The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1884-04-25
ONE WOMAN'S FATE.

ONh OlMAN ~ L A1hs
T"Durandal" in Cincinnati Enquirer.l
I shall never forget one woman who at
tracted the attention of at least $4,000 people
a day for several months in carpet factory
near the Elevated road The factory in ques-
ton is situated directly opposite and within
twenty feet of the Third avenue Elevated sta
ton at Chatham square. From the station
could be seen several hundred women sewing
carpets on Changing or gathering machines all
day long. Business men who came down
in the morning and were obliged to get off at
Chatham square, SO as to connect with the
branch road to the city hall, watched the
women curiously as they waited for their
trains. At night when they waited in the
same place they watched them again until
their train came along. More than $4,000
men did this every day in the year.
One morning in the early part of May last
year the eyes of every man were attracted to-
ward the southern window of the building
the one nearest the station. A newcomer
had taken charge of the machine which faced
the window. She was remarkably hand
some woman, and she charmed the
eyes of the multitude from the mo-
1nent she made her appearance. She
had a superb figure, shapely arms, mag
nificent black eyes, lots of color and regular
features. Occasionally she glanced down at
the multitude who watched her eagerly, but
she never smiled at the dudes, nor gave the
slightest glance of recognition to the bankers,
brokers and respectable merchants who
glared at her SO amorously. She was sub
iect of conversation every morning for a long
timS after she made her appearance. The
men looked for her regularly as they
looked at the city hall clock.
When she first appeared her back hair was
drawn neatly down over her forehead and
gathered in a tight roll at the back of her
head. She wore a bit Of something white
about her neck, and looked refreshing and
pretty. This was just before the hot weather
began. Gradually the woman began to fade;
the heavy carpet which she was compelled to
stitch became dusty, and the glare from the
street and the heat of the air made the work
more and more trying every day. She be-
gan to show traces of fatigue; she grew
heavy-eyed; her hair, which had formerly
been neatly arranged. was allowed to strag-
gle over her brow, and the neatness which
had characterized her whole appearance dis
appeared before the oppression of the heat
and the awful amount of work which she was
obliged to do every day. Her f; 20 grew
thinner and thinner, the color departed from
her cheeks and black circles came under her
eyes. The $4,000 men stared at her every
day. observed the change and commented
upon it.
By the time the scorching heat of July had
come she had wasted away to a mere skele-
ton. The pale and wan cheek was heightened
by hectic flush, and her eyes were un-
naturally bright. The so, 600 men looked at
her and bet ten to five among themselves
that she wouldn't last until August l. Those
who had put up money on the endurance of
thu, poor creature were more interested in
her than ever. One passenger, prominent
broker whom ! knew, said to me one morn
ing:
Al look for that face at the window and for
the roof of the produce exchange every
morning with the utmost anxiety. II that
face goes away before August 1, 1 shall
lose S25. If I find flag on the roof of the
produce exchange l will know that some of
the members are dead, and that will cost me
$40 more I can never draw a long breath
until have seen both lotteries and am safely
housed in my office"
The broker lost his money. Shortly be-
fore August l the $4,000 men were shocked
sor giaddened, as the case might be, by see
ing in the place of the beautiful girl, who
had so long sat framed in by the window a
raw-boned, scrawny and freckled woman
with a face so positively ugly that it would
stop a Chinese funeral. Speculation was
rife as to what had become of the girl One
day three of us were going up town about
o'clock in the afternoon in August, talking
as usual about the carpet girl, when some
body proposed that we should go up into the
carpet house and ask about her. For a mo-
ment it seemed a rash and dreadful thing to
do But after little thought we descended
the steps and climbed to the second story of
the building. When got there were
stared at by several hundred employees and
guyed numerically until found the
superintendent. He was a little man, with
quick, nervous manner, and a bald head.
We stated our errand to him as quickly as
possible. He said:
'sIt is astonishing how much interest that
girl created. You are only three of 5000
men who have come up to ask about her.
Her history was not remarkable in any re-
spect, and she is now doing quite we'll"
"What became of her?"
"You seem very anxious to know, " said the
little man with very hard twinkle of his
right eye as he stared at us.
"Yes, we have come all the way up here to
see if we couldn't find out what had become
of her. We have no base and sinister mo-
tives. We are moved simply by curiosity"
"No doubt" said the little man with the
same hard glitter in his eye. There was a
painful pause. We stood and stared at each
other while the operatives kept on with their
guying, and the little man kept on with his
staring. Finally, after long wait, some one
of our party said:
"Well, what the deuce did become of her?"
"She married" said the little man lacon-
ically There was another dreary pause
Finally, 1 mustered up courage enough to
say:
"Who?"
"Me," said the little man.
Then we left.
Carried Away by the Play.
Exchanged