Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-09
X II
Dear Kate:

Dear Kate:
I am back in my old room and I guess
there Is where l belong. l did intend TO
stick, and didn't think I would ever see
this old room again, but here l am, and
guess here / will stay. You know l was
getting along real we'll in that place where
l worked, and things got much easier, as
1 kind of learned to save my steps and
plan the work, and II didn't make me so
tired as II did at first. L had saved up
twelve dollars too. and was going TO buy
Billy's winter clothes and send you FIVE,
then the darn thing fell. I had been over
on Sunday to see Billy and was chasing
along home about half past ten at night
along 33rd Street 70 catch the subway,
when one Of them old FOUNDERS passed me
by and stuck his old face down into mine
and as didn't say nothing, he kept chasing
after me and saying something in a low
voice. l pretended didn't hear and went
on n little faster and he kept right after
me. When we got near to Fourth avenue,
no came up close to me and said, Don't
be in such hurry, little girl" and I didn't
say nothing. then he stuck his face right
down into mine and said something, and
II Just made me sick, and before 1 knew
what did I slapped his dirty old mouth
for him. He stood still n minute and al
most turned white and then what do you
think the piker did? He called the cop
from the corner and had me arrested for
me and / told Casey he was n liar, and
Casey said to the man, Are you going TO
court and make a charge against this girl?"
And the man says, 81 am. and IL you don't
take her / will have you broke" l hon
estly think Casey believed me, but he
couldn't do nothing, and they took me down
to Jefferson Court. l hoped l would never
see that place again. but there | was with
the girls and the buns and the plain
closemen and the cops and the sinister law
ycrs and the probation officer who knew
me at once as your sister, and kinda felt
l was up against It,
But told my story straight to the Judge,
and tho man told his, and Of course the
Judge took his word against mine and he
fined me $40 or ten days. When I thought
of that $40 and what II meant and how
hard l had saved and scrimped for II, and
how ] had gone without things and that
Billy wouldn't have the winter things that
he ought to have, just lost my head and
told the Judge he was an old fool that If
| he couldn't tell a lie from tho truth he
had not orter be setting up there like an
| old brooding hen. l told him he didn't see
nothing but crooks, and he couldn't tell
| crook from a decent person. and then he
| got back at me by saying did I say ten
| dollars or ten days? I made n mistake
l meant $40 and ten days" and I had to
| go to the Island. l don't think was ever
| so broke up in my life. 1t didn't seem
j SUPPOSE
| did say things / shouldn't have cause I
was so mad 1 couldn't see and then
cried all night. I wrote a letter to NIrs
| Smith and told her Just how II was and
| asked her TO go and see the woman
worked for and tell her about IT, and not
| blame me. Now. Mrs. Smith believed me
| and came over to see on the Island but
| that other woman didn't believe me and
| went down to the night court and saw the
| probation officer and / guess she got the
| idea you built the jefferson Court with your
| hnes' Anyway, she said she didn't want
| me in her house no more. / guess she is
afraid would hurt the dishes When I
| got out l went up TO see her and her face
| was hard and nasty and she wouldn't take
| my word at all. I asked her II she seen
| a thing out OF the way for four months.
| II l hadn't done my work right and ~ I
| hadn't stayed in nights and been as good
as any girl she ever had. She said "ves''
to them all, but she didn't believe I'm an
| couraging vice and she never could toll
| what / might do because / come of a had
family. She got your record from A TO Y.
and she even knew about father ana sba
acted as IL she thought perhaps that ali
the cussedness of the family was stored
up In me and might have busted anv mimi
| Well 1t made me all sore, and I coma
right down to the old room and told Mrs
Murphy that she quite likely would have
me for the rest of her life 7 had oil =
| 4. rgs,, "eHt out Ihat night
to kellys dance hall and danced tiII Loo
ing time, trying to forget my troubles 7,
did make me forget. because I can dance
Kate, and IL / amt a fine dish wasbsr
nor Mt to be in somebody's kitchen. I snra
can tango hshed out all INV nrettS
clothes\ again and done them two maid's
dresses pp IN wad and threw them under
the bed. 1t Is me for the slit skirt ana
the high-heeled slippers, and | am goino
to be the best dancer on Broadway or know
the difference Yours, NANy
| (copyright. All rights reseryes)
| CONTINUED MONDAY