The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-27


 soon as they reached the room. II
 had scared her and she had come to
 me By now 1t was near twelve
 o'clock.
 A writer like Dickens. I suppose. at
 this stage in the game would have gone to the window stared silently out at the city with eyes that saw into a million homes. into mistletoe scenes and the like. Would have felt "the | great hush that lay over the town.
 For in few minutes the hour would strike and Christmas Day, with Its
 message of peace and good will to
 men," would begin. But I was only a doctor-with a damnably bitter mes sage to give. And standing by the window I only racked my brains for some other way out of the trouble. 'Well?' she asked from behind me.
 Its nervous prostration and a bad case She'll have to quit work. go to the country and stay there; get a good ! rest. Two months at least"
 How" she asked.
 This of course was the trouble.
 went over 1t all in my mind again.
 Hospitals won't take such cases-they- | Ire over-crowded at this time of the year. Charitable organizations won't send a girl to the country for two months free when the girl has $4S saved. At least not last winter. There were too many sick girls who hadn't | a cent. And what money l had, I had already used
 Have you no relatfves?" None"
 There was one of those long mean silences.
 "You mean that forty-eight dollars. !"
 I'm sorry. Yes.''
 Another tense silence She was quiet enough.
 helped. Anyhow, thanks for coming SO late at night. Perhaps you can come again tomorrow and tell me where to send her. What ought to give her tonight?'
 As I was giving a few brief direc- tions. the midnight bells began to strike.
 Some fool across the courtyard threw open wide his window and shouted Merry Christmas!" to some body rooming down below. Yes, the girl pulled through. 1t wip- cd out the money. of course They're living still in the same furnished room The younger one got back her Job in May.
 Tn August she came to me .'for a tonic-aE6 said they had already nine dolalrs saved. I've tried to make her change her job, but times are still hard and jots are few. So she'll prob what I can to pull her through this coming Merry Christmas. As to what yuo want to write there's no need of adding many facts Ask your readers to look for themsCives-while they shsp-as the faces behind the coun- ters.
 Only as a doctor I want to add this. Most people don't kEc " that In tene- ment rooms ans. ci.t ap boarding house rooms. thousands of men. women and young girls-some Eotiiing but kids lie sick and exhausted cn Christmas Day. I've heard bitter talk on sick beds. but none so batter as talk I've heard then. Hosr itals fill up way over their init Five or six hundred al least from New York's busy shops ar esick in bed for Q week or more. Probably clcse to C hundred die.
 For it's not only just a<teT Christ rushing city life. the keen autumn months and the nsS nth of December are the time to store up the strength that takes people through the raw r..onths ahead. Sap their strength at Chris. mas-and rntuI.onia finds easy victipis in March. s. Fhe shadow of Christmas is cast ahead E What's to be done about 1t, this jov- ial Christmas rush? O. course it's knotty problem Tine public, I sup In some way force the big stores by law 10 hire even zI.crc extra help than they do. and work them in day and evening shifts or cCuIse there is a way out, if the public cares 10 find it.
 "Ir's a pity some people may say. "so force such gloomy thoughts on us on Christmas Day lt's fine for hap piness. ChrisInias is-
 And il at z what was thinking my self. as I watched the white face of the child on the bed. Yes-ir's a knot " problem One of tnc kind that Chrsit. suppose, would be tacklins .f he were tcrc. on tkis mighty birth day of his-while his followers gather round Christmas trees to celebrate his name.