Good crowd tonight Molie?f ;,
Fair. Forty-eight. II they'd City
come earlier" ,'~' I--'''5 -. 80 ~
"No I'll pay for my own dinner, Il
graft on cigarettes-but not oh food
insisted a girl as man went up to
Mollie with two checks. !
'Ill have to sign for mine tonight:
announced the man with the sandals
as Mollie drew from a deep pocket a
bag of change =
"Wonder if I dare tip her?": NUT
tered Warren
But when Mollie handed him his
change, it was with friendly Good.
| night and an air that plainly implied
mo tips
Outside it was snowing-wet. sting
ing flakes Helen shivered and; held
her muff to her face as they started
down the ice-cOated steps r..
Wasn't it interesting??" eagerly
taking his arm: "But not at all what
expected always thought an
archists-"
ooh, they're not the bomb-chucking
kind" Warren paused to turn up his
collar Just an impracticable bunch,
trying to make over the world. Did
you hear that chap spouting about the
war and universal anarchy"
mo, | was watching the woman op.
posite us. Wasn't she weird? Yet"
musingly. "in way she was fascinat-
ing, too. There's Washington square
just ahead Let's walk through and
see what $50 is like"
"Some studio joint. Know what's
the matter with her-don't you?"
why no." wonderingly; what dc
you mean?"
Dope"
ooh" with shudder, Tightening
her hold on his arm.
They were on the south side Of the
square now, and through the swirl
ing snow Helen tried to read the
numbers over the dimly lit doorways.
1884, 3S2, 3S0-the shabbiest Of all
that shabby row. The lower windows
were dark, but there was faint light
on the third floor. The blind was up
and Helen could see the dim, un-
shaded gas jet and a patch of wall
paper It looked unutterably dreary.
Was that her room? Was she up
there now, trying to fight off the crav-
ing for the drug that was wrecking
her?
For a feeting second Helen had a
wild impulse to dash up to that room
to tell that woman that she wanted