Evening star., 1928-03-07
THE EVENING STORY

Fellow en1ployes--the coarse Jokes, the
r1bald laughter, the familiarity which
was obnoxious to her. In marked con-
trast.to her gentlemaniy patron she re-
called her last customer, who had to be
forcibly elected because OF his unpleas-
ant attentions to- her. why, oh, why.
should she have TO submit to such life
when she longed for the nicer, the. finer
things Of life. ,sIst-. -F
. She turned leadeniy away to fill an
/ other ordcr-ham and eggs-hoW she
hated the sight Of them! Re-enterinz
the dining room, she found Ingram had
gof1c, leaving S. under his plate. He
had always given her generous tips. but
this unusual generosity following upon
their conversation humiliated her. She
would return 1t to him, she resolved
with heightened color
Do what she would she could not get
her benefactor out of her thoughts. He
vas so different. He treated her with
consideration. He was on a diet and
required cream-'as thick as YOU can
get it for me-" he had told her smiling
ly And Meg-Well, she would have had
COW specially made TO order for him
IN her anxiety to make his poor, pale,
emaciated face more rudy. And so
through her contrivance he had been
getting cream that could almost have
grateful. That was all.
Her, musings were interrupted by the
sound OF her name. ,
Meg! Megp' cried one of the watt
resses,. you're wanted at the tele-
| phone" -
Meg's knees shook. The empIoyes
were forbidden to use the telephone
excepting in case Of Illness or very ur-
gent business. Something was wrong.
Taxing up the receiver, Yes, mother"
she called neryously. What exclaimed
the girl The haiiiTl What-who-
now-Ill come at once" she broke Of,
cropping the receiver. --=.-- 4----~-.-.
Seizing her hat and coat, she ran
down the street. As she reached the
corner huge moving van was backed
up On tne curb IN front o. her home,
gaping Hunsrily,+ II. seemed TO Meg: FOR
tne 1eW tawdry bits Of furniture they
stu possessed, Running up the steps
she sturhblingly entered the narrow. III
smelling hall, reeking with ribs Of beef
and fried onions. Her. mother stood
oryIng her eyes on corner Of her
cnecked apron. Meg's rapidly beating
neart precluded speech. Questioninely.
she looked around from one TO another.
The woman began to cry harder.
What does this mean. unother?" fnal-
ly the girl found voice to say. "I gave
you s35 every month for the rent be-
sides my weekly board. We do not owe
a cent to any one" She was breathing
fast. Her eyes becomming more accus-
toned to the dim light, she looked
around the darkened room Two men
we're moving the piano from the wall
under the bailtf's instructions.
Who sent the bailif, mother?" she
repeated weakly.
That gentleman in the corner" {"
spoke the woman from behind her
apron. He does be the landlord"
Meg'S gaze following the direction IN
dicated; her eyes fell upon Charles
Ingram -.
"Oh-you-how could" incohe-
rently stanlmered the girl.
rs this your homo. Meg?- didn't
knoy." he said as he. stepped forward.
How could you know" cried the girl.
III didn't know your name-you were
just customer TO r1e-and I had never
seen our landlord 2 she explained.
Ingram spoke few hurried words to
the bailif. who instructed the men 70
replace the piano. and they all fled
out. - *
Meg had dropped into chair. soboins
If your daughter gave you the rent
what did you, do with it?" Ingram
asked sternly Of the woman.
1t was Jim there that LED me astray.-
she said. as she nodded az her ne'er-do-
Wen husband leaning against the wall.
DO you think this was fair wav 10
treat your daughter" Ingram asked.
She's not m 'datter at all-she's Quail
ity Gwendolnle Innis-C Cross is her
name. Her father, Gen. Gross.
was killed in India Her mother d,ed
suooln on hersw9y out. Meg was orly
FIVE tsf = Fs<;as* ;s:ssS I did m'best
~R~a~@ 1x.T hsLf 1NEA1<rs-
Lsave usi~ said Ingram persmptor;ly
Wheu. fse door closed, he dropped
down beside the gfrl.
| The bailiss messed things I'd bit.
Gwen How about having q minister
suasnten them outa" He asked as he
drew her 20 him.
The END.
- fCuuyrs<At IanS(