Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1922-11-30
The Clubn1an's
View
BY JOHN PALMER


smoked his dollar cigar in the club
window. " ell, let HE put 1t to yeH
straight, Jepson.- Pm as charitable as
most men, hope, and when | see
case of real distress I'll open my
pockets wide. But my experience is
I've always been fooled That's why
I've drawn my purse-strings tight"
He shifted his cigar from one side of
his mouth to. the other.
you see, Jepson," he continued,
''the Charity Organization society
takes care of the really deserving
cases, and substitute them-yes, you'd
be surprised if you knew how much
I contribute every year. And l have
helped deserving cases too. But no.
bOdy's going to impose on Edgar
Applejohn again in this land of work.
for-all."
That's all right" answered Jepson,
"but what the organized charities
don't cover is cases where the deserv-
ing poor are prevented from applying
for aid by reason of pride; special
cases, too, where the ordinary rules
don't apply. I know of one such
case.
'.Tell me-" Appleton grunted.
"Picture a woman, young, pretty,
with a gentle, refined, modest man.
ner. She loved and loved too trust
fully. The scoundrel abandoned her
and disappeared leaving her with the
child, boy whom she idolizes.
r. o1l
those seven years the mother has lived
for him alone. She worships him. She
has great ambitions for him, dreams of
sending him to a university, and all
that. OF course those dreams will
never be realized. But still, they give
her happiness.
''For seven years, Applejohn"-J
son laid his hand impressively on his
friends shoulder, that mother has
toiled for her boy. She has taken in
washing, and believe she still earns
her living at the tub. In fact, she
washes for my wife, and that is how
the case came under my notice. She
is proud, but she has sunk all pride
for her boys sake, and thankfully ac-
cepts small doles."
"It sounds too good to be true" said
Applejohn.
'It is true" Jepson insisted "She
lives in a miserable frame house in
the poorest quarter of the town. Her
boy attends the public schools and is
always well dressed. He is bright
intelligent child"
t. = Il l.
john, "I'll pay for his education wher-
ever the mother wishes, and help her
secure employment of a better nature.
Educated. you say?"
"She is refined and educated"
"'Then lead me to her." said Apple
John.
"Wait one moment There is one
thing against her-something of which
/ have not told you. Through no fault
OF her own this poor girl is ostracised.
She is the victim of social laws in
whose making she had no share"
"It's damnable!" snorted Appleton,
whose sympathies were thoroughly
aroused. whats her name?"
Lizzie"
"LiZzie what?"
81 don't know" Jepson confessed.
''She has sunk so low that she appears
to have dropped her surname. And
she never complains. She goes about
her work smiling, cheerful, and happy
as the day is long"
"How far does she live from here?'
about two miles,"
Lets take taxi" said Apple
John, and while he put on his over
coat Jepson surveyed him with cyni-
cal smile.
In the taxi Applejohn turned to his
friend and said:
"Say, this isn't one of your infer
nal practical jokes, is it, Jepson?"
"The facts are exactly as / have
stated" returned the other coldly.
"Then, by heckl' swore Appleton,
humping his fist upon his knee. eff
that girl is suffering as you say
through no fault of her own. it's dis
grace to modern America"
Little more was said, and presently
the taxi drew up before a frame
shanty in the poorest section of the
town. They got down. Jepsen
knocked at the door, and refined
looking young woman opened it and
stood smiling at them. From within
came the prattle of a child.
"Er-this is my friend, Mr.. Apple
john, Lizzie" said Jepson. HE is in
terested in you, and"
Applejohn's eyes were popping out
of his head, He thrust a dollar into
the girls hand and fed. Back !" he
yelled to the taxi man.
And as Jepson clambered in and the
cab rolled away, he turned to his COM
panion with savage snarl.
"You faker!" ne yelled. "Why didn't
you say at first the woman was
blackT'
Rifles of British Army.