The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-14

EA4S " 10 A4NShAAA NAAS4A va "
TO come out well.
Each night she shipped to the
New York studios for enlargement
the pics which the house-tohouSe
CanvaSSers sent in, recording them
on vari-colored blanks with every
insurance for their safety. In the
four years she had been manager
of the little branch office of the
Aircraft Company she could not
recall that there had been a sin
gle photograph lost. The worst of
it was it must have happened
right at her desk. But how?
She studied the record on the
card to which the salesmans car.
bons were clipped, Property Of
Minerva Perkins, 1872 South Main,
BenS onhurst-that would be
young Levy's territory-yes. his
signature was there. He was a wiz
at taking pictures out of cid al.
buns. Bensonhurst? That couldn't
be more than 20 miles away
She sat Slumped over her desk,
alone in the quiet Stuffy rooms,
her aching head in her hands.
A SLIM CHANCE
Her car was parked IN a lot
around the corner. That was what
she would do-drive out and see
if she couldn't get anothe". Then
there wouldn't be any fuss-all
the correspondence and red tape
and blame. Headquarters wouldn't
know a thing about it. l. was a
slim chance-the picture was so
o1d-but the ride was just what
she needed and she could stop on
the way for her dinner.
She ran through the pile on her
desk again. Cardboard faces stared
up at her-wedding couples, the
bride with her hand on the Shoul-
der of the groom, stiff family
groups, young girls in graduation
gowns with ribbon-tied diplomas.
Little boys holding the Rosary and
Prayer Book of their First Com
munion. Babies and babies.
The ride through the blossom
ing countryside put color into her
face and drove away fatigue.
Finally she slid into Benson
hurst and found South Main
Street, block of shabby brick
houses all in a row with dreary
curtains and furnished room
signs. A Slovenly fat woman drip
ping with sweat came to the door
when she rang the bell and asked
for Mrs. Perkins.
You the relief LADY," she ques-
toned sharply. you amt going
to stop it. are you-She's getting
worse every day."
No, I haven't a thing to do with
relief" Myra smiled her way. I'm
just friends of Mrs. Perkins"
go on up, then" the landlady
surrendered curiouSly. Back room
second floor"
Up q flight Of dingy stairs, down
q corridor carpeted with worn oil
cloth, Myra found the room at the
back with it's door wide open. How
did young Levy get UP there and
come away with the picture?
1t was incredibly quaint and old
timey in those squalid surround
nigs. A four.poster bed with a
pieced quilt, a chest of drawers, a
rocking chair by the window, the
peculiar smell of the aged. In the
rocker sat q little wrinkled old
lady.
Mrs. Perkins?" she asked.
There was no answer and she
raised her voice-"Mrs. Perkins?"
The chair stopped its rocking.
who is it?" voice quavered.
I'm Miss Rowland Of the Art
craft Company" she told her. Il
came to see about a picture we
took for enlargement"
TOUGH TO TELL HER
The faded old face frightened.
THAT one of Lonny?" she asked.
Chow did it come out?" she asked.
It was tough to tell her but
Myra did not shirk.
Somehow don't know how
it has been mislaid. We want to
be prompt always, so I came to
see if you have another"
No word came from the huddled
heap in the rocking chair. A ter.
rible dumb acceptance of a fate
which had been steadily unkind
seemed to settle upon her.
At last the Shrunken lips moved
81 knew after he had gone I hadn't
ought to have let it out of my
hands. But I thought if it was
life-size, like what he said. I could
see it-long as I can see anything
I'm losing my eyesight. And
paid for 1t out of my relief money"
she ended guiltily.
"Oh-my dear" Myra broke out
ELL do anything to find it. But il