The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-24
(By Frank II. Sweet.)

+! the ponce would not enforce the beg
g1ng ordinance, she would. If the real
ly needy ones would stav aft home sha
would see that they were provided for;
# they infested the street, mo- a penny
should they have from her, and she
would see that they were arrested into
the bargain. So the blind, Lavender man
TOOK to wood carving, and they all
and were very unhappy.
one morning a woman in a bedrag-
gled black gown, and a veil with a hole
mat came just over the top of her nose,
made her way into Mrs. Stones office.
MRS. stone knew the type-husband, a
iabor1ng man, just dead; from three to
six young children-not one of earning
age.
| BE seated" said Mrs. Stone brisklv.
but not unkindly, and her limp guest
perched uncomfortably on the edge OF
the only chair, which was so located
a every ray of cold, gray light
searched out the line in. the visitors
race. What can I do for your"
Il want work." said the woman.
VIVA kind
ANY kind of work by the day."
Can you clean?"
"Wash well?"
Pretty WELL"
Cook? Z"
"Some-plain things"
you"
Mrs. Stone noted these "details in a
book, together with age, name, address
nativity, and then came down to more
interesting details.
How long have you lived here ?"
"A week"
Mrs. Stone raised her eyebrows.
h did you come from?"
h woman mentioned a nearby
town.
Why did you leave there?"
MY husband died."
How long agO?"
About three weeks"
How many children have you?"
Five"
ages, please"
"The oldest is ten"
Husband leave you anything? ?"
The woman hesitated.
Yes. a little" she said finally.
How much?"
paid the doctor, and I had a little
left"
"How much ?" came the
less question.
About three hundred dollars"
you have that?" =
INC, ma'am." 1a@f sf"-ei
"What did you do with it?"
"I bought something"
Indeed" Mrs. Stones pencil was
suspended in the air. WHAT"
"A sealskin sack"
"a what?" Mrs. Stone almost shout
ed.
The woman cast down her ayes. "a
sealskin ~sacQue," h repeated almost
inaudibly.
"Well, I declared" Mrs. Stone said
aloud. ga charwoman with a new
three hundred-dollar sealskin!" she
added to herself.
h went on to inquire. ITO your
work in the morning..
ooh, no, ma'am," continued the wo-
man, taking the question seriously. 81
wouldn't wear it every day. On Sun
DAYS I'll wear it sometimes, If it's not
too sunny and doesn't rain. They say
rain doesn't hurt 'em, but I wouldn't
takes the chances-and sun fades
'em."
what good is it to do you, then ?"
"Oh, I take it out of it's bag and
stroke it morning and night, and be-
tween whites when 1 have time. There
isn't much danger of its being stolen
one would suspect such a thing
in a place k ours; n IA thrash a
child within an inch of it's life who
dared tell of it. Fires the worst. 1
do dread fire. 1 wish I could insure
Mrs. stone was facing one Of the
Of her career.
ct don't understand 1t at ALL she
said, "why you should have spent
FOUR entire capital SO wastefuly and
so uselessly? You have nothing to
wear with the thing, and you come to
a. CndIlLdOlC
you"
eagerly, her face lighting UP. Il had
wanted a sealskin all my life. l was a
factory girl, and on my way home at
night I used to stop before the fur
shops and look in-all those lovely
and things-I wanted them all.
I'd have learned to sew fur, ana nave
but I was afraid I'd steal something.
Then I married John, and there was
nothing but hard work and babies.
Sometimes I couldn't get out to look
Then John died" The woman's face
was alight. Three hundred dollars
buy much for six. but IT
buy a sealskin. ina wanted II
money at one time before couldn't
i'll just had to buy It, L was
never so happy in my life as the night
[ wore 1t home, n I'm Just as happy
nv fingers to the bone for my children
but I suppose you won't help me to
get work now!"
The woman a risen from the
lively tapping the desk with her
- A.
Stone was thinking. sne vas remem-
ateIv widowed, were seeking forgetfui-
,ess in Europe, the meager allowance
rranted by the stingy departed having
multiplied by a generous court
While the estates were being settled.
Mrs. Stone might not be sympathetic,
mt she was logical n fair-minded.
ssThere's a 1anitorship vacant in al
which I might get for you," she
aid. 'It's sixty dollars a month. and
could live well on that. Are you
,trong enough to do h work. and will
ION do it we'll? OF curse IL you don't
10 IT well you'll simply be discharged,
nut I should dislike to recommend an
Incompetent person,
"Put me on trial." said the woman
Indeed, I'll do it well, and II
ro T,fo is old enough TO helm me some"