The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-14

Are you afraid that your assertions
as to character might not be borne
out?'' he asked.
mo. Yes" stammered the girl.
| please don't send
There was an uncomfortable scene in
the office. Sadie Moulton had tainted
1T goes hard with me to break my
word to her, but maybe you ought to
know" Mrs. Green was saying to the
detective from Oswalds store, who had
| called to see whether the sick girl had
best be sent home or 10 the hospital.
Mrs. Green stood at her ironing
board, and the white frill she was
smoothing out came very near being
scorched in her excitement.
Ought TO know WHAT" asked Miss
Sergeant, her face alive with interest.
rs the girls character not good?"
Character not good?" echoed Mrs.
Green, pausing with her iron uplifted
in the air. I'll show you Yes, III
let the cat out of the bag"
What do you mean?" was asked, as
stout Mrs. Green paused for breath.
Il mean this. ma'am. 1 mean being
beat and banged about and sleepln
stones on nights cool enough to freeze
the marrow in your bones. and goia'
without enough food, and wearin'
leaky shoes in sloppy weather. and
maxim out as you likes to do them kind
Of things; l mean"
Are you speaking of Sadie?" inter-
rupted Miss Sergeant, bewildered by
the tide of words.
woman. sick is she? Likely to stay
sick awhile? Faintin' in offices ana
arrested for stealing? Come this way
and youll understand better than
can tell It tc you
When the door to an inner back room
across the narrow passageway was
flung open. Sadie's secret was revealed.
\ general dipginess and dullness GiStin-
gGished the box-Eke apartment. What
furniture there was. was shabby. The
stove looked as if about to topple over,
and as If even the mildest kind of poi
ish would be a surprise. The cracked
pancs of the one window looked out on
q solid lead-colored wall net three feet
away Whatever light there was was
concentrated on the fantastic figure 0y
the window. an elderly woman, in a
bedraggled gown, with gray hair. 9th
er flowers. some red, some yellow, lay
on the window ledge beside her, and her
withered hands funbled with some
lengths Of pink organdie and ribbon
that was spread out on her lap.
You can look all you want: she won't
notice" whispered Mrs. Green. She's
Sadie's grandarm. When she's that
way she don't know nothin'."
The woman was talking TO herself as
she twisted and patted the rosy Hum
merry in her hands Il think it would
look better trimmed with pearl bead
ing she was saying, as Mrs. Green
approached her. Send her to lh1 asy-
lun? Every minute that she's il her
right mind she's begging Sadie rot 70
let them take her, and making the girl
promise not to give her up. she is st.s-
picious of every stranger she sees. II
she had seen you she would have COW
cred her face with her hand and SUNK
of in the corner.
I'D love to take Sadie and dc, for
her, now's she Sick added Mrs. Greer,
but I've got six mouths of my own
to feed, and Mr.. Green only earning 81
week. and that not steady ] had
thought to turn the old lady over to the
city long ago, but for Sadies eoaxlng
ways, and her paying of the rallt so
regular. and me 50 hard pushed but
| tell you my hearts bled for her more
than once. and if she's tc so to good
hospital and be tended on regular, it
amt me goin' to lift my voice against
it,