Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-15

her.
Minnie lived in a hall bedroom, with
small iron bed, cak bureau, wash
stand, bowl and pitcher, a straight-back
chair and two feet of floor space.
She cooked her breakfast which invari-
ably consisted of boiled egg and two
toasted soda crackers, over the gas jet
and there were a pewter spoon and a
china egg cup on the window ledge
She shared the fire escape with the &C.
cupant Of the adjoining room and on the
she kept a jar of jam and n stewpan.
There were three pink paper roses in q
glass vase on Minnie's bureau and a
sSgy of Sy TTor 6
give 1t the desired tilt. 1t was to this
that Minnie returned six out Of her
seven evenings.
But there is saving circumstance.
from her chrysalis and black sateen
shirt waist like n Moth E,mporatus. and
the six days of Biggest Store were left to
the empty cocoon of the week. From 4
until 5 O'Clock each Sunday, Minnie
Stradoli ceased to be: simultaneously
she discarded the sateen shirt waist for
the tan suit and the weary yesterdays
for the glowing hour which was the
beacon Of all the weary ones that pre-
ceded II.
At each weekend there was $l.30 in
Mlnnie's tan purse that meant a club
steak, shoe string potatoes, and tip in a
BOlu HOltl uHllHk TOOIIl, WIFI
candles and hidden music, To be sure,
the 81. 80 represented slightly over one
fifth of her weeks earnings. seven hun
cry noon hours and tortuous walks from
the Biggest Store to the hall room, but
those homely secrets We're her own.
When she strolled into the marble
lobby of the highest -storied and highest
priced hotel on Broadway, she was
flushed with a beauty that Is commonly
born of morning sleep. and massage !;
when she established herself, as was
her wont, in quiet corner of one of the
numerous and perfumed parlors, she
was a daughter, OF fortune, fresh from from
her bath of milk and rose leaves. Who
could know that she was awaiting the
grand climax of her week, and that
when the crowds came fastest and the
into the gold dining room for one hour
$l3O worth of dreamland that had
caused her six days of aching feet be-
hind the notion counter? 1t is true that
in the small iron bed, but the beacon
light of an unborn seventh day. was
shining truly across the weeks chasm.
oSSas To-day Minnie t put the the ,tILsi finishing g
care; she drew the neat-fitting coat
snug around her figure and regarded
herself ever one shoulder. After the
manner of women she fuffed her hair
out from beneath her hat with needless
! repetition, and posed at herself in the
mirror. a half smile lowering on her
| lips and in her eyes.
She pictured herself walking smartly
through the lobby, she saw lettering
heads turn as she passed, she even re-
| hearsed the racy moment when the steel
Of her knife sank deep into the red OF
! the steak, the quiet dignity Of her keep
| the change" and the obsequious bows
Of the waiter. She hummed a bit as
| she folded the black sateen shirt waist
away. and showed the empty hat box
under the bed, then she took a final sur
vey in the mirror. The new boarder in
the adjoining room lurched noisly
about, and with the weariness born Of
experience she closed the window which
opened out on the joint fire escape land
ing and turned the key in the bureau
drawer which contained her Bible and
mother-of-pearl Cardcase; incidentally
she turned her back on Minnie.
There Is a parlor in the, highest
priced and highest-stcred hotel on
Broadway. which, is done in pale gold
and pink; 1t is like a small, rare jewel
box softly tufted in satin and lighted
with opal globes through it's gracefully
tening lobby beyond. but the only sounds
that penetrate are strains CT far-away
music and the soft swish of women's
dropped into the soft embrace of a bro
cade divan, and gave herself up to its
luxury; closing her eyes ever so slightly
she could imagine herself journeying
gold and crystal sedan chair. with a
graceful .ennui in her pose' and calla
lilies in her hair. There were always
calla lilies in Lady Aubreys hair, and
velvet rugs and faint music lulled Min
MES dreaming senses, her tense hold on
the tan purse-Sl. 3O-relaxed, and she
nestled deeper in the pink brocade.
A man in frock coat and shiny pat
ent shoes dropped YEARLY on the farth-
est end OF the divan. His hair was gray
at the temples and his eyes were sur
the typical clubman and dlettante Of
the seventh-day world.
Minnie regarded him with the little
intake OF, breath which proximity TO
those of his sphere invariably caused
her. From the supercorrect cut of coat
TO the shining finger nails, he bespoke
Inverness coats and cabs; Minnie did
net exactly know what constituted an
Inverness coat, but no, drawing-room
novel was complete without one She
could also picture this tlred-eyed man
in the dark mahogany quiet of his den,
of yacht Her half-closed eyes tc ali
intent and purpose were regarding an
oil painting which hung beyond his
head, but none, of his details was lost
a gunmetalknob and that his shirt studs
She had rehearsed her hour for so
long that she was not even surprised
That is a very warm and rich bit
of work You admire his SCHOOL," He
referred 10 the oil painting, and his
tones were deep and serious.
It's just beautiful" replied Minnie,
who had not even observed the portrait,
and who was vague as to his meaning
Her temples were throbbing Violently.
she felt that she was communicating this
day creature in even replying,
and that no would resent her II he knew,
Just as she resented Mr.. Snuggs in the
Il see you riding In the park quite
often. Only a few mornings ago ] was
bold enough 10 canter after you, ad.
mirng your mount"
plunge, and fitting her small head a bit.
"The women, in my family have always
ridden we'll.
He spoke Of tho words with n patri-
clan grace that thrilled her she groped
for a suitable reply, but none came
There was a pause she observed that
hand. She felt 1t incumbent upon her 10
Justify her unattended presence, and
with well-restrained impatlence
into the lobby beyond.
He was on his feet Immediately.
'You are waiting for some one, Can
| he of assistance?
she is unnecessarily long"
she sank back and let her eyes rest
on a misty landscape framed in silver. |
He followed her gaze.
'I have the twin Corot TO that rare
bit in my private collection l am very
"Ohl' she murmured How lovely ="
There is something compelling In
the strength of that stretch OF mere
Yes" she agreed cautiously. IT love