Willmar tribune., 1901-02-27

how can father afford to give money |
to people? don't think he ought to-"
Dorothy did not answer at once.
If people need the help Of money
more than anything else, how, else shall
we help them? Sympathy and prayers
don't seem to be enough in such cases."
II think father might make Mr..
Barnes present of a box Of soap,"
said Faith. II am sure he needs that
as much as the S. he has come to beg
for" +
'"They are very poor" sighed Dor
othy.
$50 are we," replied Faith. "Or we
shall be If we always give to every
body"
Dorothy did not answer this, and
Faith picked up the coat and worked
on in silence. She was evidently plan
ming something serious In her mind. 1t
was not the first time she had ventur-
ed to demonstrate about the habit her
father had Of helping all sorts Of peo-
pie. Until q few years past Dorothy
had not allowed thought Of the mat
ter to disturb her. Malcom's salary
was very small still. The most rigid
| economy was necessary to keep the
family expenses within the income.
The annual income from his writings
| now amounted to about $500, but
large part Of it was given away, and
Dorothy faced increasing difficulty
each year in managing the household
finances.
The study door opened, and Malcom
and his visitor came down stairs.
II am going out for little while,
Dorothy. Mrs. Barnes is very sick,
and l am going over there. Don't
wait dinner for me if Pm not back be-
fore half past 12."
He kissed his wife and went out.
Faith and her mother watched the tall,
heavy figure go out of the yard, with
the unattractive Barnes shambling aft
er him. Malcolm was growing gray,
but he was erect and vigorous, in his
prime. and to these two women watch
ing him out Of the window he was the
best man in the world.
I'D like to see any one say anything
against fatherv' said Faith decidedly,
while an unusual tear came into her
eyes. At the same time her mother
and herself were wondering how NAL
com ever found time to write his SER
mons or anything else.
Faith st,>!e up to the study and look
ed at the loose leaves of the sermon
on the fathers desk. The last words
he had written were a quotation,
"Whoso giyeth to the poor lendeth un-
to the Lord"
"Dear old father" said Faith softly.
I'D better let the Lord rebuke him.
At the same time we've got to live.
Here l am a woman grown and earn
ing no bread, and the boys want to go
to college and mother saving every
cent
She went off to her own room that
afternoon and Drooded. When Faith
Erooded, something happened. And it
was not altogether surprise to Dor
othy when a few days afterward Faith
announced her decision:
Mother, have made up my mind
to go away and earn something for the
family. I've tried every possible place
here, and you know how it isl
Dorothy. looked at the girl gravely,
but did not say anything.
II have been writing to Grace Hol-
ley, who went to Chicago a year ago
to learn retouching in Keffen's studio.
She is earning as high as ST and $18
a week. She says there will be a va
cancy there soon, and if l apply at
once may get the place. You know
| hov loar oil
they can teach me, and like it. Moth
er, l can't stand it any longer to re-
main here at home doing nothing. The
boys will soon want to go to college.
never cared about it. I want to be a
photographer or an architect or a pa
per hanger or something useful. If ia
ther can spare enough money to get me
started, I can be in a position before
the year is out to help the family. We
} never can break father of his habits of
helping everybody, and 1 want to be
self supporting and help the rest too"
This was a long speech for Faith to
make, but it was the beginning of sew
eral family conferences, and the end of
it all was that one day in winter of
that year Faith and her father went
down to the station, and Faith took
the express for Chicago. The arrange
ments had all been completed for her
to enter the studio, where she was to
receive 50 week to begin with and
promise Of rapid increase if the work
was satisfactory.
"Goodby, father. Don't give away
your overcoat before you get home,
will you?" Faith called out Of the win
dow as the train started.
Malcom Kirk smiled and waved his
hand. Then he ran along the platform
and handed up an envelope to Faith.
She managed to kiss his hand as she
took the envelope and then leaned back
In her seat and cried.
When she opened the envelope, a
check for $25 dropped out.
''This is good companion my
dear. You will find it good company
on the road. Your father" This was
written hastily in note with the
check. Faith understood it was the
price Of q story Malcom had written
that fall. She tucked the check into
her purse and cried harder than ever.
But when she found herself in Chi
cago next morning, she set herself res
olutely and with courage toward her
new life.
The work in the studio was extreme
ly interesting to her. Her letters to
the people at home were very entertain
ing and even funny. But after she
had been in the city a few months she
was obliged to face serious condition,
one that she had not anticipated. .