Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-27

& 1890 rNothcr tCdS KILLED W
A,s se',sSsT,se, ,e,s ass fSat q" es %soieotsa So
0lsHsss, IND home. Marjorie Sds sens
ssess:p ;ssoo .. ,Ss.1s csS sssgss sss soa spes
anSn ~ IN; Is acquotntancs ,Ut!h Rtchard
,t. w. son her Hs yathsrT,s, 81. ,oEs.y jayyss,f;; ys,;
Z s'sSr,: Il: H.; scn. .a'',TIs !. ,TSsso". '' ~
'" Avn MERE IT CONTINUES :
...rN xs neared the. station my
We..s.. told me irritably to stop
[ivv utneS NV 70 look cheerful.
eZin = t ~irls cry when they are taken
NO., he said inpatiently. "iou
y scnoU, scn.,,s you are brought away.
~ ~nuld imagine that you might be
C "a Ito 70 see your father after a sep
afsuOr .V " on the tip Of my tongue, to
rhcse fault It was that we had
~ w%U w.%sUnsrated, but I did not dare
esssa,.S ~, an nv eyes obediently and stuhed
hsndkerchief away ,,
hs station he swore and grumnIed
49, A 7 had 10 many. boxes; !; he IN.
csrsS me that he had once peen 70
4rsvica for six months with no lus,,
ssss beyond a portmanteau ~ asnII III
vhst tho devil had got ID tnem al
\ bsd never heard any one swear pe
Ars.-my father had never a useq wss u"S
Sssusge in the old days anu ""'
Hishtened and disgusted. .,,r. .o
n 1Where you think you're so,ng GONG. e
mt .uS m. HYour bedrooms small
.r.h and I won't have them any.
S"rs else. London houses aren't buiit
r. lumber!' n.
Wu u...anit wa roing---home"
"BuEarem "' s
hssiTaSsu saTSmci home!" he echoed testify.
uvhst do you mean by home Mascot
rsuss has been let for years, 1t that's
NJ Won mean. Where do you sup
W.. I've cot the money from to Keep
su A. school all this time--how do YOU
sS,cse I've managed to exist myself!
'sfv Gas dumb with amazement.
hsd 40 often told the girls at Miss
V,..sh;s about my lovely old home; !
IA nsyer forgotten it--the high. oak
ssStsrsd rooms, the winding paths IN
~ ssrdcn; the old box hedges and
tHe masses OF roses:
II secmed incredible that 1t was let
md to q stranger. ,,,
II longed to ask who lived there now,
and II we should never go back any
nore--but was too AFRAID.
CHAPTER
when We reached London we took
another cab, all the. luggage was piled
An top, and We drove for what seemed
"a me miles and miles! could not re-
\ member ever having been in London
before, though ! knew that my mother
6ad sometimes taken me with her when
sbs went shopping; and I thought it
very ugly and depressing and stuffy.
I could not imagine how the driver
found his way through SO many streets
that all looked alike; stared out OF the
window with wide eyes.
Z Gradually the streets grew narrower
and the houses less imposing. Present.
b the cab stopped outside one with a
dight Of steps that wanted cleaning,
and an iron gate that wanted painting.
Ny father opened the door.
"You can get out" he said.
I obeyed hurriedly. clutching my
umbrella and an armful Of parcels. !
stood waiting on the hot pavement for
further instructions, while he wrangleI
with the cabman over the fare.
glanced up at the house timidly; It
locked very tall and gloomy; It had
faded Venetian blinds drawn halfway
OVWu dlL tIS WluOOwo JuuI ioVNCA
liks sisnifcant lids dropping over know
Ing eyes.
The front door stood open, and I
caught a glimpse of a narrow hall, IN
umbrella stand, and q long rack laden
with hats and coats.
Ny father turned to me sharply and
asked why ! was standing there gaping
.-he had got the worst OF It with the
cabman, and was shorter. tempered than
usual In consequences.
He preceded me up the dirty steps
and into the hall. A woman came out
u door beneath the stairs.
6he stared at me with impudcnt eyes.
'This Is my daughter" said my
hther shortly. II dare say sho would
Ike some tea"
YOU'D better come upstairs" said
The woman. She still stared, but her
voice was kindly.
She took the umbrella and parcels
from my arms, and led tho way up the
linoleumed stairs.
She opened door on the left and
nodded to me to 60 in.
This is your roOm,' she said. and
put the umbrella in u corner and the
parcels on a table.
I stood looking round hclplessly. The
room was clean, but stuffy--as If the
windows wanted opening; the lace cur
tsins were starched till they looked like
paper; tho quilt Oh the small iron bed
was starched, too, and stuck out all
round like petticoat; there was a
clock on the mantel shelf with a loud,
cheap tick, and a candle IN a stick on
the dressing table had topplcd over with
the heat.
The woman was watching me curl
susly.
!ou!. she said interestcdly. "How old
! told her ffteen; she raised her
rs that all? Why, you look seven
essn, every bit. ] dare say your father
Will make YOU put your hair up"
NY lips quivered. ! was proud of
ny hair, which ! wore In two long
plaits tied with black bows.
a.,I ~ don't want to put 1t up" I said
She laughed.
4, ~ won't be what you want, I'm
thinking" she said. Take off your
nat and come and get cup Of tea"
Hhe walked to the door.
= How long are we going to stay
aereE' l asked as she turned the handle.
sns looked back at me.
How long? It's your home, my
esar your fathers lived here for six
months. He's got all the house, but
~ ~ Ghiy use. the rooms on this floor.
.s J bedrooms opposite yours. and the
TTIa!ng rooms In the front Of the house.
They keep the other room at the back
Sscause-oh, well, dare say You'll
aesS all about that later on"
ohe went away quickly, as II she
,sssed ! meant asking questions, and l
was left alone.