Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-12-17

DO You wantf" Aud for an answer
Gloria pitched forward, and would
have fallen hcadlong had not Mrs
Grady caught her IN her strong arms
"A pretty howdy do" said Mrs
Grady, carrying her in the room and
noting how thin and pinched her
face was. "She's starved intoirely."
Peggy and Jim and Tommy and
Mary and Nancy and Kate gathered
round. while the baby dropped his
bread and butter aud ate his fingers
instead When Gloria came 10 her
self she took courage.
II want to find some work to do
Our money Is most gone"
You're not big enough TO work.
said Mrs. Grady.
I'm not big, but, oh, so strong"
said Gloria, trying to stand up
Mother, cried half q dozen hun
cry voices, "the taters are getting
cold"
"Bless me, sure they are, an wasn't
forgittin thin entoirely come now,
darlint
And before Gloria knew it she was
sitting at the table with piping hot
potato before her and dab of butter
on the top of it like golden crown.
How delicious it was to the poor
child who was half fainting with
hunger
"Hooray" cried Tommy, as he
seized his hat. II only leads the
bosses to drink now, but jest you
wait when get to be boss; I'll take
you to ride with four-in- hand"
"Heigh-hor' said Nancy. III be
stirring my stumps. guess There's
piles of bandboxes to carry today"
and she nodded to Gloria and was
gone.
Then Peggy and Mary, with bas-
kets on their heads, danced around
for a minute crying, "Shaveens,
shaveens," and finally disappeared,
after telling Gloria to wait till they
came back.
II must go to the shop after more
bonnet frames" said Kate, tieing on
her hood. "Goodby, little baby" she
said to Gloria, and she went off with
a big bundle.
Lame Jim, too, had gone some
where.
Mrs Grady answered Gloria's ques-
tioning look. Yes, they all work, "
said she, but you could not leave
your mother, and you are not old
enough to wire bonnet frames, like
Kate"
mo" said Gloria sadly, and she
thought, what will become of me2"
And now she caught sight of Jim
in the corner. He was busy over a
pile of something that looked like
old rope.
Even Jim there earns his salt"
said Mrs Grady; "he picks oakum. :"
Couldn't 1 do thats' asked Gloria
eagerly.
1T is dirty work"
81 shouldn't care, if it would only
buy mother grapes and jellies."
"Law!" cried Mrs Grady 1T
wouldn't buy her mush, let alone
them illegances. l only have Jim to
do it just to keep him busy and get
him into Industrious habits"
She can't live without them, !"
said Gloria firmly.
Mrs. Grady shook her head.
Its o hard case" said she, "but
I'll be thinking over what can be
done"
Gloria went up stairs with heavy
heart. Her mother was still sleep
ing, and she went and took look at
the leather wallet. 1t had shrunk
and shriveled up sorrily; there was
nothing in it. Only a very little
jelly in the dish, just few grapes
in the plate.
''What will mamma do when these
are gomez said she, and then thought
how kind it was Of Mrs. Grady to
give her breakfast.
THAT was the reason | tainted, "
said she, because l was hungry"
Indeed the poor child had pinched
herself for some time as much as pos
sible, SO as to get things for her
mother.
The tears dropped from her eyes as
she went slowly across the room.
Il hope" said she, that mamma
will sleep till late, for I must tell her
how the last cent is gone"
The sun streamed in at the win
dow, but it wasn't that that blinded
her. There We're some pigeons COO
ing outside Could they have startled
here
Not at all. Something pink and
gold was swinging above her. Was
it the bud that had blossomed9 Yes;
just that The ragged century plant
had lowered.
At first Gloria felt nothing but de-
light, and then she thought:
Dear, dear; after all it is no good.
1t is neither victuals nor drink. If
it was only gold dollar or even a