The evening times., 1896-01-13
INVENTED HER STORY.

q
! She Became Jennie ElliOtt, a Poor
Girl From the West
You may think that it is an easy matter
to invent story of sorrow and misfortune
calculated to staBd the questioning of an
unbelieving world, but assure you it is
not.
| invented my story all alone as walked
down the street. / needed a good, long
! walk to get into character, nd as walked
1 invented. My figure became gradually
more dropping, my face got tangled up
| with hopeless lines. l was a picture of
worried distressfuiness and almost hope.
| less despair.
My story took form In my head and
! began to believe il. My name was Jennie
Elliott, l came 10 Washington from CHI
cago two months ago. / came with a sick
aunt WHO Guarrelied with ME and went on
ana left me here. Yes; that was the trouble.
Ihad had better clothes. but had so Id them
little by little to buy food. Now everything
was gone, and 1 was reduced to
| actual need. I hadn't been able 10 get
work.
l had not started out blindIy. was
headed for a missionary's house. The day
on which visited The Central Union Mission
l had met missionary there in guest of help
for destitute family. had talked to her
of this family and taken her address, with
the vague intention of some day going
about with her on her rounds OF relief.
1 went 10 her on this occasion TO get
placed in touch with the conditions of
distress. Would she Know me? / felt like
the old lady who had her petticoats cut off
on the kings highway.
This missionarys name is Mrs. McDon-
aid. She liven in the northeast section
OF the city in W hat is known as SwampoCdIe.
She does coed continually on her own ac-
count, relieving distress wherever she
can. i walked over the bridge that leads
across the railroad tracks. and surveyed
the scene of comparative squalcr which
lay around me.
There were some comfortable-looking
houses, but more that We're In a state of
dilapidation. This, 1 thought would not
be a bad scene OF action.
AT the house labeled with the correct
number trio was just going in fol-
lowed them up to the door and Knocked.
Now act" said to myself Act with
all your powers. Don't be afraid 10 look
touching misery. Don't be afraid TO draw
your face up and assume whining tones
If need be. Remember what the dramatic
teachers tell you-that art demands exag-
geratioD. Don't dare to be moderate be
demonstrative."
When the door opened, and the woman
was looking down on me. / felt like a
colossal fraud, and that must come out
and be raightforward. However, the
walk had impressed the character on me.
and she being prepared for calls upon her
charity, asked me kindly what she could
do for me. tod her wanted her advice
and help, and she cordially invited me in. I
STUDIED THE SURROUNDINGS.
l was given seat in her room while she
prepared a basket of provisions for the
people she had brought home. Apples ard
potatoes and know not what else went |
into that basket. ! studied the surround.
ings while waited, and felt that it must |
be true to the philosophical mind that man |
wants but little here below.
Here was woman with a very simple |
home, home that Illustrated to IDe many /
wants / took in It's transparent devices |
for comfort and cheer, and sounded in
stiDctively the depths of its possibilities.
And / was filled with a sort of awe for
the woman " no could divert her miud from
its evolution to the evolution OF those below
her. TO What seemed to her an deal plane.
] was nearly caught mapping in M medi-
tations. She came in TO me. and hastily
lispelled the speculative mood and got back
to the hard facts of my fiction.
When l had told her my little story