The Little River news., 1921-07-09
Jan Olesen's Awak.
 eninz
By MURIEL BLAIR

mirrors. its glaring plush ornamenta- ton, that sickened him, so that when the little maid came forward and asked whom he wished to see he could hardly utter Minas name.
 Jan Olesen, fresh from the west, where he had established himself as prosperous farmer within three years after his arrival from Sweden, . pennilsss youth, looked in surprise at the little servants troubled face.
 You are from my countryT he asked in his native tongue and at the sound of the words the little fair haired maid-Of-all-work broke down and cried.
 Y-I haven't heard the old speech for so long," she said. and then began. smiling through her tears as the sun smiles out of blue sky.
 Jan Olesen looked at her in grave compassion
 ''Do they treat you we'll here, child7" he asked.
 She shrugged her shoulders. "Soms Of the boarders do," she answered Theatrical folks are mostly kind. But Miss Dalrymple-shs's q terror. She's leading lady in the Red Slipper chorus, you know-and, say" she add ed, breaking into the easily acquired slang of America, "what do you think7 She's Swedish, too, for all her Ameri- can airs and English name"
 Oiesen clutched at the wall to save himself from falling. Before his eyes . mist was swimming. His mind went back to the day when he, renting . cheap hall bedroom almost in the next city block. had met Nina Jensen. She was just such a little maid as this, newly arrived from the old country. He remembered her shy smile, her engaging frankAess. And they had be- come engaged, and he had gone west to make his fortune. Now after three years he had rsturned-to what?
 Through the mist broke q scent of patchouli. Out of 1t he saw a woman approach. with fashionably done hair and gaudy dress; and through the floating clouds he saw slim hand, much bejeweled, stretch forth to his.
 "Why. if 1t isn't Jan!" exclaimed Nina. q guess you didn't know me, Jan. We'll, what are you staring atT' she continued to the girl. Get busy with your work, whatever 1t Is Amt she the impudent thing! Just greenhorn, you know! Come right in, Jan, and tell me about yourself and if you've brought back wad to blow in in New York. And say, Jan, can that stuff you wrote me about getting married and show me a good time in this burg instead. Nix on Min. nesota farm for mine!
 "Poor Jsn! You haven't learned much in Minnesota, Jan!" she said at parting.
 She had refused to discuss their marriage; instead, he was to take her to dinner on the next evening Now the fabric of ambitions which he had built up was shattered.
 But in the loneliness of his room that night his thoughts gradually be- gan to flow in their accustomed groove again.
 He had resolved to tell her every thing on the following night; all hts aims and aspirations; to beg her to come back with him to Minnesota. There, on their lonely farm. they would settle, as the old folks had done in Sweden, they would be happy.
 He fell asleep at last, happy in his dreams.
 But on the next night the old feel ing came over him again at the sight of the hall. the scent of perfume. the faded tawdriness of It. He hesi- tated upon the threshold; he could not enter.
 And the little maids eyes were red from tears.
 You have been crying, my dear." said Olesen.
 "I'm to be sent away" she said. her voice quavering.
 "Away7 We'll, but there are better places"
 70. yes. I'm not afraid. But she said"
 "Shef Who7"
 Miss Dalrymple. She said-I can't tell you-well, that I didn't behave that I talked to the men here-that talked to you yesterday. And she pays twenty . week, so Mrs. Simmons is afraid to affront her And she said that if didn't % she would.
 For an instant he pondered: then. taking the girl by the arm, he led her to the doer.
 My dear" he said. "in the state I come from there are broad acres of land-land like we have at home, with forests and lakes. And there are no Miss Dalrymples there. and women arc treated differently. Would you Nks to come with me to see the place I'm speaking of There. don't let those tears come. No. never mind your hat: there's . department stors round the corner where you can get all you need. But hurry. for 1t closes at i've. and we've got to get to the city hall first and take out our mar