The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-10

l When Jane reached the boarding house unpleasant surprise was in store for her,
 Mrs. Selden met her at the door with a
 disagreeabe manner which did not leave
 her long in doubt as to it's origin.
 And so you've been out shopping" said /, the landlady. You don't waste much
 time for a country girl. I've been in
 New York for 25 years and 1 could never
 afford to buy hats and dresses and shoes
 at such stores as you pick out 1 The girl drew back affronted at such a greeting and then. stammering in em- barrassment. faltered:
 Why what you you mean?" Nothing at all" answered the land lady with menacing manner. What should I mean? Anyway, all your bun dles came and I had to climb all them flights of stairs myself to deliver em to your room. I hope you are satisfied" She flounced away into her own room. next to the front door, and Jane, dis turbed at the tone of her voice and the obvious reflection in her manner. hur- red up the stairs unhappily. It was not at all as she had hoped things would be-. To have any suspicion
 directed at her because at last she was to wear well-chosen, attractive garments
 was a bitted dsillusionment of this first day of temporary success. WithinA the shelter of her little room
 Jane looked ruefully at the bundles which ho Hesitatingly she opened one after the other. spreading the dress across the bed. placing the pretty little hat on the
 dresser and looking at the attractive
 boots as she put them on the floor. The tears came to her eyes, now, for the manner of the landlady was unmis- 1 takeable. The first triumph of her life in the metropolis seemed all for naught
 now and Jane was tempted to quit it all
 Yet what is there for me to do?' she
 murmured to herself q have burned every bridge behind me and there is mo- thing left but to go on with my work. l will not give in nor will I let others I interfere with my success when I know l am in the right.
 | new light shone in her eye, and with
 fresh determination to conquer the ob- | stacles in her path, in her own individ- ual way, she acted upon a sudden im- pulse.
 1 Out of her little room she hurried, to | speed down stairs.
 1 Mrs. Selden,' she said, knocking at the landlady's door, May I speak to you moment?"
 ! There was sullen muttering behind
 r:- proprietess of the house peered out sus-
 picously.
 More bundles?" she asked. sarcas- tically.
 No, but want you to climb all those
 stairs replied Jane, holding back her
 natural feeling of irritation. T want you to do favor for me-"
 "Favors don't pay my gas and rent bills" began Mrs. Selden What is it
 now?"
 1 Jane hesitated And then, determined to
 make one more effort to win approval,
 where as a lonely girl in a strange city,
 some little friendship in the house where , she dwelt was most needed, continued 1 Tt isn't profitable favor. Mrs. Sel- den. It's just to ask your advice about | the new clothes l have bought. I se-
 cured nice position today. and now 1 I must dress a little better to hold 1t. | I am just lonesome country school teacher. in big-city where I have nc 1 friends. Can't you come up and tell me Tiff I made good purchases? I need a woman's advice, and-and-and I haven'l a woman relative in the world l There was a pathetic hesitation in hel voice and an unconscious dropping oi the pretty. dark eyes as she spoke. l Well, I'll have a look was tht eruding answer, as Mrs Selden cam'
 out But you take my advice and don
 go fussing yourself up with a lot O. gewgaws. Girls didn't have to do i when I was young and they don't now.
 As she started up the stairs with Jane
 the front door opened and the tall yo''-