Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-01-08
ALICE'S STR ATAGEM,
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

81 think it's the coolest morning of
the year"
Alice Austin had come in with cheeks
deep-dyed with crimson and a thin shawl
twisted tightly around her slim, white
throat.
She had made haste with her simple
marketing, in order to get back before
Billy and Karl went to school, for Josey,
the poor, crippled sister, was quite help
less, and little Paula was not old or big
enough to be of much use.
Josey looked up with smile. Paula
brought a kitten, which she found on
the tenement house stairway.
MAY keep it, Alice?" she pleaded.
cts so little and it's so hungry, and it
does want to play with piece OF string
so bad!'
While Karl ran to peep into the
basket
'Bread!" said he, dolefully, "and
neck of mutton, and bunch of soup
greens. Stew again. Oh, Alice, can't
we have something else? I'm so tired of
stew!'
You'd be still more tired of being
hungry, wouldn't you, Karl? With five
mouths to feeu, and so little money to
spare, [ have to spend every cent to the
best advantage.
"Bill Barlow's folks had corned beef
and cabbage for dinner yesterday" said
Karl. My, but didn't it smell goodl
And Henry Rock has roast goose
every Sunday. Why don't we have roast
goose, Alce?"
The elder sister looked down upon
his curly head.
How could she tell him that she had
emptied the worn leather purse that
morning, and that the question of the
morroW's dinner remained to her an un-
solved problem?
"Get your books together, Karl"
said She ''It's half-past eight. What
are you tumbling the bureau drawer over
for, Billy! l laid out your clean stock
ings."
Billy colored to the roots of his strong
growing, tow-tinted hair.
Il was huntin' to see if there wasn't
a single shirt waist there without
patch,' said he. but there amt. I've
fought two fellows already for calling
me Tag, Rag and Bobtail.'"
ooh, Billy, you shouldn't" sighed
Alice "What does it matter what they
call you? I'm sorry about the shirt
waists; and some day I'll buy calico
enough for a new one. Make haste, now,
or you boys will be late"
Not until the boys were gone, and
Paula safely playing with her kitten by
the stove, did Alice Austin unfold her
budget of troubles ard trials to the sweet
faced sister who was a sort of second
self 10 her.
"Josey," said she, i've bad news for
YOU"
~ knew something was wrong" said
Josey, quietly. 81 saw it in your face
last night"
''Ihere's no more demand for the
Worsted hoods you are knitting"
but perhaps I can get some other
work to do said Josey, hopefully.
That's what thought But tie fore
man says they have more women now than
they can supply with work l tried some
other places but it's no use. THEY'RE
all full And that isn't the worst of it.
I've lost my place in the factoryp'
"Oh, AIicel''
"Mr. Sutton told me, last night, that
they wouldn't need me any more, Sighed
Alice. But couldn't bring myself to
tell you just then. He has never liked
me since complained to the firm about
MS injustice to the poor French girl who
couldn't speak enough of our language
TO defend herself. I knew this would
come sooner or later. Only its rather
nard TO be thrown out of work in mid
winter. And I haven't one penny left"
Ahces head dropped a tear slipped
from the nut-brown fringe of her
lashes, and fell among the coarse leeks
and carrots that she was shedding up
Tor the much-despised stew. Josey
reached out to stroke her cheek.
Don't iret, DEAR" said she. 'sSome-
tnlng is sure to turn up. We shall have
20 take Billy out of school and put him