The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-31
"inasmuch."

passed OF without hitch, and the dance
| that followed had been dream of
beauty. A kings ransom of jewels had
sc.ntillated in the glow of the electric
| lights. The society editors Of the after
noon newspapers said so, and it must
have been true.
It was just two weeks before Christ
mas, and young Mrs. De Lancey Ritten-
house during her brief respite while sup
per was served. gazed upon the scene
with an air of benign satisfaction, and
metaphorically patted herself on the
back, her physical limitations alone pre-
venting her from doing it literally. for
it was just then exposed in all its tempt
ing plumpness. Her soul was filed with
that pulsating JOY which comes OF the
knowledge of a good deed well done. For,
be it known, this was a charity affair
of her own getting UP.
In a room on the top floor Of a Lom-
bard street tenement house, on this same
night just two weeks before Christmas,
was another woman. She was no older
than young Mrs. De Lancey Rittenhouse,
II yeu measure age by years. But years,
somehow or other, do not always count
in such matters. She had lived a long
time, it seemed 10 her, as she looked
back through the phantasmagora of her
own life. God knows it had been bad
enough before he had enlisted in the reg
ular army and had gone away TO the
Philippines. But now it was even worse.
She and the little ones were carving.
But she knew that the kind ladies were
going to help her. She knew that on
this very night they were having q bene-
fit. She knew that the tickets were ten
dollars, including supper, and that a great
many had been sold
All, what grand affair it must be,
How she wished, with all her feminine
vanity, that she might see it, knowing
that all the money was for her and the
little ones. She might have gone and
peeped through a window somewhere,
perhaps; but then the baby was crying.
and she couldn't leave it. Why shouldn't
she? 1t was as much his as hers. But
it wouldn't be crying long. Her moment
airy rebellion was Immediately crushed
by that one potent thought. For wouldn't
they soon be rich?
It took. nearly two weeks for young
Mrs. De Lancey .Rittenhouse and her
charitable proteges to srraighten out
their accounts. There was the rent of
the bali room to pay. and the bills from
the florist, and the bill from the musi-
clans, which had been exorbitant, con-
sidering their services. The supper had
cost a great deal more than had been
expected, as such things will, and there
had been so many little expenses that
hadn't been taken into consideration at
all. It really quite took ones breath
away.
At young Mrs. De Lancey Rittenhouse's
| establishment on Walnut street. facing
the square, where all the meetings of
the charitable proteges were held, the
| 49,
after a deal of talking and tea drinking
The treasurer of the fund reported that
after all the bills had been paid there
was balance of $40
Young Mrs. De Lancey Rittenhouss
heaved a sigh of relief and looked deeply
gratified 1t was more than she had eX-
pected, for she had had experiences in
such things before. And so, as the most
busihesslike way out of it, having dis
charged a conscientious duty to the emf
nent satisfaction of all concerned, she
suggested that a committee Of two be ap-
pointed-the fewer the better, in order
to expedite matters-who would expend
the fund to the best interest Of the worthy
family in whose aid the entertainment
had been projected.
So young Mrs. De Lancey Rittenhouse,
who was eager to superintend the trim
ming of 4 Christmas tree for her own
small hopeful before dressing for a din
ner dance at the Diddles, named a girl
with white violets in her hat and girl
with red hair to wind up the affair at
their own discretion.
Each. in the exuberance of youth. felt
the enthusiasm Of a new experience. The
Christmas spirit was strong upon them.
They would start out at once. At the
curb stood the carriage owned by the
father of the young girl with the red
hair.
In room on the top floor of a Lombard
street tenement house. that afternoon be-
| fore Christmas, a woman was looking
! hopelessly out of the window and up the
street trying to still the hungry cries Of
a gauut-faced child
| Now the girl with the white violets IN
her hat and the girl with the red hair
had the better part Of the afternoon be-
| fore them. and they knew It. Neither
/ had 10 dress before G. One was going 70
/ the opera, and the other had family din
ner on. They were Just the girls to do
| IT, Their two engagements didn't mat
! ter bit Not the tiniest particle. They
were on an errand OF mercy. What was
! an opera. and what was a Christmas eve
/ family dinner compared with the newly
! awakened sensation of being, in sense,
! angels of mercy.
And the more they thought Of II as
/ they rode along, the more they felt pro-
| prietory interest in the fund which had
| been placed at their disposal For had
| they not insisted on raising il with their
| own individual efforts? Didn't the girl
! with white violets in her hat take cart
/ in the amatuer theatricals? And the girl
/ with red hair-weu. didn't she dance
! every number?
/ Il wouldn't do to spend money entrusted
{ 70 their care f1oliShlv They both real
/ lied that They would drive around from
/ shop TO shop and see where it might be
/ invested with the best advantage. All
/ through thar LONG afternoon before
/ Christmas they were flled with a deep
! cOntentuent- From store TO store they
( fitted. and they We're sUpreme,y happy.
! "InasmUch as ye have done * unto
| one Of the least Of these
/ The quotation OF the girl with the red
/ hair was cut short hy the Penn Mutual
/ clock striking s. Dismay filed their
( faces. Il was really remarkable. Where
I had the afternoon gomez In an instant
/ the opera and the family dinner assumed
/ unsupported importance. They were driv-
/ ing I'd Chestnut street
! stop at Fiicheu { Metcher's''
/ screamed the girl with red hair 10 the
imminent danger OF her fair neck.
1
we must hurry remarked the Titan
{ haired one as she swept through ths
! doors held open for them by the Colored
/ boy in spick-and-spsn livery. and butt
/ tors o. brass. A barrel - pr1nss met her
/ gaze. There was a whispered consulta-
( tibn.
I've heard that they are very nou--
/ ishirE" whispered the girl with white
+ via.ets fl her hat u dare say they VIII
/ do as WEI. as anything csc. You know
/ We haven't nuca time"