Glacier County chief., 1940-10-11

No" he said Il want you to spend
what Titles left on yourself. Me, I
wish had $50 to give him"
AS poor as you are" she asked an
grily, you'd give him that much
money? That's easy to say when you
haven't got it,"
Il look at it this way" he said
simply. Il think how I'd feel in his
shoes"
You got your own troubles" she
argued heatedly. The Johnson baby
is better off dead. You'd be fool
to put $50 in the ground. I'd spend
my $50 on the living"
'Taint no use to work yourself up"
he said You amt got $50, and neither
have I. Well be quarreling in a min
ute, over make-believe money. Let's go
to bed"
Mrs. Edmunds walked at and tried
TO lie quietly by her husbands side.
but lying still was torture. She dressed
and went into the kitchen, and felt
TOO listless to make her coffee. She
sat down at the table and dropped
her head on her folded arms. No tears
came. There was only the burning in
her throat and behind her eyes.
She sat in this manner for half an
hour. Suddenly she heard mans slow
tread outside her front door. Terror
gripped her. The steps moved on down
the hall, but for moment her knees
were water. When she could control
her trembling. she stood up and knew
that she had TO get out of the house.
II could not contain her and Mr..
Johnson.
She walked quickly away from her
neighborhcod. 1t was raw day, and
her feet and hands were beginning
to grow numb. She felt sorry for her
self. Other people were hurrying past
in overshoes and heavy gloves. There
was S5l in her purse. 1t was her right
! to do what she pleased with it. De-
terminedly she turned into the subway.
In a downtown department store she
rode the escalator to the dress de-
partment. She walked up ana down
/ the rows of lovely garments. stopping
, to finger critically, standing back to
admire.
A salesgirl came toward her, looking
straight at her with soft eXpectant
DO you wish to be waited on,
MADAME"
Mrs. Edmunds opened her mouth to
say yes" but the word would not
come. She stared at the girl stupidity.
Il was just looking" she said.
/ In the shoe department, she saw a
/ pair of comfort shoes and sat down
! timidly in a fine leather chair:
| A salesman lounged toward her.
something in shoeS?"
Yes, sir. That comfort shoe"
/ "Size?" His voice was bored.
Il don't know" she said
I'll have to measure you" he said
reproachfully. Give me your foot.
! He sat down on stool and held out
his hand.
How much you say those shoes coSt?'
II didn't say Eight dollars"
She rose with acute relief. Il amt
got that much with me-
She retreated unsteadily. Something
was making her knees weak and her
head light.
Her Ices steadied. She went quickly
to the down escalator. She reached the
third floor and was brlskly crossing
to the next down esCalator when She
saw the little dresses. A banner
screamed that they we're selling at the
sacrifice price of 81. She decided 10
examine them.
She pushed through the crowd Of
women, and emerged triumphantly
within reach of the dresses. she
searched carefully There were pinks
and blues and yellows. She was looking
for white. She pushed back through
the crowd. In her careful hands lay :,
little white dress. 1t was spun gold ana
gossamer.
Boldly she beckoned salesgirl. I'll
take this, miss" she said. H.,
All the way home she was eXcled
and close to tears. She was in q fever
to see Mr.. johnson. She would let
the regret come later. A child lay
dead and waiting burial.
She turned her corner at run. Go
ING down the rickety basement stairs
she prayed that Mr.. johnson was on
She rounded on his door and he
onened it The agony in his face told
her Instantly that he had been unable
IN borrow the money. She tried tc
speak, and her tongue tripped over hei
Fear took hold of her and rattlee