The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-11
JUST A GIRL
HAROLD MoORE's KINDNESS.
Blu JANE PHELPS
CHAPTER So.

! HAROLD MOORE'S KINDNESS.
CHAPTER So.
| Mother was i'll. She had made light
of her indisposition in her letter, but
1 was sure she was much more seri-
ously i'll tnan she admitted. 1 worried
I constantly L could not go to her-the
expense, the loss of time, was prohib-
tive. OF course if she grew worse. I
would go. 1 would pawn everything 1
| had if necessary.
No news is good news" Harold
! Moore said. had told him of mother S
| illness, and he had been very sympa-
thetic.
Perhaps - usually. But mother
would keep her illness from mel
mean if it were serious-just as long
as she could"
What is it. Zena THE expense
keeps you from going to her."
Yes" What use to prevaricate =?
/ He was also poor; he would under
stand.
Il have no money, Zena, or it would
/ be yours. think you know that. But
il you want to go to her. think / can
borrow some for you. I never have
asked a favor. and 1 don't think they
would refuse to advance me a months
salary
/ OF course I refused his offer, yet 1
liked him better than ever before be-
/ cause of it. He was too proud, too
| Independent. to ask a favor for him
self, yet he cared enough for me to put
! himself in that position. 1t was won,
derfully kind of him. 1 told Mary 1t
I was only fair to do so as she knew all
that had passed between US.
1T was good of him. Zena. 1 guess
/ they is some good In folks if we can
find it. But it is another sign that he
is in love with you. If you let him do
J things for you. it will be dom what
you said you wouldn't-encouragi of
him.
Il sharit take his money, Mary. If
mother is worse SHAWL pawn what 1
have to go to her. 1 will not run i'll
| debt-to anyone
That had been one thing which
/ frightened me. 1 had heard the girls
in the restaurant talk of being in debt:
/ of their struggles to repay what they
/ had borrowed. and so forth. I-had de-
termined that on no account would l
| get into debt. I would and could go
without, but L could not have endured
the worry the girls spoke of, the duns,
! the subterfuges.
Then one day mother wrote she was
better:
| but now am sitting up. Aunt Susan
| has been an angel to me. You need
! never worry about me. Some day
, when / am gone, you may be able
/ to repay her in a measurement with
| money. but by care. Her little
place is delishtfui now. and sit at
| the window and watch the trees
full of blossoms. There is flow
! ering bush right outside, gay with
| red flowers. a bowl of pansies is
| on the table before me, and "a
! chicken is stewing in the kitchen
rTEI- h.
! hungry. 1 only hope. my dear, that
you are as comfortable"
| There was much more, but I swat
lowed a big lump in my throat as 4
read of the flowers. the pansies, the
| chicken (stewing for broth. / thought
of the view from my window-dirty
back yards, lines of clothes Tapping in
the breeze, bottles on window lodges.
land od0rs-smeIls of stale food and
dirty carpets. I felt the tears Of self
pity on my cheeks. and ashamedly
wiped them away. It wasn't that l
envied mother. No one will ever know
! how glad I was that she had these
simple necessities to help her forget
the luxuries she must have SO soreIy
missed But I. too. longed for some
thing of beauty in my life, for flowers
and dainty food.
I You little gooseH' exclaimed. ris-
ing to put the letter away. You'll
have these things some day II you
don't lose your grit. Crying won't
give them to you, tho"
! "Talkin' to yourself! Sorry you amt
got better company" Mary had come
in so quietly I had not heard. Whats
wrong? Your mother worse? You've
been cryin'!"
NO. mother is all right. I'll read
you what she says" I read the para
graphs I have quoted.
hot
don't see anythin' in that to make you
cry"
IT am so glad mother is becomine
contented, Mary. Just mink of the
good people there are in the world
Aunt Susan never knew us at all unit
we were in trouble. and she has beer
so kind
Don't the Bible tell somethin' about
them what can't take care of them
selves being took care-of2
yes. Mary. It's true, too"
(Tomorrow-A proposal.)