Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-27
Euening Story
PARADISE FLATS.
BY Olive Gray.
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)

was too late. She sat down fOrcibly in
a puddle Of water, the soup landed IN
her lap, and over all spread her UNI
brella like huge snuffer, pouring riv-
ulets of water down her neck.
The man with whom she had collided
at the windswept corner apologized,
but there did not seem to be any ono
to apologize to excepting the top of an
umbrella and a pair OF feet. Disposing
Of his own umbrella he seized hers,
lifted it away from the wreck and as
sisted Peggy to her feet.
Are you hurt?" he asked.
NO" she answered, shaking the
soup out of her skirt But poor Mrs.
Mally will have to do without her sup
per, I'm afraid" The bowl lay In shat.
tered fragments on the pavement
That's too bad. I'm terribly sorry.
1t was all my fault. Is there anything
can do to make 1t up?"
Peggy hesitated, which gave the man
a chance to see just what kind of per-
son 1t was he had encountered so for.
chilly. In the half light. with the street
lamp giving an uncertain, CHASTITY glim-
mer, Peggy looked so ethereal that the
young man had feeling that she was
going to disappear into the mist and
float away. But with all her paleness
she was almost too beautiful to be real
Surely his good fairy had brought him
this way tonight, for it was part of
the town he seldom visited.
"Yes." she answered all uncon-
scious of what was going on in the 9TH
er's mind, there is something. Mrs.
Mally Is very sick and she can't have
anything but broth. So broth she
must have and there is no one but my.
self to get it, There is restaurant
about half block away, where have
been getting her supply evenings. I've
just come from there, but I've got to
hurry on to Mrs. Wally's right away,
because Mike the oldest boy, works at
night and he's gone. The baby might
fall downstairs and Patsy Is probably
making meal off the matches while
I'm here talking. So if you don't mind
you might bring the soup - just ask
for plain beef boullon and I'll run
along to look after the family"
"Sure. III get the soup. Is there.
anything else?"
Nothing thank you. It's the Para
disc Tenement across the street there
fifth floor"
Paradise Tenement" He looked at
the high, gloomy building with broken
windows and rickety steps at doesn't
look it,
ut isn't. I'd like to show you the
inside"
I'll bring the soup right away he
answered.
A few minutes later he knocked at a
door at the head of the fourth flight of
stairs, stairs that creaked and swayed
with his weight patched here and
there like half soled shoes with boards
of any size and shape. He had tripped
on one of these and Mrs. Mally was in
danger for second time that evening
of losing her supper.
Peggy opened the door. at didn't
take you long" she greeted him.
Wont you come in?"
I'm dripping wet" he protested
waiting to be coaxed
ooh, that doesn't matter. The roof
leaks in forty places anyway. I've put
dishpans and plates and buckets
around but the baby drinks up the rain
water, SO I had to take them away
The carpets irrigated until you could
grow rice. Come in She drew for
ward broken chair and placed it be.
side the table with the lamp.
Say. this is the darndest place II
was ever in. Nearly broke my neck
on those stairs. 1t isn't safe for you
to be here, is it-with all the dampness
and everything?" In the lamplight Peg.
gy looked prettier than ever, not quite
so ethereal as when he first saw her
but still pale, and circles under her
eyes told of overwork and loss of
sleep.
Just as safe for me as for these kid.
dies and that poor sick soul in there!"
nodding toward the next room and
I'm only here evenings, while they're
here all the time. | live on the other
side Of town Mrs Mally does my
washing-thats how l discovered her."
''yNho the who owns this place? It
ought to be reported to the department
of public safety"
1.-The Everett Real Estate Company"
Are you sure?'
Yes. At least that's where / paid
last months rent"
He was thoughtful "Why didn't you
tell them at the Office how things
were.
Tell them? l did, and I've done
everything in my power to get some
one interested. They forget all about
their property until rent day comes
around
He looked around Plaster and pa
per were falling from the walls, papers
and old rags were stuffed into broken
windows and, as Peggy said. It rained
almost as hard inside as it did out
The baby crept over and pulled itself
up to his knee. He lifted it to his lap
and opened a sticky little hand Dig.
ging down in his pocket he produced
bill. Here, little chap. This might
help generally. Give 1t to the lady"
You mustn't do that" cried Peggy
when she had extracted the donation
and noted the amount.
ooh. yes must. It's to get nurse
to relieve you and some proper food
and all the rest Of that Samaritan stuff.
And I'm going to see about fixing UP
this death trap. ! stand in with the
Everett Real Estate Company. you see.
Now must be going. Good night"
bo cold RISING