The Pensacola journal., 1919-08-04


A. they went out. Laura proudly
opened the door Of the Dath. Isn't that
q lovely bath room. and the telephone's
right here in the hall. It would m be
loEely."
.Is It lonely here9'' asked Helen SYM
pn thetically.
,, Lonely. I've been here two months
and ! don't know sour. But lets not
talk about that I'VE been obsessed with
loneliness lately
A few moments later they were seat
ed in the small basement restaurant of
the apartment house across the street.
Tho low ceiling and the mission tables
gave rathskellsr look to the place.
The Dinner.
They've two dinners here" Laura
took up the soiled mimeographed cards
With the entree It's fifty-wfthout it
thirty five"
"well. since you insist It's your din
ner. we'll have the thirty decided
Helen firmly. That's what you have
when you're alone"
Laura demurred. but Helen was de-
termined. and 1t was the dinner with
out ~the entree-soup. roast. salad and
desert, that was ordered.
Tell me more about your apartment
pleaded Helen as the waitress slouched
off Who is it that sublets those
She's Mr. winston-a very fine
woman, ~ began Gy renting out
the room nown apartment after
hes husl Vow she's leased
four apa >nnflding."
"what for? Seven
rooms. "A
Yes hth--theyre all
the san< # think she'd
make much renting tMe rooms furnished
for four dollars \ week. would you? But
it's only the Kitchen and the small bed
room that she rents for that. She gets
six and eight for the others. But she
has to keep them all filled to make any
thing" z-urr
'.And she furnishes service, or do you
take care of your own roofnF
'Oh. no. she has one maid that takes
care of the whole apaa vments. It's oe-
coming quite business-thfs leasing
apartments ana leasing out rooms It's
takiI>> the place Of the old boarding
house. I know half a dozen girls who
used to live In downtown boarding
houses-they've all moved up town ana
have room in some new apartment
1T suppose that means the passing OF
the hall bedroom" unused Helen AM
yet there was always certain romance
about the idea of girl coming to New
York and living In hall bedroom
You wouldn't think that II you ever
lived in one. It's only interesting In q
magazine story. Oh. do you see that
woman just going out? She has the
room next to mine-the dining room
She works in a brokers' office, tnink.
You haven't told me about your work,
You are still with Neal & Riciiards!
A Faint Hope.
Laura sighed Yes. and there's no
chance of advancing there. They think
sixteen dollars for q stenographer -
munificent salary"
But you're more than tnat. xou re
Mr.. Richards secretarys
That's why I'm getting sixteen; the
Others only get twelve. But there's
possibility Der fare 1t up. of some
rust No; / mustn't talk about it--thr
things / talk about never happen, and
I'm superstitious about this l feel that
II don't tell q soul may get IT.
Then don't toll me-" undsrstandfngiy.
but / do think fate owes you some
thing. You've worked hard since You
came here. and haven't
Haven't accomplished anything. I'm
isbed Laura bitterly. II came to New
York confident of a literary career. and
ire house--and living in q Kitchen with |
a note Of scorn.
'.But you're still young"
'.How much longer will I be young
living as I do? I'm 50 lonely l almost |
die The boarding houses were lonely
meals there-iiving this way you never
meet anyone. I dread to come home
in the EVENING" hate SO to eat alone.
IT know" rUurmur>d He:en. 1t mus. /
De nara. j IN sure Wouioh " % -
about 1t as you are
Its not bravery with shrug. !
Haven't any choice, that's all
When they left the table. in spite OF
Laura's protests. Helen succeeded in
getting the check and paying II. II
''It's almost nine," she reflected. as
they came up the basement steps to the
street. 'sand Warren gets In on the $3.50.
I'd love to go up to your room asaih-
but I'm afraid won't have time.
= Hl~<,v. nj
en- felt her depression az she walked with
her to the subway.
Now. you're to come and have dinner
with us very soon. You say you hase
to eat alone-yet. you haven't oihed
with us for months.
laura ahooIr her head. sI'd rather not
60 anywhere just now. I've been too
depressed lately to make very so"i
dinner companion
"Then that's just why you should come
and let US cheer you up.
Cheer me up" bitterly. The ast
time I dined with you Z came away with
a fit of blues that I didn't get over Ior
a week. Can't you see. almost ansrhy.
that when a woman's alone ana uh-
it isn't particularly eniivening
to spend an evening with another wom-
an who has a wonderful home ana
everything that makes
life worth whfle?"
This was a viewpoint that Helen had
not considered--yet, II was one tnat sne
could understand
As she whirled home in the subway
she pictured Laura going back TO tina,
lonely room. She had escaped the sor-
did discomfort of the boarding. house. but
she had not escaped her loneliness
Would she ever escape it? A woman
llcne in New York-was there any eosn-
Ion for her loneliness. except nusDano
md a home OF her own?
n -