Evening star., 1935-12-29

4NO' 1IlC OIN Adoy NOASC WOO oA1SuAoLCNs
"You mustn't! Ill manage without relief; I'll
sell my furniture" Tears were in her eyes.
Gently, Miss Stevens continued to argue.
The tears fell but the old lady remained firm.
ats all right. Mrs. Marcy" said the case
worker at last. II shouldn't, but I'll make an
exception - for the present, that is"
"You won't write to Frank? Promise me!'
II promise" said Miss Stevens, knowing
she had no right to say it.
But how can you break such desperate
pride, such selflessness, such lover How can
you bow your way out gracefully, leaving an
empty coal bin and an empty cupboard? Miss
Stevens couldn't. She wrote orders for grocer
les and coal, gave them to the grateful old
lady, and almost ran from the house. feeling
lucky to have escaped tears of her own. In her
ears were Mrs. Marcy's last words: Thank
you, thank you so very much But you
mustn't ever tell Frank, or I'd die of shame"
And much the same thing she said every
time Miss Stevens called thereafter. The case
worker kept her promise, sometimes hating
herself for doing it and vowing to herself
that she would break it one day soon.
On snowy Christmas afternoon Miss
Stevens jerked her Car to stop in front of the
cozy old house, She took two cans of beef for
Mrs. Marcy from box of surplus food she
had in the back seat. What silly shame, she
thought that three-thousand-d dollar son
would probably be carousing around Chicago
on Christmas and his mother would be eating
stew made out of canned beef.
"Oh, Miss Alice" Mrs. Marcy said when
she met the case worker at the door. you're
just in time to see the things I'm fixing for
Frank. l wanted him to have them for Christ
mas, but it took me longer to finish them than
expected"
Miss Stevens smiled, and shook her head
YEARLY. This was, she felt, the crowning
irony. There was splendid grey and white
knitted scarf, and two hand-rolled linen hand
kerchiefs, each with embroidered initials,
"FM." There were some gaily frosted cookies,
and jolly little plum pudding in frilled
paper. All these the case worker knew that the
lady had made. skimping on her scanty relief
allowance to get the necessary supplies.
Miss Stevens had given UP trying to protest.
They're lovely" she said. Frank will be
happy - and lucky - to get them"
They're all ready to send" Mrs. Marcy
said merriy except don't have box to
mail them in. do hope Frank likes them"
Miss Stevens looked at Mrs Marcy, and
then at the gifts. There was just chance -.
II believe have box in the car that would
do" she said. "Ill bring it in"
That's just the right size," Mrs Marcy
said when she saw the box.
"If you want to pack it right away, I'll
mail the box for you. the case worker said
Mrs. Marcy hustled about, packed, tied,
and addressed the box Miss Stevens mailed it
with little prayer. 1t might work.
On the afternoon before New Years, Miss
Stevens was busy at her Office, going over
her records to make sure that none of her
families would get up the next morning to face
New Years Day without at least food and
fuel. A clerk came to her desk.
Miss Stevens" the clerk said, there's
an old lady out in the hall. Mrs. Marcy, who
says she has to see you. told her you were
busy ="
Send her in," said the case worker
Mrs. Marcy was so excited that she could
scarcely speak. 'Oh, Miss Alice" she cried,
holding out an envelope Look! Frank sent
me special delivery letter - he's coming
home tonight - and he sent hundred-dollar
bill. Just think - a hundred-dollar bill! And
he says in the letter he'll send me thirty dol