Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-03-20
HcIen's Mother Reluctantly Appeals
to Her For Help In Il Financial Way


Helen laid down her mothers let
ter and went over to the window.
Pressing her hot cheek against the
chill pane OF glass. she gazed down
at the street with its ragged piles OF
xoiled snow.
An old woman with a shawl over
her bent head and a large basket on
her arm was hurryIng by. The wind
whipped out her thin skirt, showing
her begrudged petticoat and her
slattern shoes.
and then turned back to the letter.
A few moments before she had
opened it with the pleasant eX-
pectancy of her mothers usual
cheerful, home-newsy letter. But
the news this had brought had left
her crushed, bewildered.
That her fathers practice was not
what it had been and that he was
not very strong Helen knew. But
that things should be so bad-it
came as a staggering shock.
She must either ask Warren for
money to help, them-or the home
must be mortgaged. That was the
appalling alternative this letter put
before her.
Torn with conflicting impulses
Helen walked distractedly from one
window to the other She must
help them-she MUSTi Yet how
could she. put this extra burden
upon WARREN? All winter he had
been complaining that bUciness was
bad. How could she go to him with
this?
Again she took up the letter.
Carterstown, No.
Monday. Feb %.
Dear Helen--I cannot tell you
how hard it is for me TO write this
letter But when I see that this
worry is killing your father l feel
that now you ought to know.
For the last few months he has
been far from well, and his hearing
is much worse. This deafness, of
course, interferes with his prac-
tice, and has lost him many pa
uents. wrote you of the new doc
tor who has opened up an office here.
He has a car, and keeps a young
woman attendant in his office. All of
the new people are going to him, and
some OF your fathers old patients.
Helen, things have become so
bad that unless you can help us a
little now we will have to mortgage
the home. And I'm afraid OF the ef-
feet that will have on your father
You remember the lot in North
Main street? Well, we mortgaged
that a year ago last Fall. did not
tell you then, for 1 thought things
would be better. and I did not want
to worry you needlessly.
] know what a shock this will be.
and how you will dread to ask help of
Warren. l know how you shrink from
asking him for money, and l never
thought you would ever have to ask
for a cent for us.
or course, everything we have will
some day be yours, and II you talk it
over with Warren he may be willing
to take a small mortgage on the
house. We would much rather feel
that it was with you than with strang-
crs.
Yet Warren may not be willing to
do this, for l have heard him say that
he did not believe in any kind of bust
ness dealings with relatives. He might
rather loan your father a smaller sum
outright. Two hundred dollars,
think, would be enough to carry us
through the rest of the winter and
Spring.
When the warm weather comes
your father can get around better.
and then we Will make something from
the garden and chickens. This year
I'll put UP lot of jelly and preserves,
] sold all made last summer and
had orders for more.
cannot bear to think that we shall
ever become real burden on YOU and
Warren. 1t would kill your father.
But II we could get along without taxi
ing the mortgage, II you could help
US a little through this winter, I think
then we can help ourselves.
Cannot write more now, for he has
5ust come in with one of his sick
headaches. He has them so often,
they seem to be growing worse all the
time. I think that is what affects his
hearing. I want him to go to the new