question: Who continues to pay the invalid Mr. Adams a salary despite his failure to work for a long period due to illness? answer: Mr. Lamb paragraph: Alice Adams is the youngest daughter of the Adams family . Her father is an invalid who used to work in Mr. Lamb 's factory as a clerk . Her mother is embittered by her husband 's lack of ambition and upset by the snubs her daughter endures because of their poverty . Alice 's older brother , Walter , is a gambler who can not hold a job and who associates with African Americans . As the film begins , Alice attends a dance given by the wealthy Henrietta Lamb . She has no date , and is escorted to the occasion by Walter . Alice is a social climber like her mother , and engages in socially inappropriate behavior and conversation in an attempt to impress others . At the dance , Alice meets wealthy Arthur Russell , who is charmed by her despite her poverty . Alice 's father is employed as a clerk in a factory owned by Mr. Lamb , who has kept Adams on salary for years despite his lengthy illness . Alice 's mother nags her husband into quitting his job and pouring his life savings into a glue factory . Mr. Lamb ostracizes Mr. Adams from society , believing that Adams stole the glue formula from him . Alice is the subject of cruel town gossip , which Russell ignores . Alice invites Russell to the Adams home for a fancy meal . She and her mother put on airs , the entire family dresses inappropriately in formal wear despite the hot summer night , and the Adams pretend that they eat caviar and fancy , rich-tasting food all the time . The dinner is ruined by the slovenly behavior and poor cooking skills of the maid the Adams have hired for the occasion , Malena . 