, 1884-02-14
ONE WoMAN's FATE.


[9DurandalH in Cincinnati Enquirer.
I shall never forget one woman who at
tracted the attention Of at least $1,000 people
q day for several months in q CARPET factory
near the Elevated road. The factory in ques-
ton Is situated directly opposite and within
twenty feet of tho Third avenue Elevated stn-
ton at Chatham square. From the station
could be seen several hundre women sewing
carpets on changing or clAttering machines all
day long. Business men who came down
in the morning and were obliged to get OF at
Chatham square so as to connect with tbs
branch road to the city hal, watched the
women curiously as they waited for their
trains. At night when thsy waited in the
same place they watched them again until
their train came along. More than 5000
men did this every day in the year.
Ono morning in the early part Of May last
year the eyes Of every man wpre attracted to-
ward the southern window of the building
the ono nearest the station. A newcomer
had taken charge OF the machine which faced
the window. She was a remarkably hand
some woman, and she charmed the
eyes Of tho multitude from the mo-
ment she made her appearance. She
had a superb figure, shapsly arms, mag
nineent black eyes, lots Of color and regular
features. Occasionally she glanced down at
the multitude who watched her eagerly, but
abe never smiled at the dudes, nor gave the
slightest glance OF recognition to the bankers,
brokers and respectable merchants who
glared at her 30 amorously. She was a sub
ject of conversation every morning for a long
time after she nade her appearance. The
men looked for her as regularly as they
looked a. the city hall clock
When she first appeared her back hair was
drawn neatly down over her forehead and
gathered In q tight roll at the back Of her
head She wore a bit OF something white
about her neck, and looked refreshing and
pretty. This vas just before the hot weather
began. Gradually tho woman began TO fadet
the heavy carpet which she was compelled to
stitch became dusty, and the glare from the
street and the heat of the air made tho work
more and more trying every day. She be-
gan to show traces OF fatigue; she grew
heayy-eyed; her hair, which had formerly
been neatly arranged. WINS allowed to stray
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 face grew
hinner and thinner, the color departed from
her cheeks and blnck circles came under her
eyes The 90, 900 men stared at her every
day, observed the change and
uIon 1t.
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 a hectic flush, and her eyes we're un-
naturally bright, The so, 600 men looked ut
her and bet ten to Eve among themselves
that she wouldn't last until August /. Those
who had put up money on tho endurance of
the poor creature were more interested in
her than over. One passenger, a prominent
broker whom l knew, said to me ono morn
ing:
u look for that face at tho window and for
tho roof OF the produce exchange every
morning with the utmost anxiety. If that
face goes away before August l. l shall
lose SIS. II l find u flag on the roof OF the
produce exchange 1 will know that some Of
the membsrs are dead, and that will cost me
$40 more. l can mover draw q long breath
until l nave seen both lotteries and am safely
housed in my office"
Tho broker lost his monsy. Shortly be-
fore August the $1,000 men were shocked
or gladdened, as tho case might be, by See
ing in the place OF the beautiful girl. who
had so long sat framed in by the window n
raw-boned, scrawny and frecked woman
with a face so poaitively ugly that it would
stop a Chinese funeral. Speculation was
rife Ms 20 what had become OF the girl One
day three Of us were going up own about 8
" CAOS Al lAt III tELOOh III august, LalklnR
as usual about tho 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 o rash and dreadful thing TO
do. But after q little thought we descended
the steps and climbed to the second story OF
the building. When we got thsrs we were
stared at by several hundred employees, and
guyed numerically until we found the
superintendent. he was a little man, with a
quick, nervous manner, and q bald head.
We stated our errand to him as quickly as
possible. He said:
at IL 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"
GWhat became OF herr
"You seem very anxious to know said the
little mau with a very hard twinkle Of his
right eye o he stared at us.
ayes, we have come all tho way up hers to
SOC II we couldn't find out what had become
Of her. We ave no base and sinister mo-
tives. We ere moved simply by curiosity"
"No doubt" said the little man with tho
same hard glitter in his eye. There was a
painful pause. We stood and stared at each
othsr while the operatives kept on with their
guying, and the little man kept on with his
staring. Finally, after a long wait, some one
OF our party said:
"Well, what the deuce did become Of horr'
"Shs married" said the little man lacon-
ically. There was another drsary pause.
Finally, l mustered up courags enough to
say:
"WhoY
@Mc," said tho little man
ThOn we left.