The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-05-12

:. But you must try to eat some
thing" as Laura held out her glass tor
more sherry. you shouldn't drink
that on an empty stomach"
ooh, il won't hurt me-" Then grim
ly, I'll take good big dose of chic
raj when / get home
Laura, you don't take chIoral?"
mot often, but I've got to sleep
now can't stay awake and worry all
night And in that wretched little
room-Oh, you don't know"
Stay here tonight; you can sleep
in my dressing room"
moi it'll be just that much harder
to go back in the morning"
Then I'm going home with you"
impulsively. Wen ride down on the
top of the bus, the air'll make you
sleepy. I'll tuck you in and wait until
you get dfowsy, so you'll not need
chloral tonight"
:. oh | shouldn't let you go-you're
never out so late alone
But Helen was determined. She
insisted on starting right after dinner
so they would. have plenty of time.
It was hot. sultry night, and the
bus tops were crowded,
When they left the bus, they walked
through several blocks of a dreary
boarding house district. On every
stoop sat tired, warm looking group,
driven out of their stuffy rooms by the
Sitting heat.
They paused before house a little
shabbier than the rest Two women
and man in shirtsleeyes moved aside
to allow them to pass.
Laura's room was the second story
back. AS she lit the gas, Helen looked
around with shuddering depression.
Scared wall paper, a narrow iron bed.
a bureau with handleless drawers, a
wash stand and two chairs.
-Four dollars a week." announced
Laura briefly. There's a place across
the street where I can get dinner for
40 cents.
What do you do for breakfast"
TWENTY-FIVE cents at the same
place, but now that I'm out of work,
I'll have crackers and milk in my
room"
For a moment the hopeless depres-
sion of it all overwhelmed Helen. Then
she forced brisk. cheerful:
well, we won't talk any more to-
night. You get in bed and I'll read to
you.
While Laura undressed, Helen look
ed across the cluttered back yard to
the dimly lit windows that gave
glimpses of other dismal rooms,
gloomily lighted with cherries, I'm,
shaded gas jets.
ooh. if I could only go to sleep and
never wake up" sighed Laura as she
got into bed.
That's foolish Things won't look
do. Now close your eyes" And
drawing a chair under, the Pickering
gas. Helen turned through the maya
zine she had brought with her.
Knowing there is a certain comfort
in reading about others more wrtech
ed than ones self she turned to {
story she had already read. a vivid
picture of a tenement family in sur
roundings more sordid than these.
Laura lay with closed eyes, but
Helen felt she was listening. The
story was long; it was after ten wher
she finished.
I'm all right now" drowsily. "Yor
mustn't stay any longer. l can't tel
you how good you've"
"Shsh. don't talk-youll only wake
yourself up. Phone me tomorrow. ant
let me know how you are"
- Helen turned off the gas, pushed
the shade higher to let in every
breath of air. and softly closed the
door after her.
There was no light in the halls
Holding to the banister, she gropee
down the dark stairs. The roomers
dreading to go to their heat-bakec
rooms. still fingered on the stoops