El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-06

- NE OF the first things a wouldbe
social helper must DO is 10 learn
TO discriminate not only between
the deserving and the undeserving, but
between those possible and impossible
TO assist in any way
It is heart breaking to have to refuse
help in necessity. yet. which is the
kinder course-to face ones limita-
lions and refuse to raise false hopes.
or to go on promising wildly. knowing
all the time that there Is no earthly
chance Of carrying out any OF ones
kindly but neoulous good intentions?
The other day, after a rather long
interval 7 called at a certain shop, and
made my way to the silk department
Here a pretty young girl served me
who has always been a favOrite Of mine A..
she is a charming, dainty little crea-
ture, compelled by adverse circumstan-
ces TO earn her living.
To my sorrow a great change had
come over her since saw her last;
all the brightness was gone from her
sweet face. and her eyes were filled
with a heavy, dull fatigue born Of
tears and night Wakefulness. There
were bands OF crepe on the neat black
dress.
It was early in the morning and I
was able TO keep her to myself for
few minutes chat at the end of the
ribbon counter. Her pitiful story came
in few words, with stifled sobs be-
Not long after I last saw you a lady
called here" she said. Very rich
splendidly dressed-and didn't mind
how much money she spent
she seemed to take q fancy to me:
asked permission to have me show her
all around the different departments,
and spent no end Of money. One day
she took me out to lunch with her
and then invited me to her own place
the loveliest flat you ever saw, where
she was living alone with two maids
just in passing, she told me, for g
month or two.
I found that she was a widow with
one married daughter, and very lone
~ She made me tell her everything
again a little culver in the sad, girlish
roice-"and said poor darling Lillian
nv invalid sister. you knOW-should
have the best doctors. We were to
90 with her to the country and stay
there till Lillian grew strong again
Imagine how excited ] was!
rushed off home and told Lily all
about it. and We STAYED awake all
night I'm afraid, weaving plans-I
nearly gave notice here, but had the
sense to wait till things were definite
" settled.
Mrs. -- called again and asked me
to spend Sunday with her, and told me
we should want lots of new clothes.
and were to get them and send her the
bills Luckily. too 1 didn't quite like
that idea. but preferred to wait until
we were living together, and 1 could
make some return for her kindness
After that IL was nearly a month be-
fore I saw her again Then she sud
denly turned up one morning to buy
some odds and ends. and was quite diff
ferent in her manner to me
Il couldn't help asking If I had dole
anything to offend her You can i'm
agine how awful I felt about II, with
Lily fretting herself TO death in our
little attic bed-sitting room
NO. she said. there's nothing the
matter, but I have to go away on
business for a week or two-quite IN
expectedly. I'll write to you-and send
for you, perhaps, when I get settled
Ny daughter wants me to live near her
so I'm giving Up my fiat Goodbye
Miss - I viii write YOU later on
Give my love TO your sister
"She even had the heart to say that
Well. weeks passed, and nothing
happened. except that Lily got worse.
Then I saw Mrs. - on the street