The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-10-31
Adelia YOrk'S
Pride
One Good Deed De-
serves Another
By CLARISSA MACKIE

Adelia York looked very despairingly
around her Immediately clean and
quite bare pantry. Cooking utensils
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 Adelia had
held out against for weeks. Little by
little her store Of ready money had
dwindled until at last there remained
only Is cents in her little beaded purse.
Adelia was proud, and she was now
poor, since she had received q letter
from New York saying that the rail
road stock whose dividends provided
her modest income was quite worth
less now. Without the semiannual
dividend, which was due now, Adelia
was penniless. She owned the little
house where she lived, for she had in
herited 1t 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 II
l cannot get loan on the house."
sighed Adelia as she closed the pantry
door and sank weakly into rocking
chair.
To her dismay. the Office door was
locked and card on the door said that
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 confided 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 York to the very marrow Of her
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 to come
in and stay for supper.
"I'm all alone, Adelia," she insisted.
I'm going to have some warmed over
succotash and a peach shortcake.
feel too mean for anything eating 1t
alone"
Adelia flushed warmly. but she shook
her head. Pm sorry, Cherry. but
put some biscuits to raise. and l must
get home at once. Thank you just the
same" she ended, hurrying away.
Adelia fastened home, conscience
stricken at the untruth she had spoken
about the biscuit. Her pride was at
the bottom Of it all, she told herself
Her mouth had watered at Cherrys
invitation to supper, but pride had
risen like wall before her.
II wasn't too proud to tell a lie." She
dashed her conscience with this thought.
She felt faint and cold and almost Ill
from lack Of food. The hens had sud
denly ceased to lay, and she was glad
Of it. She had revolted against eggs,
but they had kept up her strength.
Adelia went out to the back porch to
bring in her bread and tea which the
groceryman must have delivered by
this time. There were some cans of
fruit in the cellar left over from last
winter She decided that she would
have cup of tea and some bread and
beach plum jam for her supper.
On the wooden bench on the back
porch was a big basket, and it was
generously heaped with packages and
parcels Of groceries.
Adelia gasped. The new man had
made mistake. He had left some
body else's order. and her miserable
pittance of bread and tea had gone
elsewhere.
She logged the basket into the kitch-
en- and locked the door. Then Adelia
OTh ulu a SttuhSC thihS' ohS put oi
the packages away in her pantry and
hid the basket in the cellar. When
she painted up the stairs once more she
looked into the pantry and made In
ventory of the provisions. There were
-four and sugar and butter and baking
powder, tea and coffee and crackers
and rice and cereal, jars and cans Of
dried beef and Goldfish. and wrapped In
a separate paper was a fine porter
house steak.
Adelia stood with locked fingers and
lips. These things belong
ed to her neighbor. Mrs. Mason. The
Masons were generous livers. What
would Mrs. Mason think Of her? What
would any one think Of her?
Adelia's pride forbade her giving In
to her pleading conscience She STEP
ped briskly around. her red lips closed
In a tight line of resistance. preparing
the evening meal. When she sat down
to It she ate heartily. eating the juicy
meat and drinking the fragrant coffee
until her hunger was appeased.
It was not until she had washed the
dishes and put them away and sat
down with folded hands that Adelia
actually realized the enormity Of her
Dffense.
Tho next morning she arose very