Omaha daily bee., 1918-09-04
' Author Of "Pollyanna."

9the next morning and was gone near
ly all day, coming home only for q
hurried luncheon. It being Saturday
the Martin girls were both there to
care for Father Duff and the house
Not until some days later did Mr.,
Smith suspect that he had learned
the reason for all this. Then thin
faced young girl with tired eyes came
| to tea one evening and was introduced
| to him as Miss Carrie Davis. Later
when Miss Maggie had gone upstairs
to put Father Duff to bed, Mr.. Smith
heard Carrie Davis telling Annabelle
Martin all about how kind Miss Mag
gle had been to Nellie, finding her all
that embroidery to do for that rich
Mrs. Gaylord. and how wonderful it
was that she had been able to get
such splendid job for Sam right in
Hooper's store where she was.
Mr.. Smith thought he understood
then Miss Maggie's long absence on
Saturday. e
Mr.. Smith was often running across
little kindnesses that Miss Maggie
had done. He began to think that
Miss Maggie must be q very chari-
table person--until he ran across sew
eral cases that she had not helped.
Then he did not know exactly what
to think.
His first experience OF this kind
was when he met an unmistakably
"down-and-out"" on the street one day,
begging clothing, food, anything, and
telling,a sorry tale of his unjust dis
charge from a local factory. Mr..
Smith gave the man dollar, and sent
him to Miss Maggie. He happened
to know that Father Duff had dis
carded an old suit that morning
and Father Duff and the beggar might
have been taken for twins as to size.
On the way home little later he met
the beggar returning, just as forlorn,
and even more hungry-looking.
"Well my good fellow, couldn't
she fix you up?" questioned Mr.. Smith
in some surprise.
Elk me upI glowered the man
disdainfully. mot much she did! She
didn't fix me up ter nothin'-but chin
musicP
And Mr.. Smith had thought Miss
Maggie so charitable!
A few days later he heard an eager
eyed young woman begging Miss
Maggie for contribution to the PEN
sion Fund fair in behalf of the under
paid shopgirls in Daly's. Days was
Hillerton department store, notorious
tor its unfair treatment of its EN-
ployes.
Miss Maggie seemed interested and
asked many questions. The eager
eyed young woman became even
more eager-eyed and told Miss Mag
gies all about the long hours, the
nerve-wearing labor, the low wages
wages upon which it was impossible
for any girl to live decently-wages
whose meagerness sent many a girl
to her ruin.
Miss Maggie listened attentively
and said, "Yes, yes, I see," several
times. But in the end the eager
eyed young woman went away empty
handed and sad-eyed, and Mr.. Smith
frowned again.
He had thought Miss Maggie so
kind-heartedl She gave to some fairs
why not to this one? As soon as
possible Mr.. Smith hunted up the
eager-eyed young womna and gave
her $40. He would have given her
more, but he had learned from un-
pleasant experience that large gifts
from unpretentious Mr.. John Smith
brought comments and curiosity not
always agreeable.
1t was not until many weeks later
that Mr.. Smith chanced to hear of the
complete change of policy of Daly's
department store. Hours were short
ened, labor lightened, and wages
raised. Incidentally he learned it
had all started from crusade of
women's clubs and church committees
who had "got after old Daily" and
threatened all sorts of publicity and
unpleasantness if the wrongs were
not righted at once. He learend
also that the leader in the forefront of