"WHAT are we going to do, mother?" asked little ten-year-old Grace Armstrong. Mrs. Armstrong wiped away a tear and answered, "I don't know what, but I think God will help us find a way." Mrs. Armstrong was a widow; her husband had died three years before and left her with three small children. When the doctor bills and funeral expenses were paid there was very little of the thousand dollars of insurance left, and she found herself confronted with the problem of earning a living and caring for the three small children. She went heroically to work taking in washing and succeeded fairly well until one of the children became ill and, after a lingering illness of four months, died. During the time of the illness of the child Mrs. Armstrong's earnings were considerably decreased, as a great portion of her time and energy must be given to the nursing of the little invalid.
Doctor bills and funeral expenses and decreased earnings were responsible for the piling up of considerable debts.
Grace was the oldest of the children, and the mother often talked things over with her as she had no older person with whom to counsel.
This question was occasioned by a letter which notified Mrs. Armstrong that unless the house rent were paid by the first of the next month she must move out.
"We might find another house, although vacant houses are scarce, but everybody would want a month's rent in advance. We have only three dollars in the house, and we must keep that to buy bread. You know I had to give up two of the family washings during little Jimmy's sickness, and I have only been able to get one in place of them. I'll go down to the bank and explain to Mr. Stover why I haven't paid the rent."
"Do you think if you explain it to him he will let us stay?"
"Yes, I think so. You peel the potatoes for dinner while I finish this washing, and then after dinner I'll go see him."
That afternoon Mrs. Armstrong called at the Central State Bank and asked for the president. She was informed that he was busy. "Would she wait?"
She sat down on the bench and watched the people coming and going; some to deposit and others to draw out. Some with large sacks bearing many coins, others with only a few dollars to add to their accounts. She had neither money to deposit nor money to withdraw. She noticed the large stacks of money behind barred windows and thought of the inequalities of life, and wondered not a little why it should be so.
After a wait of half an hour she was informed that Mr. Stover could see her. It was with a great deal of trepidation that she entered the president's office.
"I am Mrs. Armstrong," she explained. "I have come to talk with you about the rent."
"Yes, let's see, I sent you a notice, didn't I?"
"Yes, you told me to pay by the first or get out. I thought if I explained to you why I was behind with the rent you might let me stay, and I will pay."
He opened his desk and took out a large book and turned to his list of tenants. He owned ten business houses and fifty residences which he rented. "I find," he said, "that you will be three months behind the first of next month."
"I am very sorry that I am so much behind. My little boy was ill so long that I couldn't earn much and then there were the funeral expenses."
"I am very sorry, Mrs. Armstrong. I would like to let you remain in the house regardless of whether you could pay any rent or not if I consulted my feelings alone," the banker rubbed his hands together and smiled benignly, "but the fact is, Mrs. Armstrong, that if I get fifteen dollars a month, which is the amount you have been paying, after paying taxes and paying for the upkeep of the property, I am losing money. I would like to give you the free use of this house if I could afford to do so, but I simply can't afford to let you have it any cheaper, as I am now renting it to you at less than cost, if I figure any interest on my investment."
"I am not asking you to rent it any cheaper. All I am asking is that you give me a little more time to catch up. I will pay you every cent I owe you if you will just give me time. It's pretty slow work catching up when you have a family to support and no way to make money except by taking in washing."
"I am very sorry, Mrs. Armstrong, but really believe that for your own interest you should get a cheaper house. I really feel that I am advising you for your own benefit when I tell you that if you find that you can't raise the back rent I will have to insist on your vacating. Good afternoon, Mrs. Armstrong. I am always glad to advise you. When you wish to consult me, feel free to call." He bowed her out.
She must try to find another house, as there was no possibility of her earning the amount of money necessary to pay the back rent by the first of the month.
She went to Charles Wilson's office to inquire about a house. The fat real estate man was so jovial and at the same time so sympathetic that (though she had intended to tell him only of her inability to pay but a part of the month's rent in advance, in case she could find a house) she told him of her financial difficulties and of the notice from Stover to vacate.
"You say that Stover told you that you must pay up by the first of the month or vacate?"
"Yes, he said that he would like to let me have the free use of the house if he could afford it, but he could not afford it as he was losing money on it at fifteen dollars. To be sure I do not want the free use of his house or any house. All I want is a little time until I can catch up."
"Did he say he was losing money on that house you are living in?"
"Yes, he said he was if he figured any interest on the capital invested."
"Well, you know Stover is used to figuring a pretty high rate of interest on the money he has invested. Let's see, are there three or four rooms in that house?"
"Three."
"It isn't modern, is it?"
"No."
"I didn't think the water had been put in on that street."
"The closest city water is on Sixteenth Street, three blocks away."
"Mrs. Armstrong, I have a little three-room house listed here on Maple Street—a much better residence district than where you are living. I can rent you this house for twelve dollars a month and it is modern."
"That will be fine."
"If I were you I wouldn't wait until the first of the month to take this house, as it will not stand vacant long at that price."
"I want it but I can't raise even half of a month's rent before the first of the month."
"If you want the house, that part can be arranged all right."
"Thank you. I certainly want it and I will move right away. I intend to pay Mr. Stover just as soon as I can."
"Klansmen, you have all read of the alleged Klansmen who threatened the life of the negro, Rastus Jones. We know that they were not Klansmen." (Judge Rider, the Exalted Cyclops, spoke with earnestness.) "True Klansmen do not take the law into their own hands. The man who does, not only violates his oath as a Klansman but acts contrary to the purpose and spirit of our organization. If it is proven that any member of this organization takes part in an affair such as was narrated in the Journal (you can't believe half that's in the Journal, someone interposed) he can expect to leave this Klan as Tom Glynn left it. I would like to see how many of you endorse this sentiment."
He paused while they voted their approval. The vote was unanimous. "I feel confident that no one who has taken the sacred and binding obligation of a Klansman took part in that affair, yet it is going to hurt the organization. Let me remind each of you that the mask is only to be worn in regular Klan ceremonies, when in peaceful parades and when doing charitable deeds. It may be that occasionally some misinformed, or misguided Klansman may think it his duty to check some unlawful act by the commission of some other unlawful act. We cannot expect three million men all to keep implicitly the rules of the organization. Breaches of the peace are sometimes committed by soldiers in the army, by members of fraternal orders and churches. Even Peter denied his Master thrice, and there was a Judas among the twelve. But you who are strong must help to strengthen the weak, and when you see a brother acting in a manner unworthy of a Klansman remind him of his obligation.
"Fortunately, selected as our members are from the best citizens of the community, we have a right to expect only a small amount of misconduct."
When Judge Rider had finished his talk, he asked if there were anything to bring before the Klan.
"I have a matter to present," said Charles Wilson. "There is a widow in this town whose family is in need." He then told them how Mrs. Armstrong had been left a widow without means, how she had labored to support her children; of the death of her little boy; and that she had gotten behind and could not pay her rent and unless it was paid up in full, Stover had ordered her out of the house.
"What do you wish to do in this matter?" the Exalted Cyclops asked.
A Klansman moved that a special collection be taken for the relief of Mrs. Armstrong and her children.
When the collection was taken Judge Rider remarked: "Klansmen, we can do no better work than this. I believe it was the Apostle James who said: 'Pure religion and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.'"
Mrs. Armstrong had risen early to get an early start at the washing. The children were asleep. She li............