Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-02-26
HER MONEY
BY CAROLYN BEECHER
CHAPTER IXH

ii to get work? The doctor tells me
- nurses are very scarce, Althea
asked Miss Bundy
His dscharging me has hurt me. Peo-
pie think l must have done something bads
instead of just taking drop OF whisky
when l was sick. Now if you could get him
to give me good recommendation | could
get place right away-and pay you back.
"Tl speak to him. Althea had no idea
that the woman's cunning mind realized
Peter would give her recommendation;
that her plea would make his wife think
him hard and so pitifu toward her.
eff you will, and if you can spare me
bit, I'm sure something will turn up soon."
Athea drew ten-dollar bill from her
purse.
The woman's eyes glistened. 1t was cas-
Ter than she had hoped.
''Ill drop by in a day or two and see IL
you have slip from the doctor for me- It's
hard after nursing all these years to be out
of work because he was so hard on me-" she
said, clutching the bill. "In run along now,
and thank you, Mrs Graham | have to
see my friend, the engineer. He heard of a
place today he thought 1 might get and I
amt the kind that let's any chances Slip,
| Poor woman!" Althea said when she had
gone. I'VE all have our troubles" Then:
Il wonder if l should have given her that
! money? But how could refuse her-rI
know what it is to be poor
Thoughts like these satisfied her con-
science to a degree, yet she knew deep down
| III HeE HedII, just as SuTGl" as MISS bunuy
knew, that she gave her the money because
| OF what she heard about Peter through her
Peter and Mrs. Williams.
| Peter came in almost immediately Said
/ he:
| II passed that Miss Bundy Just now. Has
she been here?"
| yes, she came to beg for reference
Althea answered. ''She says she can't get
work because you discharged her. told
| her I would speak to you about it," This
| time no fol
to tell him about the ten dollarz
| Il shall give her no reference! She's in
| competent and drinks. Such person has
no business with the sick. The harm they
might do is incalculable."
| | felt sorry for the poor woman. Couldn't
( you manage to say something for her
enough to get her some sort of place?'
| mo, 1t would be little less than wicked to
recommend her in any way. should be to
blame if anything happened. felt sure she
drank before caught her and she is not re-
liable in any way"
| "You are very hard Peter" IF she meant
hard aside from his refusal to help Miss
| Bundy he did not perceive it.
! 1T is necessary at times he replied.
! He is hard! Hard to me as we'll as to
| Others, Althea said after he left her. lizard.
I er TO me-because I love him.
| Peter wondered little at Althea's dense-
ness where Nurse Bundy was concerned She
was far from attractive in any way, was un-
| educated, pushing, obnoxious yet Althea had
| consistently stood up for her since she first
entered the house Even now when she knew
OF her shortcomings her INCOMPETENCE. she
still urged him to do violence to his con-
| science and give her a reference
| Miss Howard had quietly and efficiently
| taken up her work again with him and it was
with an air of relief, of content, that he en-
| tered his office. Her dainty appearance in
| her white uniform, her shining hair her Sc
/ ct dor
| FULLY restful. That Althea should refuse to
| know this refined girl and should like such a.
woman as Miss Bundy was beyond his rea.,
| soning.
"Why does Mrs. Graham dislike me so?"4
! Miss Howard asked. ss
! The doctor started 1t was strange She
| should ask that question just as the same
| thought in his mind
i don't think she dislikes YOU he par-e
| ried. "She never has said she did" n.
But she does!" the girl insisted. II have
| tried to approach her several times but She
always rebuffs me. hate to feel | may have.
{ done something to offend her-if l have IT,
/ has been unconscously." ~
Il sure of that.' Peter said heartily
! but I Cont think you have. She is busy
| with her housekeeping and her friends. r.
am sure she doesn't mean to be unkind.n a.
ut isn't that-just being unkind It's as.
If | weren't On earth. 1t can't be pride. L,
| know she isn't snobbsh. But it worries ma.
i should like her to be nice to me- She
| finished wistfully. aN+
please don't worry I am sure it is need.
less" Peter said kindly. mo one could.
really dislike you, Miss Howard, and now
| that everything is going so nicely for Doris
hate to see you depressed
And all owing to you! AM ngrateful.
| I'll not think of it any more" i
! THAT'S being what | call sensible Peter
said with his infrequent smile.
|
r.4, ,,, 4