Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1918-02-28
BY HlLDA MORRIS.

Anita had been In Curteryife for
just two months, two long, lonely
months, during which she grew to hate
every dusty street Of the shabby little
town. II was not oil shabby, of course.
There were few square white houses
with green blinds.
Anita taught English in the Carter
VILE high school and as teacher" she
enjoyed sort of social eninencc.
The Culture club had taken her in,
and the minister's wife asked her 10
tea, but the young people, the girls her
own age who should have been her
companions, looked at her askance.
OF course, none of these Carterville
boys and girls would be possible
friends for her, anyway. She told her.
self this a little vehemently, perhaps,
to still the lonely tugging at her heart.
At the end of two months, however.
things began to be different. There
was q young man who boarded at the
Palace hotel, nice-loOl;ing young
man with brown eyes and the sort of
Anita watched him sometimes In the
dining room and sometimes she lis
tened to his hearty voice when he was
in the hotel Office, talking with other
men.
"What a pity" she thought. ''that
man who looks like that should be
common, after all. He talks to Jim
Murphy as If he'd known him all his
life, and he uses so much slangw
Just what the stranger did in Car
terville Anita was not sure. His name
she could not help hearing that
was Davis, Carlton Davis.
When there is only one young man
about; when he Is very good looking;
when he sits at a table near you In
The hotel dining room every morning
and evening. when you are girl, and
lonesome. 1t is hard to be bound by the
traditions of the proudeSt of families.
Once, when she felt that he was look
Ing after her as she left the room, she
was blinded by sort of hateful self
consciousness that made her trip,
awkwardly. and fall In an instant he
was on his feet. helping her up.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
"Not at ALL thank you"
She was aware that her tone was
and returned to his seat near the win
dow.
After that Anita tried to avoid Carl
ton Davis. She refused to admit TO
herself that this man was the reason
for her early breakfasts. and late din
ners. yet deep in her heart she knew
that she could not bear to sit there,
In silence, so near to him.
One evening when she could bear
the strain of depressed spirits no long
er without action of some sort, Anita
set out for brisk walk. 1t was just
supper time for Carterville; lights
shone from the unshaded windows, and
she could see family groups about the
tables.
The girl scarcely noticed where she
was walking, the rough, unpaved
streets of the little town were no bet
ter than the country roads. and Anita
realized. with sudden start, that she
had walked far beyond the last house.
Tears overwhelmed her suddenly. Is
1t not. to youth. genuine grief to be
denied the pleasures of youth, the sim
pie joys of friendly living? Moreover,
there was something else that made
Anita weep, something that tugged at
her heart like q wild longing some
thing she was powerless to stfle or
control.
Suddenly as she sat there by the
roadside, sobhlng, man approached.
She could see him clearly. She shrank
back against tree for shelter.
But as she did so n twlg snapped
under her feet, and she stumbled, with
soft little cry. The man stopped
short.
who's there7" he called sharply.
1t was very strange, but MI fear left
Anita the very moment she heard his
voice. or course, she would be safe
with him. He was n stranger to her,
yet she was sAfe. she knew.
~ ~ niAiNt AN'llllt Siif ittAlfu psAths
and her voice trembled bit.
Miss North--Anita :" he exclaimed.
what are you doing here alone?" He
had taken her arm and helped her out
to the road.
Poor little girl" he said. "Could
you tell me about itf"
She shook her head.
''Poor little girl" he said at last.
II wonder II you are-lonesomeT'
She nodded In the dirk, and he came
A step nearer.
$50 am l." he said slowly. 'Lone-
some for you"
After that they walked back TO town
slowly, arm In arm. They passed light
cd windows, where happy family
groups were gathered about the sup
per tables, but neither Of them no
tlced. Or II Anita did so, II was but
10 reflect that never, never again need
she envy them, never, never again
would she he lonesome.
BE Ready for Bigger job.