The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-01-20
MEMB TO-DAY
Beg JOSEPHINE LAWRENCE

+. Until Ned Peppercorn had re-
tired from fifty-four years serv-
ice as doorman and confidential
messenger for one of the city's
oldest wholesale firms, he and
his wife had lived in old houses,
lacking almost every convenience,
but with one attraction, that of
cheap rent. When, at seventy,
the old man had automatically
retired he found himself with a
small pension, a modest savings
account and great longing for
hot running water and no duties
connected with stoves or coal.
Old Mr.. Peppercorn and his
wife liked to have dinner at noon.
The Monday he and Doggie ar
rived fully twenty minutes ahead
of schedule, old Mrs. Peppercorn
was mildly alarmed. 'I'm early
Mother" He came out into the
kitchen where she was stirring
thickening for the gravy, and
kissed her. "But you and me,
we got our afternoon cut out for
us. Hen was telling me about
family he found in his junk
yard
''His junk yard?"
An unfortunate family had been
evicted and had moved in under
the sheltering lees of the piles of
rusty metal in Hens yard, old
Peppercorn explained. when
he found 'em, the five kids were
asleep on old automobile seats.
There's eight altogether - five
children, their ma and pa and an
orphan they just sort of adopted"
'They on relief"
The outcasts had not lived in
Garset the year required to make
them eligible for relief, old Mr..
Pepprcorn said. eve got to hus-
tie around for them. Mother, I
thought maybe you'd speak to
Mrs. Fits" She collects clothes
for children, don't she? thought
maybe you'd ask her for some
thing these kids can wear"
well, you sit down and begin
your dinner, Father, and I'll run
down and see Mrs. Fits. But
don't pin your hopes too high,
because-well, because"
Toni Fits, dressing to 60 to a
benefit bridge. said frankly that
she didn't believe in individual
interference. The clothing she
received was given with the I'M
Outstanding that it was to go
abroad. All clothing was ripped
apart, washed and made into
garments, right in the workrooms,
she said. "But I couldn't ask
those women to suspend their
work, or divert it. They're en-
rolled for a cause that they're
working toward their goal"
what did she say?" asked old
Mr.. Peppercorn, when his wife
returned to the apartment.
The old lady's round face flush
ed. Mrs. Fits thinks they're a
drop in the bucket"
"The person you should have
tackled" said old Mr.. Pepper
corn, serenely ignoring the fact
that he had suggested the appal
to Mrs. Fits, els Sarah Daffodil."
Sarah, despite her fondness for
Stacks, possessed a not inconsid-
cradle wardrobe of dresses and
skirts, costumes saved over a
period of years and hopelessly out
of style. The materials were
good, the old-fashioned modes
utilized yards of fabric and, like
everything belonging to Sarah,
were in excellent condition and
spotlessly clean. She offered Mrs.
Peppercorn a free selection.
Presently old Mrs. Peppercorn
spoke of the family for whom
they were sewing; she had never
seen such poverty, she declared.
Hen had now offered the man
job as helper and they were to
live in his house, on the second
floor, in rooms unused since the
death of Hens wife.
Candace Thane sewed with old