The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-12-29

NOT t'Wa|a MEAN HAPPINESS.
whea 1l.-f = c'clcc,5 the door bell
ran. f5c':n r9d T. answer It.
Il v"- the postpay With special
drI.rrr- faeic:. Mrs Florence Nor
rison" r"~+ tho address. Helen took
It l@"l a~j knocked o. "r'. N1r-:s-
On GnCr. There was no answsr at
fire., ara then a faint come in"
Nh. Dcrr.son was lying OF the bed,
With dishcveicd hair redeemed eyes
ed Il bottle Of smelling salts beside
her.
"This Just came" handing her the
letter. And then hcaitatingly. as she
turned to leave the room. Are you
i'll? T. there anything I can do?"
"NCt unless yCu stay with me a
little while; I've got the blues, l
gueea--,!O you ever have them?"
Helon smiled. Il think we all do"
Are Won busy Would you stay for
few moments?"
EXCEPT for occasionally meeting her
in the hall Helen had hardly seen Mrs.
Morrison since she rented the room.
She was al exemplary roomer. as she
made no demands or trouble and kept
wholly to herself.
And now Helen could not help but
be surprised at her unexpected re-
quest, TO stay with her
Don't you want to read your let
teri" taking low chair by her bed.
WHAT THE LETTER CONTAINED.
ooh, l know what it is. It's some
money one Of the girls at the store
owed me. She said she was going to
send it up tonight"
AS she carelessly tore open the en-
velope. two ten-dollar bills fell out
She glanced at the note that came
with them and handed it to Helen
with the remark:
She only gets six week"
Helen read the note wonderingly.
Dear Mrs. Morrison:
Il just got the check from home
cashed and am returning you the
twenty dollars you loaned me. 1t was
very good of you and it helped me
over very hard place. l know you
are sood to all the girls, but think
you are especially kind to me.
Gratefully.
NELLIE M. RYNE."
ooh, that WAS kind of YOU" said
Helen impulsively, handing back the
note.
Mrs Morrison shrugged her Shout
ders.
'Oh, I am so sick and tired of the
whole thing! If I dared I'd throw it
up tomorrow. But you can't throw
up sixty dollar week job, when
you haven't any more than I have"
Sixty dollars a week! murmured
Helen. 1t seemed great deal for a
woman to make. And her heart leap
ed with the thought of all she could
do if only she could earn half that.
eyes 7 SuDnOSp if does seem 1Ot
and yet it isn't-when you come to
think Of it. I've had sixty dollars a
week for two years and l haven't
saved two hundred"
Helen made no comment. But she
could not help but glance around the
disOrdered room. Everywhere were
evidences of careless eXtravagances.
Some expensive furs were thrown
over a chair, a heap of lace frilled
lingerie lay on another, and through
the open door of the closet could be
seen half dozen evening gowns hung
in crowded disorder.
"Oh yes, | know" as though reading
her thoughts. Il spend a lot on
clothes. But why shouldn't 1? l must
have clothes to go out-that is the
only diversion have. This is the first
evening for a week that | have not
been out, and l have a headache and
the blues"
But do you think it is good for
you to be out every evening when you
work so hard during the day." asked
Helen.
"Oh. I know it's not good for me.
| suppose | am burning the candle at
both ends. But what's the differ
ence?" bitterly. There's nobody to
care-a-nd l will soon be old, any
way. | might as we'll go out while I
can"
PATHETIC WORDS.
oh, don't! you must not look at it
like that"
Mrs. Morrison shrugged her Shout
ders.
lit is the truth. | am thirty-eight-
and look it when | am not made up"
with laugh. Il can't bear to stop at
home and think that in a few years
| will be old and alone Oh, it is
hideous for a woman to grow old
ALONE! YOU'VE got your husband
an; YOUR child; you can grow old
gracefully"
But you have your work." said
Helen, and your independence. You
are earning sixty dollars a week"
Work. bitterly. That daily grind?
The jealousy, the chickering's of 9TH
ers. You don't know what it means.
oh, ! loath it,
When YOU get up in the morning
and don't feel we'll, you can put on a