A Visit of Charity - brookwoodhighschool.net

in The word «(charity" comes from
in the Latin word caritas, meaning

er A Visit of Charity
"love." Does love motivate
Marian's actions in the following
ee story?

EUDORA WELTY


)ie
in

tV­

;x- It was mid-morning-a very cold, "With any old ladies? No-but-that is,

IIt.
Ias bright day. Holding a potted plant before her, any of them will do," Marian stammered.

he a girl of fourteen jumped off the bus in front of With her free hand she pushed her hair

he the Old Ladies' Home, in the outskirts of behind her ears, as she did when it was time

town. She wore a red coat, and her straight to study Science.

ng yellow hair was hanging down loose from the The nurse shrugged and rose. "You have a

pointed white cap all the little girls were nice multiflora cineraria there," she remarked

wearing that year. She stopped for a moment as she walked ahead down the hall of closed
m beside one of the prickly dark shrubs with doors to pick out an old lady.

which the city had beautified the Home, and There was loose, bulging linoleum on the
nd then proceeded slowly toward the building, floor. Marian felt as if she were walking on the

tar which was ofwhitewashed brick and reflected waves, but the nurse paid no attention to it.
the winter sunlight like a block of ice. As she There was a smell in the hall like the interior of

ny walked vaguely up the steps she shifted the a clock. Everything was silent until, behind
small pot from hand to hand; then she had to one of the doors, an old lady of some kind

set it down and remove her mittens before she cleared her throat like a sheep bleating. This

could open the heavy door. decided the nurse. Stopping in her tracks, she

"I'm a Campfire Girl. ... I have to pay a first extended her arm, bent her elbow, and

u, visit to some old lady," she told the nurse at leaned forward from the hips-all to examine
the desk. This was a woman in a white uni­ the watch strapped to her wrist; then she gave

form who looked as if she were cold; she had a loud double-rap on the door.

19 close-cut hair which stood up on the very top "There are two in each room," the nurse

19 of her head exactly like a sea wave. Marian, remarked over her shoulder.

10 the little girl, did not tell her that this visit "Two what?" asked Marian without think­

would give her a minimum of only three ing. The sound like a sheep's bleating almost
Id points in her score.
a1 made her turn around and run back.

"Acquainted with any of our residents?" One old woman was pulling the door open
ts asked the nurse. She lifted one eyebrow and in short, gradual jerks, and when she saw the

spoke like a man. nurse a strange smile forced her old face

A Visit 0/ Charity 367

dangerously awry. Marian, suddenly pro­ "Flowers!" screamed the old woman. She
pelled by the strong, impatient arm of the stood holding the pot in an undecided way.
nurse, saw next the side-face of another old "Pretty flowers," she added.
woman, who was lying in bed with a cap on
and a counterpane drawn up to her chin. Then the old woman in bed cleared her
throat and spoke. "They are not pretty," she
"Visitor," said the nurse, and after one said, still without looking around, but very
more shove she was off up the halL distinctly.

Marian stood tongue-tied; both hands held Marian suddenly pitched against the chair
the potted plant. The old woman, still with and sat down in it.
that terrible, square smile (which was a smile
of welcome) stamped on her bony face, was "Pretty flowers," the first old woman
waiting.... Perhaps she said something. The insisted. "Pretty-pretty.... "
old woman in bed said nothing at all, and she
did not look around. Marian wished she had the little pot back
for just a moment-she had forgotten to look
Suddenly Marian saw a hand, quick as a at the plant herself before giving it away.
bird claw, reach up in the air and pluck the What did it look like?
white cap off her head. At the same time,
another claw to match drew her all the way "Stinkweeds," said the other old woman
into the room, and the next moment the door sharply. She had a bunchy white forehead and
closed behind her. red eyes like a sheep. Now she turned them
toward Marian. The fogginess seemed to rise
"My, my, my," said the old lady at her side. in her throat again, and she bleated, "Who­
Marian stood enclosed by a bed, a wash­ are-you?"
stand and a chair; the tiny room had
altogether too much furniture. Everything To her surprise, Marian could not remem­
smelled wet-even the bare floor. She held ber her name. "I'm a Campfire Girl," she said
onto the back of the chair, which was wicker finally.
and felt soft and damp. Her heart beat more
and more slowly, her hands got colder and "Watch out for the germs," said the old,
colder, and she could not hear whether the old woman like a sheep, not addressing anyone in ~
women were saying anything or not. She particular.
could not see them very clearly. How dark it
was! The window shade was down, and the "One came out last month to see us," said
only door was shut. Marian looked at the the first old woman.
ceiling.... It was like being caught in a rob­
ber's cave, just before one was murdered. A sheep or a germ? wondered Marian
"Did you come to be our little girl for a dreamily, holding onto the chair.
while?" the first robber asked.
Then something was snatched from "Did not!" cried the other old woman.
Marian's hand-the little potted plant. "Did so! Read to us out of the Bible, and we
enjoyed it!" screamed the first.
"Who enjoyed it!" said the woman in bed.
Her mouth was unexpectedly small and sor­
rowful, like a pet's.
"We enjoyed it," insisted the other. "You
enjoyed it-I enjoyed it."

368 1WENTIETH CENTURY FICTION

"We all enjoyed it," said Marian, without "Will you shut your mouth?" said the
realizing that she had said a word. woman in bed. "I am not."

The first old woman had just finished put­ "You're a story."
ting the potted plant high, high on the top of "I can't stay but a minute-really, I can't,"
the wardrobe, where it .could hardly be seen said Marian suddenly. She looked down at the
from below. Marian wondered how she had wet floor and thought that if she were sick in
ever succeeded in placing it there, how she here they would have to let her go.
could ever have reached so high. With much to-do the first old woman sat
down in a rocking chair-still another piece
"You mustn't pay any attention to old of furniture!-and began to rock. With the
Addie," she now said to the little girL "She's fingers of one hand she touched a very dirty
ailing today."

Last Sickness, 1952, ALICE NEEL .<,

Collection of RiChard and Hartley NeeL Courtesy ,. )'
of Robert Miller Gallery. New York "

1

cameo pin on her chest. "What do you do at school and all," said the old woman in the
school?" she asked. same intimate, menacing voice. "Not here­
another town...."
"I don't know ... " said Marian. She tried
to think but she could not. "Hush!" said the sick woman. "You never
went to school. You never came and you never
"Oh, but the flowers are beautiful," the old went. You never were anywhere-only here.
woman whispered. She seemed to rock faster You never were born! You don't know
and faster; Marian did not see how anyone anything. Your head is empty, your heart and
could rock so fast. hands and your old black purse are all empty,
even that little old box that you brought with
"Ugly," said the woman in bed. you you brought empty-you showed it to
"If we bring flowers-" Marian began, and me. And yet you talk, talk, talk,~lk, talk all
then fell silent. She had almost said that if the time until I think I'm losing my mind.
Campfire Girls brought flowers to the Old Who are you? You're a stranger-a perfect
Ladies' Home, the visit would count one extra stranger! Don't you know you're a stranger?
point, and if they took a Bible with them on Is it possible that they have actually done a
the bus and read it to the old ladies, it counted thing like this to anYQne-sent them in a
double. But the old woman had not listened, stranger to talk, and ro~k, and tell away her
anyway; she was rocking and watching the whole long rigmarole? Do they seriously sup­
other one, who watched back from the bed. pose that I'll be able to keep it up, day in, day
"Poor Addie is ailing. She has to take medi­ out, night in, night out, living in the same
cine-see?" she said, pointing a horny finger room with a terrible old woman-forever?"
at a row of botdes on the table, and rocking so
high that her black comfort shoes lifted off the Marian saw the old woman's eyes grow
floor like a little child's. bright and turn toward her. This old woman
"I am no more sick than you are," said the was looking at her with despair and calcula­
woman in bed. tion on her face. Her small lips suddenly
"Oh yes you are!" dropped apart, and exposed a half circle of
"I just got more sense than you have, that's false teeth with tan gums.
all," said the other old woman, nodding her
head. "Come here, I want to tell you something,"
"That's only the contrary way she talks she whispered. "Come here!"
when you all come," said the first old lady
with sudden intimacy. She stopped the rocker Marian was trembling, and her heart nearly
with a neat pat of her feet and leaned toward stopped beating altogether for a moment.
Marian. Her hand reached over-it felt like a
petunia leaf, clinging and just a little sticky. "Now, now, Addie," said the first old
"Will you hush! Will you hush!" cried the woman. "That's not polite. Do you know
other one. what's really the matter with old Addie
Marian leaned back rigidly in her chair. today?" She, too, looked at Marion; one of
"When I was a little girl like you, I went to her eyelids drooped low.

"The matter?" the child repeated stupidly.
"What's the matter with her?"

370 TWENTIETH CENTURY FICTION

"Why, she's mad because it's her birth­ door. For the second time, the claw almost .,
day!" said the first old woman, beginning to touched her hair, but it was not quick enough.
rock again and giving a little crow as though The little girl put her cap on.
she had answered her own riddle.
"Well, it was a real visit," said the old
"It is not, it is not!" screamed the old woman, following Marian through the door­
woman in bed. "It is not my birthday, no one way and all the way out into the hall. Then
knows when that is but myself, and will you from behind she suddenly clutched the child
please be quiet and say nothing more, or I'll go with her sharp little fingers. In an affected,
straight out of my mind!" She turned her eyes high-pitched whine shecried, "Oh, little girl,
toward Marian again, and presently she said in have you a penny to spare for a poor old
the soft, foggy voice, "When the worst comes woman that's not got anything of her own?
to the worst, I ring this bell, and the nurse We don't have a thing in the world-not a
comes." One of her hands was drawn out penny for candy-not a thing! Little girl, just
from under the patched counterpane-a thin a nickel-a penny-"
little hand with enormous black freckles.
With a finger which would not hold still she Marian pulled violently against the old
pointed to a little bell on the table among the hands for a moment before she was free. Then
bottles. she ran down the hall, without looking behind
her and without looking at the nurse, who was
"How old are you?" Marian breathed. reading Field & Stream at her desk. The nurse,
Now she could see the old woman in bed very after another triple motion to consult her
closely and plainly, and very abruptly, from all wrist watch, asked automatically the question
sides, as in dreams. She wondered about put to visitors in all institutions: "Won't you
her-she wondered for a moment as though stay and have dinner with us?"
there was nothing else in the world to wonder
about. It was the first time such a thing had Marian never replied. She pushed the heavy
happened to Marian. door open into the cold air and ran down
the steps.
"I won't tell!"
The old face on the pillow, where Marian Under the prickly shrub she stopped and
was bending over it, slowly gathered and col­ quickly, without being seen, retrieved a red
lapsed. Soft whimpers came out of the small apple she had hidden there.
open mouth. It was a sheep that she sounded
like-a little lamb. Marian's face drew very Her yellow hair under the white cap, her
close, the yellow hair hung forward. scarlet coat, her bare knees all flashed in the
"She's crying!" She turned a bright, burn­ sunlight as she ran to meet the big bus rocket­
ing face up to the first old woman. ing through the street.
"That's Addie for you," the old woman said
spitefully. "Wait for me!" she shouted. As though
Marian jumped up and moved toward the at an imperial command, the bus ground to
a stop.

She jumped on and took a big bite out of
the apple.

A Visit 0/ Charity 371