Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-28

were arranged in orderly neatness. and
the everyday china was shining On Its
particular shelf. but of provisions there
were none to mention.
The bread box was empty as well as
the cake box and the cooky can. The
tea canister held only dust of tea on
the bottom. and the coffee jar had been
empty for two weeks.
This was the day that Ahelia had
held out against for weeks. little by
little her store of ready money had
dwiudled until at last there remained
only 10 cents in her little beaded purse.
Adeia was, proud, and she was now
poor, since she had received a letter
from New York saying that the rail-
road stock whose dividends provided
her modest income was quite worth
less now. Without the semiannuai
dividend. which was due now. Adelia
was penniIess. She owned the little
house where she lived. for she had in
herited it from Aunt Rebecca York.
whom she had nursed through an irri-
table and eccentric old age and whose
death did not bring TO light half Of the
securities which her will had named as
Adelia's portion.
81 must go to Mr. Brown and see IL
l cannot get loan on the house, y
sighed Adelia as she closed the pantry
door and sank weakly into a rocking
chair.
To her dismay. the office door was
IA h. coi1 1o
Mr.. Brown had gone to Albany on
business and would return two days
later
Adelia smiled bitterly as she turned
away. Mr.. Brown had been her last
hope. He was the principal business
man of the little village. and to none
other would she have conflded the des'
perate condition of her affairs. Fool
ish she might have been. absurdly
proud she undoubtedly was. but the
Yorks were all that way, and Adelia
was a York to the very marrow Of heI
delicate bones.
She stepped slowly up the brick
paved street toward her little home
now and then pausing to give greeting
to some friend or neighbor.
Miss Cherry Downs popped her head
out of the door and urged her 10 come
in and stay for supper
I'm all alone. Adela." she insisted
| I'm going to have some warmed owe
succotash and a peach shortcake.
! feel too mean for anything eating i
/ alone"
! Adelia flushed warmly, but size shool
! her head I'm sorry. Cherry, but
| put some biscuits to raise. and l mus
get home at once. Thank you just thu
same" she ended. hurrying away.
Adelia FASTENED home, conscienc,
stricken at the untruth she had Spoken
! about the biscuit Her pride was a
the bottom of it all. she told hersel
remorsefully as she entered the house
Her mouth had watered at Cherry
invitation to supper, but pride hat
risen like a wall before her.
Il wasn't too proud to tell lie" Sh
dashed her conscience with this thought
She felt faint and cold and almost Il
from lack Of food. The hens had sud
denly ceased TO lay, and she was gla'
of it. She had reyolted against eggs
but they had kept up her strength.
Adela went out to the back porch t
bring in her bread and tea which tn
groceryman must have delivered b.
this time There were some cans o
fruit in the cellar left over from las
winter. She decided that she woul'
have a cup of tea and some bread an,
beach plum jam for her supper.
On the wooden bench on the bacl
porch was a big basket, and 1t wa
generously heaped with packages an
parcels of groceries.
Adelia gasped The new man ha
made mistake. He had left some
body else's order. and her miserabl
pittance of bread and tea had gon
elsewhere.
She logged the basket into the kitcf
en- and locked the door. Then Adeli
York did a strange thing. She put a
the packages away in her pantry an
hid the basket in the cellar Whe
she painted up the stairs once more sh
looked into the pantry and made IL
ventory Of the provisions There wer
-four and sugar and butter and bakin
powder. tea and coffee and cracker
and rice and cereal. jars and cans o
dried beef and goldfish. and wrapped |
separate paper was fine porter
house steak.
Adelia stood with locked fingers an
compressed lips. These things belong
ed to her neighbor Mrs. Mason. Th
, Masons were generous livers. Wha
would Mrs. Mason think of her? Whs
would any one think of her?
AdeIia's pride forbade her giving 1
to her pleading conscience. She steT
! ned briskly around. her red lips close
, In tight line of resistance. preparin
, the eTening meal. When she sat dow
to it she ate heartily. eating the juic
meat and drinking the fragrant coffe
until her hunger was appeased.
, II was not until she had washed th
dishes and put them away and 50
I. down with folded hands that Adeli
actually realized the enormity Of he
: offense
: The next morning she arose yer
3 early. and without eating q morsel st
went TO the china cupboard in the dii
ing room and took down Aunt Rebe
cas- britannia teapot. This teapot VI