Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-26
Copyrighted. 1907. by E. c. Parcells.

gled black gown and a veil with hole that came just over the tip of her nose made her way into Mrs. Stones office. Mrs. Stone knew the type-husband, a laboring man, just dead; from three to six young children, not one of earning age.
 Be seated" said Mrs. Stone brusque. ly, but not unkindly, and her limp guest perched uncomfortably on the edge of the only chair, which was so located that every ray of cold gray light searched out the lines in the vis' itor's face. "What can do for you" q want work" said the woman.
 ''What kind?"
 "Any kind of work by the day"
 'Can you clean?"
 "Yes."
 "Wash well?"
 "Pretty we'll"
 Cook"
 "Some-plain things"
 "H'm-cleaning would be best for you"
 Mrs. Stone noted these details in book, together with age, name, ad- dress, nativity, and then came down to more interesting details.
 "How long have you lived here?" "A week."
 Mrs. Stone raised her eyebrows.
 "Where did you come from"
 The woman mentioned a nearby town.
 "Why did you leave therew
 "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?"
 "Well, the society buried him and paid the doctor, and I had little left" "How much?" came the remorseless question.
 About $500"
 "You have that?"
 "No, ma'am."
 "What did you do with itg'
 'I bought something" "Indeedw Mrs. Stones pencil was suspended in the air. "What2'
 "A sealskin sack"
 "A what" Mrs. Stone almost shout. ed.
 The woman cast down her eyes. "A sealskin sack" she repeated almost in- audibly.
 "well, I declarew Mrs. Stone said aloud. "A charwoman with new $500 sealskinI' she added to herself. "when do you propose to wear it." she went on to inquire-"to your work in the morningT
 "Oh, no, ma'am." continued the wo- man, taking the question seriously. "I wouldn't wear it every day. On Sum- days I'll wear it sometimes, if it's not too sunny and doesn't rain. They say rain doesn't hurt 'em, but wouldn't take the chances-and sun fades 'em." "what good is it to do you, thenF
 ooh, I take it out of its bag and stroke 1t morning and night and be- tween whiles when I have time. There isn't much danger of its being stolen No one would suspect such a thing in a place like ours, and I'd thrash a child within an inch of its life who dared tell of it. Fires the worst. I do dread fire. wish I could insure it" Mrs. Stone was facing one of the problems of her career
 'I don't understand it at all," she said. "why you should have spent your entire capital So wastefully and so uselesslyi You have nothing to wear with the thing. and you come to a charitable association to get work for you"
 ~TH tell you" said the woman eager ly. her face lighting up. T had want cd sealskin all my life I was fac tory girl. and on my way home at night I used to stop before the fur shops and look in-an those lovely capes and things-I wanted them all I'd have learned to sew fur and have worked In fur shop if I'd have dared but was afraid I'd steal something Then I married John. and there was nothing but hard wo-k and bahies- Sonstfues I couldn't get ogt to look t1 a fur window for q week at a tine. Then Joan dieL~ The EO1z1is face was sligat Thres hundred dol- lars Wo7Idn't bgT u8ca fer six. but | wogld bgy a sezlskfR- I wanted it a8 uy Hfes I never had % Euch uo1ey at oze tf1e bsfo-e-I cszidat belp It. I fast had to b1y IL wss never % \ kzpPy h zy life as the nlght wore r
 1e. and Tn 5zs- as haPqy vith t
 r- I'd do II again n wszk ET
 sz ts the bee fsr ET chEdrs1.