New Britain herald., 1926-01-22

to her own duties. But by this time she had become acquainted with the system of the magazine so that she worked more easily and rapidly.
 Miller had apparently accepted her as his main helper. Two in. crhases in her pay check, and i'm |. portant assignments that came fre- quently put her at ease as to her place on the staff.
 Miller came into her office one winter day in conversational mood. Funny thing" he said, lounging on E'r desk, "thcy never found q scratch in Betsy Furnivall's belong ings to indicate why she killed her self.
 "All her letters had been destroy cd before she died. And her per. SOnal effects were put in order. She must have been planning the suicide for days"
 Barbara frowncd; "I shall always , feel partly responsible for her death, Mir, Miller, l think my moving down 10 the Village was the last straw. Wed been good friends until then. but after that she never seemed , cordial again.
 Miller nodded. "Ycs, when they get as old as Betsy, without any family of their own, they get queer. Never knew it 10 fail. She probably clung 10 you as her last friend and when you left her-wclI, the whole force of her loneliness just bumped her off. Too bad, but you certainly cannot be blamed. Everybody has to live his own life in this world. And just because Bctsy'd made a bad choice, shed no right to make you
 pay for it.
 Barbara sighed.
 March came in with blustcringS
 and clouds of dust. The city shivcr-
 cd and braced it's shoulders and
 prayed for spring 10 come. And the street swcepers struggled 10 clcal
 the pavemcnls Of the slime left by the winters snows.
 One Saturday in March BarbarG came into the office with q dul headache. The air outside was sort between gusts, and the green gro, ' Cers were beginning 10 put new rad ishes and tender lettuce in theil windows.
 ! Barbara sat at her desk, head ir l l,o 1,. N;n1 ,F l,,, office boy brought in the mail ant jumped at her, laughing 10 see hel start. But she looked at him, with , out her usual ready smile, and h, left the room hastily.
 . Barbara opened her mail. It con tained nothing but bills and publi city sheets. She threw it in a bask ct and rose, reaching for her ha
 and coat. It was nearly noon. In the street outside, she walked around the corner that she some P times visited. Here she found a ia blc in a dark corner and ordere, salad and sandwiches. The tean f room had not yet begun to fill UT [ and Barbara had the corner to her E self.
 , The waitress brought a daint, , tray and set the dishes before Bar bara. She began to eat, with effort 7 The salad looked delicious but sh pushed it away. The sandwiche r met th, same fate.
 , Only the coffee seemed 10 satisf , her Women began to come into tn shop in groups. Some of them wor , flowers and all of them were dress led accor Ang 10 last spring modes It was not n shop extensively pat ? ronized by working women. The soft murmur of cultivate voices began, and waitresses bega ', 10 scurry silently about with tray
 of delicately tempting food. Barbara looked about her, at th , pretty clothes. She herself was sti
 wearing q winter hat. She ros ! hastily. paid her bill and fled.
 The spell of spring had touche
 the streets. Nobody seemed to h
 going anywhere especially, an