Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-28

THEIR MARRIED LIFE"
Cepyright By Inseraztioa=a News Service

But 1 don't want to butt in" Helen
declared. And besides" she said
smiling a little, II haven't much
money, so you needn't be afraid to let
me come in for a few minutes. I'm
awfully warm"
The woman was evidently surprised
at these tactics and opened the door
a little wider. For a moment she
stood inspecting Helen from head TO
foot and then with bitter laugh, she
opened the door wide enough to enter.
Its so hot out to-day, Helen re-
marked, looking about out or the
corner of her eye. although she pre-
tended to be looking straight into the
ewes of the woman who started at her
belIigerently. May 1 sit down ?"
The woman placed chair and sat
down awkwardly on a stool opposite
Helen.
what do you want with me?" she he
asked again. II know the line of talk
you're going to hand out, all about try
ing to live better, and making the best
of what 1 got. / guess you ain I never
had as little as I have, or you wouldn
be coming around here bothering me,
A New Situation
The room where Helen was sitting
was small and dark. The light came
from the back, and there was only
one window. There were very few
pieces of furniture, but the room was
comparatively tidy, at least 1t was a
welcome relief from the dirt and hlth
outside.
II suppose you want to ask me about
nv husband" the woman interrupted
Helen's thoughts, "and if he is giving
me enough to live on. Well, he ain I,
there's another woman now, one OF
them cheap little girls he met at a
corner. The last woman who came
here to see me, wanted me 70 Try 10
make the place more inviting for him.
They said it was my, fault that a wo-
man could do anything these days
Go on, II you have some of that stun,
I'll hear you, then you can get out and
leave me alone"
But I don't want to tell you any OF
those things Helen said quickly
why should 1? I didn't even know
your husband wasn't good to you
They didn't tell me-
Helen was thinking rapidly. For
the first time in her life she realized
what it was to be poor, and to have
outside interference coupled with the
troubles that came from within. Per-
haps the Current Events Club did not
realize that in a case of this kind any
good that 1t might do must be accom-
plished carefully. Already they had
done more to make this woman bitter
than to help her.
IT was asked to come to see you,
Helen explained, choosing her words
carefully, and I thought you might
tell me little bit about yourself and
I could tell you little bit about my
self, and we might get to know each
other. I think you could help me as
much as could help you"
The woman looked at her incredu-
lously.
ct mean it," Helen went on. 81
know what you need. You'd like to
make a little money in your spare
time, so that you could be more inde-
pendent"
What could I do?" the woman said
scornfully, although Helen noticed
that a trace of interest had come into
her face. Again Helen thought rapid
ly. If the woman could sew, plenty of
plain sewing might be had for her. 1t
seemed that what was needed here was
little interest in life. independence,
perhaps, surely not patronage. AS for
improving the woman's domestic af-
fairs, that would come later.
(Another incident in this interesting
series will appear here soon.)