Catoctin clarion., 1918-08-22
"You have stopped the lessons?" he

AuluDellc.
"Thank you" she said gratefully,
land now, If you will excuse me, Mr..
Dare. l will return to my duties and
prepare your room. My work has al
ways been below stairs, in the
kitchen, but the chambermaid left
this morning and we are short of help
and I must hasten-we have supper
at G."
As Felix left the room Mrs. Beals
pokcd her head through the balusters.
"You, Annabelle!" she called.
"IIave that room ready in half an
hour-the man has brought the fish
for supper and the table isn't even
set!" She nodded sourly at the new
boarder as he came down the stairs.
"Lazy thing, that GIRL" she muttered
fov his benefit, doesn't want to do
thing except fiddle. fiddle, all day
long! Fiddling don't earn good
money, so say I.'
I'm sorry to hear you say that,
Mrs. Beals," returned Felix mischiev-
ously. II forgot to tell you that I'm
In the Excelsior orchestra"
Mrs. Beals eyed him suspicously.
II don't know as I mentioned that
I'd like my board in advance"
Certainly" agreed Felix drawing
out his pocketbook.
Mrs. Beals greedily counted the
money and when the transaction was
concluded, she asked. my stepsOn
didn't send me any money by you,
did he7"
Felix smiled. He could not tell her
that Dan Beals owed him 5000. "So
Dan Is not your own SOM" was all he
asked.
II should hope not" she cried de.
voutly. II was childless wilder
when married Dams pa and that boy
has been the plague of my life. Make
yourself free of the parlor, Mr.. Dare
Felix threw himself In chair in
the stuffy little room In which each
separate article appeared to quarrel
with the other. If Mrs. Beals was not
the own mother Of the unfortunate
Dan, Felix did not feel any RESPONSE
blity concerning her welfare. Mrs.
Beals appeared to be fully able to
take care of herself.
"One week will do me-" sighed Felix
as he took out a newspaper and began
to read. But a face came between him
and the printed page-the wistful face
of Annabelle.
~ wonder when she will have paid
her debtf" he muSed,
Ill g a.t, tv,c ctnyy.
atcd itself through the house and the
advent of sundry tired and shabby
looking men and women, who found
home here after u hard days work in
store or factory, told him that Anna
belle had left his room ready for his
occupancy and that she was at her
post of duty downstairs.
Four weeks passed and found
Felix Dare still an occupant of Mrs.
Beals' front room. While Annabelle
mnrveled that an artist like Dare
should be content in that sordid at
mOSphere, she was glad that he re-
NAMED Wonderful music came from
his room. Dreamy strains waited up
to Annabelle's attic room, and after
awhile she learned to translate their
meaning. He was playing to her!
Felix Dare's wooing covered
period Of many weeks, but he did not
give verbal utterance to his love
until one day after Annabelle had
paid off her debt and moved away
Then he went to see her in her
new boarding place far from Catalpa
Villa; and in the stiff parlor of this
new temporary home he told her the
most wonderful story in the world.
The following Sunday evening they
went for trolley ride. and Felix
stopped the car at shabby street
and led Annabelle past Catalpa villa.
The moon was shining on the lonely
catalpa tree, on the hopelessness Of
Hope Cottage and the brownness OF
Greenlawn.
"Catalpa villa Is a beautiful spot"
said Felix seriously. ut will always
be beautiful In my sight dear-guess
why?"
Because we met there and be-
cause Love transforms all that Is ugly
and sordid," whispered Annabelle.