"'Mary child, I'm sorry for you, I am indeed, but I can't keep you
here. You know where the county hospital is, don't you? Well, you go
there, and they'll take you in. They'll take such cases as yours.
Here's a quarter to pay your car fare. You needn't let on you stopped
with me. You may be sure _I_ won't, for I respect your Grandfather and
Grandmother highly. I don't want them to find out I know anything about
your trouble or that I took you in. Why, they'd never speak to me
again. There, there, don't cry. Good-by and good luck to you, Mary.'

"I got on a car and pretty soon was asking the gate-keeper of the city
and county hospital how I should apply to get in. 'Patient?' he asked.
'Yes, sir,' said I. So he directed me to the office. A lot of people
were there, waiting their turn. After a while a doctor interviewed me
in a little office. He asked me a good many questions. No, I didn't lie
to him, but I told him as little as I could. He said, 'We can't take
you in yet. Come on such a date,' and put my name on a book, then wrote
on a card something about admitting the bearer, Mary H----, maternity
ward, with his name and the day I was due there. I told him I'd no
place to go; he said I was able to work for a while. So I went out to
try and find some work. Before evening I got a job washing dishes and
preparing vegetables in a small restaurant, for the sake of my board
and bed, and I stayed there until it was time to go back to the
hospital.

"I forgot all my troubles for a while when Jack came.... Mother
Roberts, how can I think God is good? He's going to take my baby from
me; he's going to let him die. I can't stand it. I'll kill myself--yes,
I will...."