The Detroit times., 1915-08-13

nave oeen weit put In the beginning
Two weeks after l had been sent
for. and had visited the offices Of
"Chic," / started to work In the art
department. AS matter OF fact,
the drawings I was given to make
were no more interesting than those
! had had to do for Carroll 4 Bros.
But there was such q difference In
my surroundings! At Carroll 4
Bros. sat all day In corner of
an Italian designers once; my only
visitors statesmen of buttons and
tapes. and the tailors who work In
the factory department Of the es-
adjustment. In the ofices OF the
"Chic" my fellow workers were
young men and women Of some
education and pleasant manners.
who. like myself. hoped to become
illustrators and artists some day.
Our present employment We hoped
to make but rung on the ladder Of
success. And the men and women
for whom we worked. editors and
writer's. were pleasant, thoughtful
people who were always courteous
and never over-exacting In their de-
mands. In consequence Of, all Of
which my spirits rose with each day
Of my work.
And IL was well for me my days
were now to be spent In such q de-
sirable environment. for at home
things were going from bad to
worse. Shortly after Hattie's mar,
riage. father and had received q
frantic letter from M mother. She
had been visiting some friends OF
hers in the country who had money.
Marta. my sister.in-law. generous ~
always. had also been sending her
q little income, so that she should
not be utterly without funds. But
now my mother demanded that my
father take care Of her once more.
And this he was practically un-
abls to do. Struggling against rap.
idly failing health. he was making
every effort to keep his head imam.
cially above water. And !. who now
saw him constantly. could not but
marvel At the tenacity Of his tight
against fate. As factor in the
business world he was doomed. But
he refused to give up hope. He
wa now quite feeble and very
nervous. so that he occasionally
stumbled when he walked and his
words no longer came clearly and
concisely. Yet. day after day. he
persisted In haunting the Offices OF
the men with whom in years gone
by he had done business. And
whether from sheer perseverance or
. little luck. or perhaps from both.
he did manage to attain small in.
come. But II was really only just
enough to enable him TO eat, pay
his own carfare. and clothe himself.
That he should contribute any sum
Of any size to the support Of my
mother was absolutely out of the
question. But my poor father had
not the courage to tell her so.
Il was I who. after considerable
thought and not without heart.
ache. wrote and told my mother OF
fathers financial predicament and
offered her home with us. At
once In reply to my letter. I re-
ceived q quite pitiful one from my
mother telling me she had not even
carfare to reach the city and the
refuge Of the tiny fiat where father
and ] were.
Il was taking every cent OF my
saliry for living expenses. But
won't to my art editor. explained the
situation briefly to him, and he ad-
vanced me ten dollars with the un-
derstanding that II was to be taken
from what earned each week In
small remittances.
The night after had telesraphed
this money to my mother. she ar
rived. I do not think ever shall
forget that hrst hour father and
spent with her. fancy she had
had some idea that, one way or IN.
other. father and were enjoying q
very comfortable income; had .
more than comfortable home. and
had been selnshly trying to exclude
her from It. Perhaps It was this
notion which had given her letters
such an over-bearing tone. But per.
sonally. had not realized the pos
sibility Of her thinking any such
thing until that nrst night when she
dined with us. Her mental pictures
Of our probable comfort compared
to the reality OF our simple mode of
life must have been severe shock
TO her.
For a time she said nothing after
she had taken on her hat and coat.
I had to leave her alone while I got
our dinner. Then she followed me
into the kitchen.
"0ood heavens! Beth" she On.
claimed. you don't mean TO tell me
you have been living In this nor.
ribIe little place all this time? Why,
It's nothing but a common nat. No
hall service; and wish you could
have seen the sticky, dirty children
playing In the vestibuIe when l
camc In. Beth, I could not stay
here. Whatever has got into your
father TO think III How does he
stand III"