The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-07-17

know when my duties begin, what mum.
Der of hours I shall be employed eact
day, and how I am expected to dress. .
"Your duties will begin every even
ing at dusk, and last till after midnight
You are TO play the role of the rustic
maiden until you learn TO dance, sing
play cards, chess, checkers, dice, back.
CANNON, and so forth. You must dress
attractively. The proprietor expect:
you to be the belle of the drawing-room. y
''The dra'Uing-room ~ elevating hel
brows; "tchdfS thdt?"
'Oh, forgot that you haven't seen
our accommodations. Here, Suke, take
this green one and show her through
the establishment"
The girl thus addressed wore a
white muslin wrapper, open in the neck,
and her blonde hair was n mass of tight
and shocky curls, tied on the top of her
head with bright blue ribbon.
Annie shrank from the girl involunta-
rily, as she followed her up a broad
flight of stairs into a suite of elegant
parlors, where, seated at divers tables,
were young men, old men, and women,
engaged in variOus games, all with cut
glass wine service before them, and all
busy and excited over their play.
Amie's guide touched q spring, and
what seemed a part of the frescoed wall,
rolled back and disappeared, revealing
dancing saloon, where girls in ballot
dress of gauzy texture, made after the
scant pattern one sees upon the respect
able stage in the present high state of
civilization, were being whirled i'm the
maZes of the round dance through the
grand apartment, In the arms of fast
young men, and faster married men,
with wives and babes at home, who
found solace nightly in the congenial
society of girls, who, like Annie Lee,
had been compelled to accept the situa-
tion, and become the protec ted attaches
Of gilded dens, where ruin lurked in
ambush under the guise of pleasure.
81 know it looks suspicious and un-
promising now," said the guide; "but
the very fact that you've been here once
will shut the doors of all other respecta-
bic places against you. The wages are
good, the work light, and we do have
lots of splendid beaux. The very cream
of society visits US, and some of the
most brilliant women in the city live
here and fare sumptuously."
Annie staggered, and, but for the help
Of her guide, would have fallen to the
floor.
"Don't feel bad, my little simpleton.
You'll like it splendid after you get
used to being looked upon as ballot
girl"
''But I pever t0iH submit! I'll starve
first ~ and the poor girl rushed through
the gilded hall and down the stairs to-
ward the street.
'You don't mean to say that you de-
cline the situation ." queried the i'm
portant clerk.
81 mean to say that J have been
cruelty deceived, or never shonld have
entered such q den."
'Oh, that's what they always say.
It's always a case Of misplaced conf
dence, when girls come here to live"
'Let me gor' screamed Annie, at the
top Of her voice.
But the clerk held her as if in a vice,
and her screams and struggles brought
three or four policemen, who, shame
upon a system Of protection for lroBlen
that 'oouid permit the outrage, marched
her of to the city Jail. Annie spent the
long dismal night in the same cell that
Henry had found refuge in duving his
first few days experience in city life.
As no one appeared against her, she
was released the next morning, and,
when she reached her home, she found
the baby crying in Fanny's arms, and
the whole family badly frightened at
her long absence. The last potato had
been devoured, and there was literally
nothing in the house to eat.
Annie struggled with the paugs of
hunger, augmented by the clamor Of the
baby for his food.
Some good angel must have touched
the heart Of an humble neighbor, who
sent over . large basin containing a
savory stew, which made a MONDAY
meal. But the presence Of possible or
even remote starvation was anything
but pleasant.
"What need care for the world. ~ she
sighed, "or anybody in it, for that mat
ter, when nobody cares for me? Ihave
hundred dollars, but got the money
only on condition that l should enter
that great red Dutchman's service. and
he was to repay the money TO the lender
as soon as could earn it. It's Of no use.
this fighting against fate. pll go to-day
and buy months provisions and order
them sent home"
The resolve was acted upon, and a
liberal supply of life's necessaries, in
cluding a cord Of wood, and plenty of
vegetables and -four, was slowed away
in the little shed adjoining the tenement.
The evening found Annie at her post
in the grand saloon, arrayed in a coun-
try maiden's garb Of simple muslin.
Her eyes were lighted by strange,
fierce glare of desperation, and, as the
evening wore on, she entered into the
spirit OF the character of country girl," /"
and played her part with q fascinating
grace that kept a half-dozen elegantly
attired gentlemen clustered around her