Smyrna times., 1917-03-21
ACROSS The STREET
BY ISABEL FROST.

1 80 Va caring VINO your next
uoor neighbor is, and equal indifference
on his or her side."
Jean poured tea with her CUSTOMARY
air OF absorbed nOnchaIance.
Now, where 1 came from avervono
knows all about you. It's simply fer
rlDIe' You never feel grown up. I'm
nlneteen and nobody called me Miss
ASHTON not single person. They lust
Sald Bah, or that Ashton girl. And he
cause wanted to break away by nv
seiI ana do something in the world they
well they didn't approve"
hartley eyed her curiously from his
place on the high window seat. What
queer, self-suficient little wanderer
she was. 1t was quite as if a very
young, adventurous kitten had started
OH to see the world by itself. It was
mighty nice of Jean to get her under
her wing, he thought. Jean was al
ways doing that sort of thing. Opening
the doors of her Ninth street studiO
VIDE to all heart wayfarers who need
ed cheering up. He could not measure
up all that her faith and comradeship
mad meant to him during his own up-
nil fight in New York. Perhaps the
only thing about Jean he did not like
was that she herself never seemed TO
need help from anyone. He would have
loved to know she needed him; that his
presence and cOmpaniOnship were a
strength to her; that she even missed
him when he failed to show up for a
feW days. As it was, she merely gave
MIN the usual smile and happy greet
ing, and went on with her work.
1t was a week later when he got the
tickets to Savellis musicale. There was
a splendid 'cellist and a good solOist,
young soprano who sank folk songs.
He thought Jean might like to go. But
instead she told him over the phone
that she was too busy, and asked if he
would mind taking Bah. The kiddie
was lonely and rather at sea. said
Jean.
That was the Beginning, and he went
on sullenly at first, then Indignantly,
believing it was all jeans fault. Bah
enjoyed going around with him to the
exhibitions and little studio teas i'm
mensely. She was pretty and exuber-
ant, tantalizing and whimsical.
One day she came up to jeans studio
rather white and discouraged.
''YOu know I'm not earning anything
at all, not a cent" she said suddenly.
Its funny how little one can live on
here, isn't it? I hate spaghetti and
cereals. Mother was the most wonder
full cook you ever saw. I don't see
how people starve in garrets and paint
or write masterpieces"
Jean did not take her seriously. II
was so usual to say you are not max
ing money, and only meant you were
not earning the hundreds you had
hoped to.
The morning of the fourth day 8
phone call came from Miss Milligan
the landlady across the street.
you're little Miss Ashton's friend
aren't you? Well, she's pretty sick
and if something isn't done the doctor
Nsays she's got to go to a hospital righ
away. It's pneumonia, he says, and sh'
hasn't been eating regular"
Jean stood in the middle of the floor
thinking quickly. Then in five minute
she haN called up a good nurse, he
own doctor, and had made arrange
ments for bringing Bah over to he
own cOzy suite Of rooms. When Hart
lev came down\at noon she met him q
, the door with her finger to her lips
!. He listened in silent wonder as sh
l told him what she had done.
: "But your work"
V 'Never mind my work. We've q
. TO feed her up and put her on her fee
b again. Go and send telegram to ht
mother for me. Answer that phon
will YOU. while I write this?"
Hartley obeyed, and turned from
to her with a curious smile.
h "There's somebody downstairs fro
Haines Falls" he said. "He wants
know If you know where Miss AshtC
n Is. Isn't she from Haines FallsT
= = 'Tn see him." Jean went down Il
: : winding staircase quickly, and met Il
:. tall. anxiOus-faced youngster Waltl
"A there. -.
= 81 got a letter from Bab-from MI
= Ashton-last night" he said broken
" eve were engaged, you know, and s
broke 1t. but she wrote me she was
the last lap, and she didn't care wh
bappened she was so hungry and sl'
:, So I came at once to take her home.
a' wondered if you'd fix it so we could
married first"
w Half an hour later Jean LETT the I
"a, together in the darkened room' B'
he her eyes bright with fever, but G
u scious and holding fast to the Dig DO
at hand. Hartley sat in the stuulO
w the window seat waiting for her'
ds went to him; her eyes rather I'll
now that the nerve-strain was over
'Tm going to let him take ner no no
as soon as she can travel HOu "
- know how guilty feel, Wade 10 M