Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-09-11
The Cameo fLiviing
By S. B. HACKLEY
Copyright 1919, by the Mcclure News
paper SyHdlcate)

Robert Buckley paused in his lelS-
urely walk down Bradlaw street and
seated himself on one of the imposing
stone steps of the church on the cor
ner.
I've got to rest a minute" he said
half aloud, tanning himself slowly
with his straw hat ut doesn't take
much exertion to use fellow up when
he's only three days out of the hos
pital-but it's glorious to be out
again John says it's pretty quiet on
my beat-me for duty In a couple or
so days now !"
A pretty young girl came out of the
church and paused half moment I'M
certainly on the upper step. The
young man, in his swift involuntary
glance, felt his heart leap. He rose
hastily and stepped aside. She start
ed down the steps but her eyes were
misty from crying; she stumbled, miss
ing step. Buckley caught her full in
his arms as she fell
''Thank you--oh, thank you'll" she
faltered as she stood erect 81 was
very awkwardw
She passed on down the street, but
he had seen despair in the eyes she
raised to him. He looked after her
with a strange construction Of the
heart
"That was my girl - he said to him
self as he walked slowly back the 9TH
er way, land | don't even know her
name or where she is going And oh,
good Lord, she looked Ike she wanted
to die"
month before, the old insurance
man for whom Hester Moran worked
had died-the city was overcrowded
with workers-the girl had not found
another job. On this Sunday she had
shrunk from going TO the little church
she regularly attended, and so had
gone to big strange one; but in this
great church it seemed to the little
stenographer every one was rich in
lands and money" there were but two
pennies left in her purse, and, after
Tuesday night her rent would be up.
No money no work, and nowhere to
go!
With despairfng bitterness in her
soul. Hester had risen and slipped out
of the church.
"Tll try again tomorrow and Tues
day" she said to herself-"perhaps
Wednesday-the
Monday and Tuesday were one con-
tinuous tramp. She had asked for
work at everything she could do, only
TO be turned down everywhere. In the
dusk of Wednesday she stood in the
lobby of great office building, re-
solved to make one last try. "Stenog-
rapher wanted" the slip of paper she
held in her hand read, Room 600"
The stylish elderly man into whose
office she was admitted gave one look
at the newcomer, and turned to the six
girls waiting to talk with him about
the job.
'No use waiting" he flung at them,
ST can see none of you will do
With gallant air he set chair for
Hester in his inner office and drew his
own big chair close up beside it.
you'll suit me to a IT. duckie," he
remarked. give been looking for
something slick like you, and / can
see with one eye you're live wire"
Sickened, Hester edged her chair
away.
How much does the place payf"
she asked.
give dollars at first !"
'rBut Ia girl can't live on that"
"Who expects you to, sweetness? A
locker like you doesn't lave to live on
IS. Why, you might get as much as
twenty a week if we hit it off together.
That's what my last stenographer
got"
He reached over and squeezed her
hand. Hester rose, her cheeks afiame
with helpless wrath.
"That's the last insult I'll ever re-
ceive," she assured herself when she
was in the street again, "the very
last"
The smell of the bakeshop's fresh
rolls sickened her hungry stomach,
empty since her breakfast of crackers.
At the foot of the stairs that led TO
her room she paused tempted TO Dor
row a slice of bread from her land
lady, but she cllnched her hands and
climbed the steps.
81 won't be hungry very long she
thought.
1t was close on midnight when she
crept out to the park, where the strong
tide beat against the sea wall. The
night was warm and sultry, but the
girl shivered as she crouched on a
park bench.
"Tve got nobody" she defended her
self TO conscience; nobody to care"
But as she spoke, there foated be
fore her excited brain the face Of the
young man who had saved her from
falling at the church steps.
He'd never hurt woman she
thought; che looked good. l could
have loved him I wish ] had known
him and he had wanted mel"
A clock not far from the park struck
twelve. The young fellow In police
mans uniform, standing on the sea
wall, heard a light step behind him.
Then a small white figure slipped past