The Washington herald., 1913-12-28
: JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

by JULIA OhANbLER 1hA-N6
It was several days after the Christmas
holidays before the Helping Hand Circle
of the Daughters of the King met to re-
port the results of their work of charity
for those who would have had no gifts at
ali, when all the worlds a-giving. had IL
not been for the kindly thoughts and
generous hearts of other folk.
This year the Helping Hand Circle un-
dertook a very long list OF unfortunates
for the dispensation OF Christmas char
ity and when the discussion arose Of the
very best way to use the money allotted
each person or family on the list, II took
deal of time to decide what would be
best to do for Miss Priscilla, an impe-
cunious old maid, who is a wee bit SEN
sitiye when insinuation that she is not
able to earn a very good living drifts her
way, all of which does not alter the fact
that she lives mostly on stale rolls and
tea one-half of the year, which scant diet
Is varied by toast and tea for the other
six months, for, as the Helping Circle
pointed out when she came up for dis
eussion at their pre-holiday meeting. she
is a "fastidious piece" and quite deserves
to starye, for many a time had they heard
of her putting the flimsy earnings re-
ceived from her tatting and Irish crochet
into flower seed for her crazy little gar
den,' or some other such impractical
foolshness.
Miss Priscilla lives quite alone In a lit
tie board house which Is as innocent OF
paint or whitewash as the Helping Hand
Circle is innocent of stinginess, which is
saying a great deal, for this particular
branch of the Daughters of the King Is
known far and near for the generosity Of
its giving.
So no one was surprised when little
Mrs. Kingsley. the president of the cir
Gle, announced that a full s. was avail
able for making Miss Priscilla happy dur
ing this dear season of good will to men.
should Consider Recipient.
Then 1 vote VIC appoint a committee to
go out and spend every red penny of 1t
in provisions, else she'll be eating tea
and toast the next six months without a
single interruption voted the most prac-
teal member OF the circle. but little Mrs.
Kingsley said that Christmas giving to
bring happiness should embrace the
thing that the recipient most wanted, in
which suggestion so many agreed that
it was finally voted that a committee wait
upon the spinster lady at the end of the
village street and extract from her what
she did most want from the good Santa
Claus.
When the ladies called they found Miss
Priscilla a little more anaemic than ever;
a little morefeeble; and a little more reti-
cent in expressing her personal desires,
so the outcome of the matter was that
they learned nothing at all from their
visit, from which the most practical men,
Der of the Helping Hand Circle asserted
IL as her opinion that the desire closest
TO the heart of the impecunious old maid
transcribed all 'the other absurdities of
her fastidious life. else why did she just
lie there in bed and smile at her callers
in that strange. radiant way OF hers, and
when she was told that five whole dollars
had been set aside by the ladies Of the
little town to make her Christmas happy,
why had she suddenly stretched out her
long, bony hand with an eagerness too
obvious to be mistaken, Withdrawing II
with an equally great embarrassment.
There was no doubt about it. Miss Pris-
ella was dreaming some wild. fantastic
dream of Santa Claus, and it was the
opinion of the speaker that the ladies of
the Helping Hand Circle would be doing
very wrong indeed to turn so much money
over into the spinster's impractical hands.
In spite of this protest the kindly Mrs.
Kingsley had stuck to her original claim