Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-22

| doing dispensary work down at the Crater
| Memorial Chapel-it's one Of st. Sabastian's
| charities, you know-and the governor
| thought taste of dispensary work would
| be good practice for me. We're awfully
short of women workers. We've a couple
| of well-meaning old girls, ex-cty mission
aries, but they're a bit weepy. We need
| some cheerful faces-and some money
Want to conner
This very afternoon" replied Jessica
| with the promptness which indicates the
| finding OF rock on which one has been
| longing to anchor. And from that hour she
! became. under DR.. Tiffanys somewhat err
ratio. but enthusiastic guidance, the star
worker in the Memorial Chapel charities.
She bought six new gowns especially for
| the work, each short-skirted, tailor-finished
| and marvelously becoming, despite their Sc
| verify. After reading an article on chill
| dren's love for color, she invested in a
| dozen gayhued ties and stocks, which she
| added to her sartorial equipment. She held
| sick babies on her aproned knees, said
aprons being delightfully."- ruffied and fin
| ished with saucy, bows of ribbons, because,
| as she explained, 1.-THE pool souls (meaning
| the mothers) must get so sick and tired or
| plain things" She presided over q series OF
| Lenten teas In the chapel parlor, the first
of which is still talked of in the district,
| for she had given an unqualified order to
| the same caterer who presided over her
| mothers functions at home, and the result
| startled chapel workers and mother guests
| more than fight in the boys guild or
| case of smallpox in the day nursery. After
| that, DR.. Tiffany saw that neighborhood
| restaurateUr provided the supplies. she had
| magic lantern lectures given for the boys,
and employed a teacher of embroidery for
| the girls. She conducted in person an even
| ing dancing class for factory lads and
| lassies and in her charm and grace. she
was the despair of even her most am
| bilious pupils.
| Then Eleanor March came into her life.
Miss March had been trained at Hull House
and in her quiet but forceful way she di.
rected Jessica's energies into more practical
| channels. She was calm, collected. compe-
| tent-and colorless. Her hair was drab, her
| skin a shade paler, her voice was supoueu,
| but her executive ability was marvellous; SO
were her great brown eyes, her one redeem
! ing physical feature And upon this altar OF
| competency Jessica Lane laid her supreme
| Lenten sacrifice. With all the tact at her
| command she brought Hugh Atherton and
Eleanor March together. They frequently
| dined together at her home, and on each OF
| these occasions Jessica appeared In her
most frivolous guise, in raiment obviously
| extravagant. When Atherton dropped into
| the chapel rooms at the close of his day S
| work she insisted that he and Miss March
should go for a run in the automobile, leaN-
| ing her to pay a call with DIR. Tiffany, winch
| could not be postponed another hour In
| truth she used the young physician so skill
fully as a fender between herself ana Ather-
| ton that the former was mised into a sec
| ond proposal Ne was bringing her down to
the chapel in her motor, which was at once
| the pride and the terror of the neighborhood
| mothers. She looked at him in dismay That
was genuine.
| Now. Teddy Tiffany, why must you spoil
| all our good times by being silly? l don't
| want to marry any one. In fact, L m thlnk-
| ing of being a deaconess. That would re-
move the temptation-and 1 like the uni
| form"
Dr. Tiffany looked at her in speechless
amazement Then her mood changed. Her
eyes filled with tears and her adorable chm
quivered just tritie.
ooh I don't to be cross, because L
owe you so much, You brought me down
here and taught me what useless butter-
fly creature l was. Oh, Teddy, do nave
carel You almost ran over Tony. ana
leaning over the side of the car she deity
swung the child. who had been watching her
with adoring eyes, to place OF safety at
her side.
And So in alternate periods of exhilara-
ton and depression, but with never a mo-
ments disloyalty to her work. Jesslca
watched Easter draw near. She loved the
children, she sympathized with the mothers
and her purse strings never frightened; but
she had fully decided to leave on Easter
Monday for visit with a school friend in
California One cannot be a Lenten sacrl-
fee forever and day. Beside, there was
Eleanor March-and Hugh Anterior. DIR.
Rumsey's health was improving and Ather-
ton was spending more and more time at the
chapel.
said good night, and Jessica turned back
to the chapel altar, above which hSht
burned dimly The altar was banked with
lnies-for which she had paid. In the next
room Eleanor March was drilling the boys
choir at a piano for which JeSSlca 1alher
had given check. There was a new en-
broidered altar cloth, to be used for the
first time on the morrow, the gift OF Jes-
slca's cooking club, whose meetings she
had not been able to attend since she took
up the chapel work. The girl VINO had just
said a reluctant good night would wear
hat the next morning which JeSSlca had
tbalV-and pNtrava2antlY. ana
vet she leaned somewhat Wearlly against
the altar rail.
ITS after 10, Miss Lane" said Hugh
Anterior, as he doomed up in the faint CIR
Gle of light. Are you ready to go homer,
~ am waiting for Dr. Tiffany-and l must
rearrange these lilies. The girls meant
we'll bless EN-, but their decorations look
tipsy.'
She bent to straighten up a mass of flow
ers and ferns but Atherton remained close
II wish you would let me help" he said,
"Oh, no-there is so lttle-and really you
ought to help Miss March with those boys
Just hear them shout l know it goes
through her head like knife
She stepped back to see the erect OF hef
work, and Anterior very gently but firmly
forced her into the first pew.
you are tired, your hands are trembling
and besides. need you more than MISS
March needs me. She is used to boys
'Yes?" answered Jessica family. 1t was
such a little way to the other end or the
pew. If only she could
Il suppose your father told you about the
yestry meeting last night? No? have re-
signed my work at st. Sebastians, and the
yestry not only accepted my resignation
but they have given me salary and
substantial check to help on the work here
at the chapel.
Again Jessica measured her chance for
escape She didn't want to hear of the
work he and Eleanor March would carry on
together She wished she had accepted her
friends invitation to see an Easter Sunday
In California. What in the world was keep
ing DR.. Tiffany?
"Why don't you speak," the man at her
side said II thought you would be pleased
"Oh, l am. l think 1t is perfectly splen-
did"
1T was you who showed me the way
down here" persisted Anterior. Il was in
the wrong groove at st. Sebastan's. My
work is among the poor. but 1t took wom-
an TO show me. And now are you willing
to stay and work with me?''
"I?" echoed Jessica, blankly. Why, I'm
going to California tomorrow"
But you are coming back some day-and
T ha inO I 7 WA