She wrapped up the sxiit and placed the pack-
age in my arms, saying, "That's for you,
Jimmy."

20



THE HOME-MADE SUIT OF CLOTHES

I raced home and climbed into the attic
of our little four-doUar-a-month cottage,
and in the stifling heat under the low roof I
changed my clothes. Then I proudly climbed
down to show my blue suit to my mother.
"Where did you get those clothes, James?"
she asked gravely.
, I told her about Miss Foraker.
"Did you work for them?"

"No; everything is free," I said.
Mother told me to take the suit off. I went
to the attic, blinking a tear out of my eyes,
and changed into my old rags again. Then
mother took the blue suit, wrapped it up care-
fully and putting it in my hands told me to
take it back to Miss Foraker.
"You don't understand, James," she said.
"But these clothes are not for people like us.
These are to be given to the poor."

I have often smiled as I looked back on it
I'll bet there wasn't a dime in the house. The
patches on my best pants were three deep
and if laid side by side would have covered
more territory than the new blue suit. To
take those clothes back was the bitterest
sacrifice my heart has ever known.
