The Washington times., 1936-06-12

Iy blocking Nell's way, pulled UP
her skirt, and took a key from the
pocket of voluminous gray
sateen petticoat. She handed the
key to Nell. BE a good girl and
find the latch for old Mama Ras-
kovitch. I don't see any too we'll"
Mama Raskovitch had bristling
gray hairs on her upper lip. Her
chin stuck out. And she was al
most bald. But she had q mis-
chievous, even a jaunty. air with
her old black felt cooked down
over one ear and big mole in the
middle of her forehead. She was
very garrulous,
do you like living here? Clean.
anyway. I been here three years
and haven't seen q cockroach yet.
They've had bedbugS next door.
Hope you amt planning to go to
one of them cheap nursing homes
like my poor Rosie did. Neither
her nor the baby ever came back
to me. They kill you, sure as
you Te 4IVluS GOudy'
"This must be the wrong key"
said Nell, exaSperated.
The old woman rubbed it in her
fingers, gave a cackling laugh. put
it back and brought out another
AS Nell fitted it to the latch, she
went up and gave a laundering
knock at the adjoining door.
Come out here, Susie, and meet
Mrs. Calhoun. She's gonna have
a baby and don't know where to
go for it,"
A thin girl with a wavy black
bob, bright gold sweater, and nails
of a shiny blood-red now appeared
at the doorway. She was smoking
cigarette.
"Is it your firSt?" she offered
casually, pulling stool into the
hall and sitting herself down as II
for afternoon tea. We'll, you're
in for it then"
Susie went on with more and
more lurid details. Two other
young women Slippered up noise
lessly and Joined In the narrative.
They offered narrowing details
of the births in which they had
starred.
IF I were you," said one of
them, I'D go to that home on
154th Street. They treat you
grand. 1t costs $50 for 10 days,
but that includes everything but
the doctor. You can get q good
doctor for $50 more. You don't
have to worry about paying him.
Doctors can wait. That's where I
went for Billy. Everything came
out fine"
"Of course" Susie grabbed for
the spotlight again, you can go
to clinic. But who wants a baby
on charity? And the social
workers are Just getting awful.
They said to Annie Livermore,
What right you got to have a fifth
child when you can't support four
or even three? We have no sym.
pathy for you Like to see them
talk that way to mel"
Nell went on to the apartment,
trembling and sick. She did all
the work. Even washing the
sheets. But there was no money
over. There wasn't going to be
enough, even for food. She would
soon have to take from the funds
Ricky sent. The baby's money.
to have her child on charity.
One day she was wringing out
sheets, Jimmy helping. Jimmy
Justify chewed gum and talked
with all his might. "Say, Nellie,
I'm gonna get that Shoe-shining
outfit! I'm trading all my West
ern books and that old cowboy out
fit. We won't do the washing
then!"
He dropped the sheet. 1t dragged
in the dust.
Nell was ready to cry. The door
opened. Henry Mason strobe
across the room. Nell jumped
protectively in front of her brother.
But Mason was smiling. Mason
said pleasantly: That's too
heavy for you, boy. I'll do it,"
Nell was bewildered. Her step.
father went on: after this, leave
the sheets for me to wiring"
Ito Be COntinued)
copyright. 1895. by King Features