Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-02-27

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Linda nved IN the old house
Wedged between two tenements. Long
years 40 abe had been the enyied
daughter Of one Of the towns wealth.
lest men, when the gray stone house
Vas an imposing residence to be point-
ed ont with pride. But now the bushes
n the dingy garden were dust covered.
and the twinkling lights Of the tene-
ment windows seemed to be laughing
down at the queer old house below.
Linda, living ON when her people had
all gone. seemed to take an vears
passed, the cir Of the lonely house.
reserved, living within herself. And
though Linda was no longer young, yet
was she still not old enough to put
aside the dreams Of youth; and per-
hape had she not been like the house
between the tenements - removed
from life about her-Linda's dreams
might have come true.
At drst sentiment would not allow
her to part from the home she had
always known, then selling had be-
come an impossibility. For one dar.
ing moment Linda had thought OF
seuting her rooms to make homes for
business women, which at least would
bring companfonship beneath the si-.
lent roof. But her long sheltered ma
ture shrank from the Intrusion. There
was still no actual need, SO the idea
was abandoned.
Before the crate fire beneath the
white marble mantel, Linda sat, pos
sessed Of an aching longing for the
things that were gone. Then her idle
gaze fell upon the marker Of book
which she had taken from the table.
"a recipe for happiness" she read.
"Do something for somebody quick"
Linda smiled. Il sounded very SIM.
pie. to do something for somebody, but
her best intentioned effort usually
ended IN disappointing failure. Girls.
from the tenements to whom she had
made herself acquainted and whom
!, sne nad lnvited 10 Tor social evenings,
appeared 70 nnd evenings IN Linda's
nome anything nut social, excuslng
themselves at an early hour, and
never returning.
From the shadowy veranda now
came persistent meWing wall.
"a lost kitten" murmured Linda.
perhaps It may help to do some-
thine TOE lost Kitten. so she opened
she heavy front door to let the crea'
'eure 10. It was q grateful white kit
ten, munger was forgotten IN the Joy
Or nestling with c0ntented purrlngs IN
ILindas lap. Then suddenly at the
II iron! door came WHO knocking pound
/. ing ~ Win TWO impatien1 nsts.
4 Wnen the nttle woman again opened
the door 9 cnild stepped into the room,
h z Deautlful Dit OF 2 girl with tangled
T golden cur1s.
{ "aive me-" she demanded. my kitten
followed 1t over here. saw you
take 1t in from the veranda. Give my
kitten. back.
Z, "Of course, DEAR" Linda agreed.
Maybe you didn't mean to keep it,
{ she amended, but every one over al
the tenement tries to steal my Fluft1t
away. Flun's all I've got since Daddy
went to war" Linda knelt before the
fire gathering child and kitten init
/ her arms.
lyon live over there?" she asked
"Who takes care.of your"
Mrs. McGee promised Daddy tina
shed look after me" the precocious ON
+ replied, "but mostly I'm alone. 'Cep
every night when Mr.. Cameron come
to see me. He promised Daddy HI
would. You know Mr.. Cameron"
Linda shook her head. "He's tn
minister" the child confided, "dowl
at the mission. Daddy. likes Mr.. Cam
/ .eron. He was good to my mother be
fore she died and he's good to me
He is good to everybody. But
; couldn't live In Mr.. Cameron's hous
when. Daddy went away, because it
i just two rooms, you see. back OF tn
mission. The old lady who cooks 70