The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-12-13
CHARITY WASTED.

so very GROSS ! leave " 10 you II nad
not good reason!
You see I was a young wlto then, a
very young wife, little more than a
bride, in fact, having been married only
six months. We were not poor exactly.
but we had to be economical. and had
such struggling to make things go just
right" so that accounts might not worry
us And this month [ had come out a
little ahead and was rejoicing IN the fact
that had in hand the money for that
particular sofa for which ! had been
waiting ever since | was married. And
then what do you think Charlie cams
home the afternoon before, and told us
in a great hurry, that there was at tho
hotel some old friend OF his to whom ha
owed 30 much mot money, you know,
but those kindnesses which money can
never repay and that common deoeucy
demanded that we should give him end
his wife some kind Of entertainment
said 80 Charliel" IN despair. but It
didn't do one bit of good. Charlie
showed me very kindly Charlie always
does things in the lovellest kind OF way)
that the party was not matter Of
oh oice, 1t was q necessity and furthor,
that It must be given the next evening,
as the bride and groom would leave the
day after or course ! saw the phlloso-
ply and suceumbed to Charlie's iudg-
ment q always make point of suceumb-
ing TO Charles Judgment, albeit don't
always see the philosophy, though 10
honestly try my best) and few around
accordingly.
put on my best bib and tucker, and
called on the bride, then returned to the
house, wrote my invitations, hunted up
a small boy to deliver them, then sat
down to think.
In this | was not unaided by my annid
OF al work, Betty Deenan.
Well we planned and talked and set
tied till we were dizzy, but we "got
things fixed" so that there was nothing
to do the next day but get ready.
Now IL there was one thing in which
Betty Deenan exeelled, it was IN chicken
salad. No caterer could ever hope to
make 1t better, nor wiring from her, her
receipt
Suddenly / dropped my knife and fork,
with which was reducing the anatomy
OF a chicken TO shreds.
Betty" said in solemn tone, " tho
silverw
The siivsT'meai Shure and ,gisat-
ever do yez menDT
" The silver isn't cleaned Betty /
exclaimed in sepulchral whisper.
1t was Betty's turn to look aghest and
| drop her knife and fork
Sure an It's disgrace to look at
meml" she said, with despair In har
tone.
Don't I know that, Betty Deenau a?
And don't know we were going to clean
st all up tomorrow But that don't
make It ft to use tonight" replied i
fiercely. Well hero was pretty gol /
hated, yes Just hated to clean silver, but
couldn't mako the salad and ! could
clean the silver.
If there was one thing in which we
were not poor, il was silver, Charlie,
by being the last OF his race had managed
to inherit quantity Of silver, so old and
so handsome, that It was worth lis
weight In gold and OF course 1t must be
on dress parade tonight Well there
was no help for Il. Ugh how did hate
the idea of touching that powder.
knew should feel for days as il had
been cropping in the ashes but there was
no use hghting, my own philosophy
showed me that.
When we came into this house Charlie
had built iuto the wall kind of safe.
"Well Betty" / said dolefully, II
you'll get me the step-ladder, I'll clean
the silver ~
The desired article was brought.
'tShall help you get it down, mem -
30 no, I'll push the dining table close
up here, and can reach them down, one
by one. How hate the nasty iob?n |
added irrltably.
So mounted the ladder, and travelled
a step up and a step down, until had it
all down but two pieces.
They certainly were black beyond
description, and bade fair to be cleaned
by the sweat " brow, as we'll as
the hated powder be,o mentioned.
just then the door-beu 0q. I'll go
Betty" exclaimed l. glad OF chance OF
relief from the nonotonous up and down,
up and down, OF that step l4dder.
My irritation was IN no wise reduced
by seeing at the front door the conyen-
tional yellow bag which bespeaks the
travelling agent. Il don't want any
thing" l was beginning to say GROSSLY,
preparing TO shut the door in her face IN
the most unoeremonious manner. but
while / spoke, my eye caught silver
soap" on some packages in the satehel
which she had deftlv opened.
Il think" she replied, smiling, that
you do want what have here to-day,
and she glanced back at the silver, which
showed through the open dining room
door.
Please let me show you this. am
very tired, and it Is so hot. really
think II you will let me show you how
this works you viii never regret having
tried IT,"
wavered. II she could prove this to
bo the iaot certainly would buy tho
article So went back for something
to try upon. Il worked Ike a charm and
have It l would
As was paying her the Pitiful sum
demanded for the three packages, noted
how very pale she looked. Won't you
step ineide and rest little Perhaps
you would Ike q glass OF water ?"
Thank You, said she gratefully, 81
viii be glad to do So"
Perhaps she is hungry" / reflected
she can't make much out Of such work
poor thing ] hardly like 20 offer hel
anything to eat. She seems too muoh o.
q lady She might feel It an Insult But
don't believe she has had 3 square
meal to-day. o, know pll make some
raspberry vinegar and give her som,
crackers, ana lll eat some myself al thu
aame time. So that ahe may feel Ril righi
rae1s.a.l.- tass.s-