The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-03-07

! think l can 1--we on SIX dollars q
week?"
t'Tt's your own fault if you can't,
snapped the boss back, drowning out
the. >murmur of agreement coming
fFen other workers. Cant a good
looking girl like you support herself ?"
Mickey threw on the floor the !
shirt she was soaping, and walked
out of the laundry shivering with
rage
She decided to marry Alfred Fer
rari, She was sick of working, and
was glad of a chance to leave her
fathers house. Alfred seemed much
more. steady and sensible than other
boys who had been hanging AROUND
her. %, Her parents disapproval of heT
marrying an Italian made no i'm
preston on her whatever.
IN four years she had two baby
girls With the birth of the second
one, Alfred found it pretty hard to
feed the family. Mickey found job
il, watch factory, but two weeks
later after quarreling with FORE
man., because he accused her of go
ing out too often for drink, she was
handed her pay envelope and asked
to- leave. A short time after, the
workers in Alfred's fur-shop went on
strike. The family was close. to
starvation.
II amt going to see my children
starYe," said Mickey. IN get some
work to do. Wait and see."
She put on her hat and coat, and
walked over to the residential Sec
ton of the Heights. She knocked
from one door to another, asking if
anybody needed some house help.
She could do anything, she said. She
could wash clothes quicker and
cheaper than the laundries. She
could cook. She was not afraid to
wash windows on top stories. She
could take care of the children.
Nobody wanted her. Some shut
doors in her face before she finished
talking. From continuous climbing
her knees were giving way under
her. Inside she was boiling with
hatred towards these well fed people
in comfortable apartments. After
each refusal, she grew more bitter
and more impudent.
| Climbing up to the sixth floor, she
collided in the darkness of the hall
with young lady. who had just
stepped out of the elevator. The
lady excused herself, and Mickey
recognized her voice
Edith" she cried happily. How
nice. you look"
Edith smiled in embarrassment. She
neither recognized Mickey, nor SEEM
ed, particularly thrilled at the pros
pect of recognizing her.
81 am Mickey, Veronica MacLa-
hanna. Don't you recognize me?"
:. Edith gasped.
81. ooh, my dear Mickey. How old
YOU look"
.9'She did not mean to say 1t, but
the words came out spontaneously.
well, come on in" she said apol-
ogetically. "Tell me about yourself"
A maid in white apron opened the
door for them. and eyed Mickey dis
trustfully Edith's little boy, dressed
in an expensive knitted suit, sat In
an armchair, watching with curiosity
the queer woman with red, unkempt
hair showing beneath her shabby hat
Edith was listening absent-m indedly
to Mickey's story about how her hub
band had gone out on strike in SYM
pathy with the demands of the left
union, and how her baby was crying
for milk and she had to find some
work to do.
I'D be glad to help you, Mickey"
pdrawled out Edith. anxious to get
rid, of her visitor before her husband
came home for supper, She started
to. search through her pocketbook.
II don't want your money! sale
Mickey haughtily, her body growing
hot with anger. "If you have some
work to give me, I'll take it. But
don't want charity"
,""Oh, don't be like that" sale
Edith TITS not charity. you know
Mickey. I can't send my maid away
! just like that. Take some none,
for, the sake of old times. We arr
not rich, but it won't mean mucl
! to. U.S."
49, mo, that's why I won't take itl =
said Mickey angrily. "You are no !
one Of us. Oh, I don't mean be
cause you are Jewish" she adde
hastily, noticing the changed expires
sion ON Edith's face. There is MR.
Feinstein, whose husband is also o1}
strike, and we two are like sisterd
I always borrow things from het
when she's got them. But you ard
not like us. You are rich mani
wife don't want rich mans char
| ity."s
/. She came home that night, withou
work and without milk. Alfred wa
sitting on the edge Of the children
bed, supporting his head with bot
fists. There was desperate look l
his eyes, as he greeted Mickey.
IT. guess III have to go back "a
morrow morning." he said softl
without looking at her.
r.No, you won't" she shot back 9
him, throwing off her coat. "Ye
are going on the picket line tomol