The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1916-07-05
GLAD TO Be OF USE
RICH WOMAN REALLY WANTED
TO HELP HER NEIGHBoR.
Offer Touched Victim of Accident
More Than All the Condolences
and Offers of Assistance She,
in a Measure, Expected.

1t was Sunday morning. Pa Jen-
kins, wearing kitchen apron, shirt
sleeves rolled up and his arms COW
cred to the elbow with -four, stood at
the kitchen table trying to make
bread. Ma sat nearby and directed
the operation.
ITO think l had to go and slip and
break that arm on Saturday be-
moaned ma, gazing disapprovingly at
her bandaged right arm, "and leave US
without any fresh baking for Sunday
well, your little o. ;:-Iliam is on
the job cheerfuily TN pa. "SIong's
I've got any muscle zen have bread :
He kneaded with added. energy.
"You must not work it as hard as
that" declared ma. 'Now cut it into
pieces and make loaves and then it'll
have to rise again. No-not like that.
That won't make nice-snaped loaf.
What's shape if It's good to eat?"
inquired pa you just stop worrying,
ma. Everything's going to be all right,
and you'd better lie down while.
Soon's I get this dough stuff of my
hands I'll make the beds"
"T do hope nobody'll come in today,
fused ma, thinking Of the undusted
house and her inability to provide re-
fresr.ments Pa meant well and was
more than willing to "do his durned-
est" but Of course he couldn't do
things right.
And company came! Word had
gone abroad that Ma Jenkins had SUI
fered an accident, so everybody called
all the neighbors and club women
and members Of the Ladies' Aid, and
the minister's wife and mother-in-
law.
Some brought flowers and others
brought such substantials as healthy
looking veal loaf, two beautiful loayes
Of homemade whole wheat bread, a
couple of pans Of home-baked rolls, a
huge loaf Of white bread, plateful OF
luscious looking currant jelly tarts,
glasses Of jelly and Jars Of fruit and
cookies galore. Besides the flowers
and the "eats" all brought condol-
ences and thrilling tales Of accidents
that had happened in other families,
related with much painful detail.
Finally the callers had ali departed
except one middle-aged, plainly
gowned woman whose limousine was
waiting for her. She was member
Of mas church, wealthy woman,
who seldom had anything to say and
who, rumor said, had started life in
very poor circumstances.
She had brought neither flowers nor
cake, and while others talked she sat
silent, looking her sympathy for ma.
When they were a1one-pa had gone
down cellar to attend to the furnace
she began to speak, hesitatingly, as If
It was difficult to find words to ex-
press her feelings.
81 didn't know there'd be so many
callers, right away" said the rich
woman. "And I didn't think Of bring
ing anything-like the rest did I'm
rather slow thinking about things that
way. But did think that might
come in and fix up yoar house. I'm
good at that"
"Now that's kind Of you," answered
ma, "but pas awful handy around the
house"
But e man isn't like woman to do
things" answered the caller, "and
know how a woman feels about her
house. Now there's the kitchen floor.
Couldn't scrub that for you. Let me
be Of some use.'
81 was simply dumfounded," said ma
to pa, afterward. But she really
meant it. And she's going to send one
of her maids over tomorrow to stay as
long as we need her. Now who'd think
a woman as rich as that would want
to scrub my kitchen floor for me?'
Even money can't keep a good
heart down." sententiously stated pa
Say, that was dinged good batch
of bread l turned out, all-right-all-right
now wasn't it?"-Philadelphia Bulle-
tin.