MATTIE'S STORY
"My father is a good man. He is kind, hard-working, and gives all of his
wages to Mother. Mother has an idea that I am above my associates. She
is ambitious for me to go with the rich girls--the girls who have
position."
Ethel's heart bounded. Was not her own mother the same?
"I worked in McAllister's store. I earned six dollars a week. Three of
it I paid Mother for board. The other three, with what Father gave me,
bought my clothes; but even with that I could not dress well enough to
go with the girls as she wished me to.
"Her idea was for me to go to church and Sunday School and meet them
that way. Then poor little Mollie was knocked down by an automobile and
she has never left her bed. They were a party of joy riders, and oh! I
hate to confess it, but I've promised--my mother was one of them. She
had a cousin who was a chauffeur and he asked her to go. No one but I
knew that she was of the party, for they were so drunk they never saw
that she left them, and to this day no one knows that it was her
cousin's auto that knocked Mollie down, for he escaped. Mother came home
after Mollie had been taken to the hospital, and at that time we all
thought that she had been out spending the evening. When she found that
Mollie was injured for life she began to take morphine. I alone know her
secret; she never knew that she told it. For God's sake don't betray me.
Every-penny that Father gave her she spent for that drug, and he
thinking that Mollie had the benefit of it.
"At last I couldn't stand it. I couldn't see my little sister die for
the want of proper food, nor could I tell Father, and give my own mother
away, for outside of her ambition for me she had been a good mother.
Then Father grew ill and was laid up with rheumatism. I refused to give
Mother the three dollars for board, but I kept it for expenses. When
she demanded, I told her what I knew and threatened to expose her.
"Father grew better and was able to work again, but poor Mollie failed
daily. I laid awake night after night. I prayed--for I was a good girl
once--for a way to be shown me whereby I could make more than six
dollars a week.
"Then in Sunday School I met Miss Hollister. I had heard of these Camp
Fire Girls and how many fine things a girl could learn, so that in time
she could earn good money. I consulted with Father and he advised me to
join; and Mother was delighted, for she saw visions of my being intimate
with the 'swell' girls."
Here Mattie put her hands on her breast and Ethel ran to the trough for
more water.
"Before we came up here," she continued, "I found a doctor who upon
seeing Mollie said that for one hundred and fifty dollars he could put
her in a Home where she would have attention and treatment. She could
wear braces, and perhaps in time she might grow to be strong and well.
But how was I to get it? Father and I together could hardly pay for our
food.
"One afternoon just before the store closed a lady dropped her purse. I
put my foot over it and stood until she had gone off in her auto. Then
when no one was looking I picked it up, put it in my bosom, and went
home. In the purse I found forty dollars.
"That was the beginning. After that it came so easy, and Mollie enjoyed
the fruit that I brought her. But thirty-five dollars of the money I put
in the bank. I took little things from the store and sold them. I
pretended that they had been given to me.
"Then I came up here. Oh! I expected to end in prison. I knew that it
couldn't go on forever. But I took a chance. I had now nearly
seventy-five dollars. One hundred and fifty, or say two hundred, would
save Mollie. I kept on. I took a locket from Edith Overman. She's never
missed it. It has a large diamond in the center. She's rich and
careless. I took that ring from Nora. I've often thought that Nora
suspected me, but she's never given me away. I've taken money from each
one of you girls. The only one whom I've not robbed is Miss Kate--God
bless her. I wouldn't take a handkerchief from her, she's been so kind
to me. The rest have never liked me. You remember since we came here the
time I went home and spent two days. Well, I went in town and deposited
my money and saw that Mollie had some comforts in way of food and books.
Then when I came back I began taking the jewelry. I have now over a
hundred dollars in the bank. I had come up here today to find a safe
place in some tree where until we went back I could put the two rings
and locket, as I feared that they might be seen on my neck. When you
called and said, 'We've seen you; don't hide,' I thought that you had
discovered that I was a thief and I started to run and fell over the
tree trunk. I had been pretty warm while walking up the hill and I guess
you were correct,--it was the heat. That's all," she moaned wearily.
"You may give me up. I knew the time would come, but I had hoped to have
had Mollie in a Home before I was taken," and the girl lay back on the
ground shaking with sobs.
Ethel and Patty looked at each other.
"Now see here," said Patty Sands, "Ethel and I are not monsters to eat
you up, are we, Ethel?"
"No," replied the girl, "Mattie, I think we may be able to help Mollie."
Mattie sat up.
"What?" she gasped.
"Yes," replied Ethel. "You've done this for her. Now we are not going to
betray you, and we are going to help you; but first, you must give back
everything that you have taken. Do you remember the name of the lady
from whom you took the purse?"
"Yes," replied Mattie. "I have the purse with her card in it."
"Very well; return that by mail. Say if you wish that you found it and
regret not sending it before. You needn't sign your name. Then take
Nora's ring and put it in her suitcase, after which put Edith's chain in
hers. Can you remember the different amounts of money that you have
taken from us girls?"
"I took"--and she faltered--"five from you and five from Patty."
"Well, don't try to think now, but go by yourself and if possible
remember what you took from each girl and replace it as you are going to
replace the jewelry. Whatever you took from the store and sold is a
harder matter and you can't recover the goods."
"No," said Mattie.
"How much did you get for them?" asked Patty.
"About twelve dollars," replied the girl.
"You give that to me," said Patty. "Mr. McAllister is a great friend of
Father's. I will give Father the money and tell him to return it,--that
it's from a client--an old employee--who to save a human life and under
great temptation took the things, and that she wishes to make
restitution. He'll never suspect you, nor will he question Father, for
Father has rendered him too many services."
Mattie grasped her by the hand.
"Oh! you are too good to me, Miss Sands. However can I pay you and Miss
Ethel?"
"Call me Ethel," said the girl.
"Yes, and me Patty. You are one of us and we are all sisters."
"And now," continued Ethel, "my Aunt Susan, who lives in Akron, is a
philanthropist. I've heard her tell of a Cripple's Home there. If your
sister is unable to pay she can get her in free. That doctor may slip
some of that money he speaks of into his own pocket, and if your sister
is under Aunt Susan's wing she'll see that she gets everything she
needs, and she'll have the best of care. You can run down every week or
so and see her. I'm sure Aunt Susan would make you welcome over night."
Mattie Hastings fell on the ground at the feet of the two girls.
"Oh, my God!" she said, "Are you in earnest?" and she kissed their
hands. "Can it be possible that there is about to be made a way for poor
Mollie? Are my prayers to be answered?" and she sobbed while the two
girls held her in their arms.
"Come on now," said Ethel, "let's go home. You're all tired out. We'll
put you to bed. Don't worry, Mattie," she whispered, "we'll attend to
everything."