Page 5 (1/1)

The boy had written to her for a whole year, when one day there ca hoas drowned in saving the life of a little child; and Julia Cloud had put thein her life that belonged wholly to herself, and plodded patiently on The tears that she shed in secret were never allowed to trouble her fareat calain Only little children brought the wistful look to her eyes, and a wonder whether people had it made up to thes of this life

Julia Cloud was not one to pity herself She was sane, healthy, and not naturally ray, sodden earth, and the gray road of the future had got her in their clutches, and she could not get away fro eyes she searched the little bit of west between the orchard tree that always showed a sunset if there was one; but no streak of orange, rose, or gold broke the sullen clouds

Well, as she going to do, anyway? Ellen's question see on stridently in her ears; she tried to face it looking down the gray road into the gray sky

She had the house, but there were taxes to pay, and there would be repairs every little while to eat up the infinitesimal income which was left her, when all the expenses of herillness and death were paid They had been spending their principal It could not have been helped In all, she knew, she had soh to board her if she tried to board anywhere, to say nothing of clothing All this had been fully and exhaustively co the afternoon

The house h it was too antiquated and shabby-looking to bring much--if Julia was not "so ridiculously sentimental about it" Julia had really very little sentiment connected with the house, but Ellen had chosen to think she had; so it au that held her to the dreary old house with its sademptiness was the fact that it was hers and that here she could be independent and do as she pleased If she pleased to starve, no one else need know it The big ache that was in her heart was the fact that there was nobody really to care if she did starve Even Ellen's solicitations were largely frohbors would say if she did not look after her sister