Show Beggars Can Choose THE STORY Renewing a childhood attach attach- attachment attachment attachment ment of or a wealthy family Is attracted by Will Todd newspaper new p per artist t Her lieI stater It liter r Lillian urges her to break ot off the th affair but Ernestine Irne re- re rel refuses refuse t l fuses A runaway marriage fol- fol fol follow lowe low Loring Hamilton wins Ins LII- LII Lil Lillian I Bans lian consent to become his hia wife Ife I and Ernestine begin their married lire life In humble surround surround- surroundings ings John Poole 1 ss 1111 III s best friend gh CI a It y party for Ernestine at Ruby p a tan s 8 ro- ro re retort tort sort Ernestine and Vi 4 ill III have I their first quarrel aa as a result 4 Wills ill s father dies suddenly Lit LII lIan Ilan and Loring are arc married 4 ill a 8 mother dies almost Im- Im Immediately immediately Im Immediately mediately after aCter a 8 by b I is born Changes In Will Wills Willa s office orrice tall fall to bring d Ern Em Ern- Ern Ernestine estine again Is looking fon forward ard to motherhood Will loses losE's his job and Poole resigns Ernestine taint faints on the street CHAPTER Continued IX-Continued IX Continued 9 I Air Mr Ir Hamiltons Hamilton's got a taxi for or u us out cut there had there had It since six o 0 clock cloch I dont don't know how much this II 11 cost him That doe n t matter maUer said Lillian I Impatiently and tried to control her perturbation She was as disturbed anew at the thought of ot Loring s the che she had never nc seen him himo so 10 o except on the other occasion of ot his hla Quarrel with III nut But tills was as worse He had lad always s been so BO fond of cr Ernestine-as Ernestine Ernestine as though she were his own little sister She felt a great re relief lIet lief to think that he bad lad taken talen charge of cr the search lIe He would find lines tine 11 If she slie were ere to be found I But Dut the thought of ot her sister out In InI these hot streets street's lost ill and alone I caused her such anguish h tint that she could scarcely breathe hat What would mamma say to her Mamma loved lo Ernestine the better better always had Mamma Iamma had bad hadi i really left lert Ernestine to herThe herThe her herThe The door was as Hung flung open and Loring stood there His Ills eyes were ere glittering with fear tear or te fever teer er He lie looked at her heres heres herI es If It he scarcely knew her I Lillian I he be exclaimed I I drove she told him all the way Ive Ise I e been be n so 0 worried You You hid had cause cauce to worry worn he said grimly p When we t find nd Ernestine she Is going home with Ith us-to us us to stay Don t you agree She Shea s got to have hale some some- somebody somebody bod body to take care of ot her ot Of course Loring Ive I Ise e news s of ot a sort cort he be said slow slowly 1 Ivand and they stared at him I don t know what It Its s worth orth Thereas There was as a woman taken talen to the County hospital this from afternoon from this neighborhood fhe was a J loung oung woman and sheva she va was to be confined d It might have hale ha e been Ernestine I Ive Ise e sent senti ill i out there and I came by to see It if you were I here to to his wife wife- wife and to wilt watt here for a phone call The telephone shrilled and the sound leaped through them all Mr 1 Bennett Dennett picked up the receiver er ss with Ith a trembling hand while theall they the all nil watched her ber In straining silence Yes Je Yes this Yes this Is Mrs Irs Bennett Oh Oh he did Oh thank thanh J ou Her lIer sister Is here I 11 tell them She turned from the phone Its It's the hospital office onice Will has Identified Ernestine and he hes s there therewith therewith with her lier Oh Sir Mr you Hamilton Hamilton ou found her heri l I Get Get J your our hat said lid aid Loring And And I come with us Never I mind Jour our keys Lillian 11 e Well a n 11 tike take the ta taxi 1 At the Hospital an was vcr ser er I businesslike Her husband has lias Identified her Yes he Is 15 with her now No r you JOu can t tI ti I come well In-well In well only for a moment There lay lav E Ernestine in the stiff long longi i Iee ed hospital shirt her hair black blad beh between een her white face and the pillow a nurse beside her counting her respiration Will Ill crouching there his face against the CO covers corers ere Her lIer eyes e es were opened fiu Hushed flushed hed with Ith te fever teer er She ac In talking-pleading-in talking pleading In him himI I the darling sister sister-In sister In this I dreadful place l 1 I You will all nil have ha to go said the nurse snapping shut but her old fashioned watch atch aad aid darting a n resentful look 1001 at atthe atthe atthe the Internee We e cannot have hale ha e any any- anybody bOdy In this ward after atter hours Mr Ir Todd J you ou will ill hose have e to go Ernestine cried Lillian and Ernes Ernestine Ernestine tine said quickly Wills ill s a coming I tell you my name Is Briceland U n r 1 c 1 c e c I 1 a n u I d-I d I think there s more The bus ran over offer 0 er me- me me It leaped at me- me meShe me She She was as crushed exclaimed LII lIan Ilan and the nurse said No she No-she she s ju just t delirious Please e go I Cant Can t w we e has hive e a her mos moved mO ed to a private Tate vate room Can Cant t s we se e mo moe move s e her rt It was I oring orin now Will ill hind had lifted his face tace and he heI I stared at Ernestine and gently gentl smoothed her chee cheek Bile her ber bright brighte ees e es turned on him lapa you Papa Papa vou ou must mut find he Will Will Il 11 1 worry orr she urged him I cant can't sav say about IDO moving Ing her You Tau 11 ll ha has have e a to see ee the floor doctor I She Is very erv ill to be please mosed-please mo moved please ed-please leave lea the ward now The nurse was sus us definite Training r and authority were sere ere behind her leer und and 1 they ss withdrew Lyen Will had to tern lease e her but Ernestine made such an outcry that the nurse permitted permUted him to come back until Loring should male make arrangements to nose move mo Ernestine Lillian found herself In a tiny reception re- re re reception room furnished barely Loring had gone to the Mrs Sirs Bennett to f the phone booth do downstairs tor 1 l or a moment thought she was go In goIn goIny to be sick Sho clung desperately to the 1 1 arms of ot the chair She Sha was r f I f A 4 fI Margaret Weymouth Ja Jackson JacksonV NO V NU S Seale Copyright by Dot Dobbs Merrill Co Co the only woman In the room A black tran n-an stood near her t twisting a cloth cap In his hands hand his lips hips soundlessly There was as another man unclean suffering In patient silence and they were ere joined by a third and then n a fourth vague a ue Quiet figure ns n's feelings s were sere ere not of pity but re revulsion She could not bear It- It It Ernestine r here with the scum of ot the mammas earth mammas mamma's their baby baby their In this place that smelled of ot l I sol that as as full tull of ot the sounds of ot sickness and suffering as purgatory is full tull ot of groans This place was hell It was nightmare There came from the streets the clang of ot an ambulance ambulance- and a stretcher moved mosed mo ell In the hall Loring was as beside her tier beckoning We Ile e are arc tal Ing her Iler to the Presby Presbyterian Presbyterian terlan terian hospital They II 11 have hl a room und and a nurse for her when we e get there Also Aleo a good doctor Milian I followed ed him In confusion The ambulance she he had heard was as for tor Ernestine The ti l threaded after atter It through the streets and there was delay delA Mrs Irs Bennett left them togo to togo togo go back home Will was as with Ernestine tine and the stretcher But nut now at last hut a n small moll freshly painted room as clean clenn as a scAlded dl dish h a high nar narrow narrow narrow row bed by an open window Indo an dies fan tan on a white dressing table a chair or two t 0 and a graduate nurs nurse capable cool There was a doctor too Lillian stood ju just t inside the door The doctor was as silent for a long lon time examining Ernestine reading the copy ot of the chart that had been sent cent with her and and come some albumen he said cald as though any of ot them knew what lie he meant The The baby will sill ill be premature premature-It If w we e can get her lier through her confinement now S swiftly she shell 11 be beall beall beall all right When did you YOU ou say sa she was Will named the date The doctor nodded with satisfaction as though his worst fears were ere confirmed W 11 ell Its It's a nasty msty cn case ce he said but perhaps we e shall pull her lier through Miss lIes Tana-he Tana Nana ana he he turned to the nurse with a rapid fire tire of ot Instructions and requests and laid his COlt coat aside there Now Now there s nothing in an of ot you can cando cando cando do but give us elbow elbo room and quiet She s already hid had two to 1 0 com When hen the next comes we e shall be ready reldy for tor her her- herThe her The horrid word ord shot through Lillian s mind like a sword thrust only no No no only Idiot chit children only dren-only only diseased and terrible peo pie only only the Door and helpless were so afflicted Not hot oh Ernestine-oh Ernestine oh God not not Ernestine The doctor put them out with Ith de deliberate deliberate deliberate liberate firmness allo allowing Ing W Ill to stay sta stav It you sou J ou go across the street there s g sa ga sa a nice little hotel there Tell the clerk cierI I sent you and go to bed Miss Nana will call you vou ou It if there s B any change or It if she he s dell delivered ered The bat battie battie battie tie Is our ours now Lillian knew tint It was as as hard for Loring as it was as for her to accept this dismissal and leave Will behind was as so futile He would ha have hale e left lefther lefther lefther her In that other dreadful place In silence they crossed the street registered at the hotel and were as assigned assigned signed a room They The mo moved mosed cd about In silent misery miser looking out of the w windows iu In Indo doves dos do s at the walls ails of ot the Did Did you vou OU Enow Ihlo lo lost t his jobs job Loring hesitated les es 1 es he saId nt at last I knew It But But I h- h hI I didn t know how ho Ernestine would tale take It K U I butted In I thought she would let us know Inow It if she needed us lou lou know how proud she I is- is Is Loring moved mod mo d restlessly I think Ill III go back to the hospital lou Iou stay here No r need for both of ot us to go goI I Ill 11 call cill y ou If It y J ou re needed W 11 ears ean and confused contused Lillian tool took ofT off her clothes clothe bathed In the tiny bath bathroom bathroom bathroom room and lay down across the bed partly dres dressed ell again Her lIer whole thought was strained at first to toward the hospital and the possible pos Issue ot of s Illness Then her thoughts turned and turned turnell from Loring to Ernestine to Will Ili to mamma and papa and Ernestine and back bucl to main mam mamma mamma ma again Mamma Iamma had allowed papa pap I and Loring to dictate to her lier about 11 ill III b s father That had really sep ep separated separated Ernestine from them them Ion long ago They hind had offered Ernestine their 10 lose e I and help on only I at the price of betrayal ot of her marriage ears cime c Ime to III I Ii Ilan 1110 and e eventually tired and sad she fell asleep DJ Day light streaming os 0 over er her lied hell her She rose dressed sent ent acro across g to tile the ho hospital and asked for III wondering as she did so whether hether or not she he should have hale ha e asked for tor Loring Will Hill III came to her In the reception room looking at her ber from dull liens hel eyes silent waiting How IIo Is Ernestine Will site bhe s he asked I him softly She She Is still ver veri ill he answered I and added as an afterthought rhe rho baby Is a girl lIe He svgs wis exhausted unshaved sad and H a awry As he lie stood there tool ing about him he seemed to LII Ilan Ihn the most forlorn and helpless hu hum hum m in in to being she had ever er seen She pitied him but he lie vexed sexed her Oh Will she slie said Impulsively ely ou t have hase e allowed Cd to have base this other so baby bab so soon when hen you weren't prepared lou Iou r should have protected her lIe He avert averted averted ed his hig face but she saw his Ouch flush lye I ve e got to go back bick upstairs ho be said and added as he turned to the thedoor thedoor thedoor door Loring has already lectured me meon meon meon on birth control He lIe a s left heft l tt the hos hospital ho hopital pital lou Iou must lun base e missed him Lillian was as ashamed She had not intended to say a such a thins thing It was none of ot their Im business rea really II At the hotel she stopped at nt the desk for tor the key I e but hut I orin oring had Ind It It Slip She hp went up In the quiet d olev cle hen W S hen she opened the unlocked door of ot their room and went yent In I oring was as lying l I Ing h b luck Ich Eck In u a chair by the open window Indo his hat on the floor beside him his collar and tie lying upon It It lie He i staring straight before him and when hen Lillian came cime to his side sille lie he looked up at nt her with Ith a piteous expression slon For a moment standing there a adart adart adart dart of such pain went ent through h LII Tian lIan that she cried out This Tills was as what hat Ernestine could do to I oring She knew with a gripping pang ot of com tint that nothing th it could coull e eser cr happen to her would cause him such uch such anguish anguish such rout This as w hat W Will ill III meant when hen he said tint that he 1 a f- f 1 1 4 al She Sat There and Watched Him Pre Prepare Prepare Prepare pare Supper knew what hat w ss is the matter with Lor LorIng lag She fell tell on her knees beside him sobbing and laid her face upon his knee His Ills hand fell tell on her shout ders derc He mistook her fear and pain She Shell n be all right Lillian he his God grant she slie ss will 1111 iii I l The doe doc doctor doctor tor said that thit a day or two will suit tell It Its s poisoning lIe He sat forward in his chair and his clenched hind hand fell on one knee ss o bile the other arm held her convulsively 00 ely Thank God you iou ou t there Thank God you sou ou will III never neer nes ne er know Inow how she suffered Will fainted once and the nurse nuree brought me Into the room 1 they he were ere fighting death like a ph sI cal foe toe I helped to hold her her- herlie her lie He Hega ga base gae e a stifled cry and tore the but buttons buttons buttons tons from his shirt as he expanded his lungs against the crushing fear th It lay upon him Oh Oh Lillian he cried to his liis wife I I don t see how Koss hoehe she ehe cm can live after live last night The doctor thinks she swill wUl willand and so does doe Doctor Gre Grey lies Hes lie s Ith her now noes But I don t see sec ee how she can sun survive h e that struggle le But one thing Is settled for U us for l ever ler er lIe pulled her lier tear wet et face up from his knee Inee and looked it at her with e eyes cs ec lou Iou and I will III have base 1111 e to be enough No r child Is worth orth such an buish No o so life lite Is death orth worth death o I for children for usI us I She Slie hid lild her Ice face against him Her arms held him close I I don t care It If only you will love lo me lIe He pre pressed sed her to him hint but his eyes bad had lion flown n to the windows 11 of ot the hos hospital hospital pital and she felt a tremor pass through his big frame Ernestine stayed In the hospital un untIl until ill tIl the baby was waa a month old III ed borro the money from Mr Ir Poole and paid the hospital bill paid the nurse und and the t two 0 doctors the day she was to be discharged Loring pro pro- protested |