The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1919-02-08

obliged to break into it to pay for an
here-then l got behind with my board
and she-Mrs. Beals-seized my violin,
and / am working out what 1 owe her.
1t is a weary task paying old scores
and trying to pay current expenses"
"You poor child" said Felix simply.
"You have stopped the lessons?" he
asked.
Long ago."
"Who was your teacher?"
"Benzeet."
"Adolph Benzeet? Then you must
possess unusual talent or he would
not have botheredl 1 am sorry, Miss
Annabelle."
land now, if you will excuse me, Mr..
Dare. 1 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 l must hasten-we have supper
at g."
As Felix left the room Mrs. Beals
poked her head through the balusters.
"You, Annabelle !" she called.
"Have 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
"Lazy thing, that girl" she muttered
for his benefit. doesn't want to do
a thing except fiddle, fiddle, all day
long! Fiddling don't earn good
money, so say Il"
I'm sorry to hear you say that,
Mrs. Beals," returned Felix mischiev-
ously. 81 forgot to tell you that I'm
In the Excelsior orchestra"
Mrs. Beals eyed him suspiciously.
ST don't know as 1 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 heT"
Felix smiled. He could not tell her
that Dan Beals owed him 5000. $50
Dan is not your own SOM" was all he
asked.
ST should hope not" she cried de-
voutly. 81 was a childless wilder
when I 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 a 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
bility concerning her welfare. Mrs.
Beals appeared to be fully able to
take care of herself.
zone 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.
81 wonder when she will have paid
her debit" he mused.
Then an odor of frying fish insinu-
ated itself through the house and the
advent of sundry tired and shabby
looking men and women, who found a
home here after a 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
marveled 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 A~nnabelle's attic room, and after
awhile she learned to translate their
meaning. He was playing to her!
Felix Dare's wooing covered a
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 a trolley ride, and Felix
stopped the car at a shabby street
and led Annabelle past Catalpa villa.
The moon was shining on the lonely
catalpa tree, on the h~opelessness of
Hope Cottage and the provinces of
Greenlawn.
"Catalpa Villa is a beautiful spot"
said Felix seriously. "It will always
be beautiful in my sight, dear-guess
whyT"
Because we met there and be-
cause Love transforms all that is ugly
and sordid," whispered Annabelle.
Only Thing She Didn't Know.