Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-05-02
ONE WCMAN'S FATE.
f"Durandal" in Cincinnati Enquirer.

".
shall never forget one woman who at
tracted the attention of at least $1,000 people
a day for several months in a carpet factory
near the Elevated road The factory in ques
tion 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 Oh Changing or Gathering machines al
day long. Business men who came dowI
in the morning and were obliged to get off a,
Chatham square, SO as to connect with tht
branch road to the city hall, watched the
women c,lriously as they waited for theil
trains. At night when they waited in the
same place they watched them again unit
their train came along. More than 81, ,OOl
men Gid 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 size charmed the
eyes of the multitude from the mo
ment she made her appearance. She
had superb figure, shapely arms, mag
nificent black eyes, lots of color and regular
features. Occasionally she glanced down al
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 a sub
ject of conversation every morning for a long
time after she made her appearance. The
men looked for her as 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 hel
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 tc
stitch became dusty, and the glare from the
street and the heat of the air made the worh
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 wa:
obliged to do every day. Her (; 70 grew
thinner and thinner, the color departed from
her cheeks and black circles came under hel
eyes. The $1,000 men stared at her every
day, observed the change and commented
upon it.
BY the time the scorching heat of July had
come she lad wasted away to a mere skele
ton The pale and wan cheek was heightened
by hectic flush, and her eyes vera un
naturally bright. The sc, 600 men looked al
her and bet ten to five among themselve.
that she wouldn't last until August l. Those
who had put up money Oh the endurance OF
the poor creature were more interested in
her than ever. One passenger, a prominent
broker whom knew, said to me one morn
ing:
Il look for that face at the window and for
the roof Of the produce exchange every
morning with the utmost anxiety. If that
face goes away before August /, shall
lose S25. II 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 can never draw q long breath
until have seen both lotteries and am safely
housed in my Office"
The broker lost his money. Shortly be
fore August the $1,000 men were shocked
or gladdened, 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 q
raw-boned, scrawny and freckled woman
with face 50 positively ugly that it would
stop a Chinese funeral. Speculation wa.
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
hot
carpet house and ask about her. For mo
ment it seemed a rash and dreadful thing tc
do. But after a little thought we descended
the steps and climbed to the second story ol
the building. When we got there we wert
stared at by several hundred employees, and
guyed numerically until we found thu
superintendent. He was little man, with 9
quick, nervous manner, and a bald head
We stated our errand to him as quickly a
possible. He said:
ut is astonishing how much interest tina,
girl created You are only three Of 3OO(
| 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 tn,
little man with very hard twinkle of hi.
right eye as he stared at US
"Yes, we have come all the way up here t
see if we couldn't find out what had becom,
Of her. We have no base and sinister mo
tives We are moved simply by curiosity.
mo doubt, said the little man with tn,
same hard glitter in his eye. There was
painful pause. We stood and stared at eacl
other while the operatives kept ON with thei
guying, and the little man kept on with hi
staring. Finally, after long wait, some on,
of our party said:
~Well, what the deuce did become Of herY
"She married, said the little man lacon
ically. There was another dreary pause
Finally, mustered up courage enough t.
say:
"Who?"
"Me," said the little man.
Then We left.
Tho Hats Our Fathers Wore.
Detroit Free Press.l
The fashion in head-gear for mel
and boys has undergone great change
during the last thirty years. Now cap,
of cloth are rarely seen except on mel
in uniform, or on foreign arrivals, ant
the silk hat is affected only by staii
citizens of middle or mature age. The
felt hat has usurped the place of botl
these head coverings for young ant
old, except when some state occasion
demands the traditional "stove-pipe; :
and there are few wearers of these whit
know their composition. Once whel
the beaver" hat was actually beave,
skin fashioned into hat, the name was
appropriate. Subsequent improvements
reduced the price of beavers" by
changing the material, which became
beaver fur-sometimes cheaper fur
attached by glue or cement to ha
body of felt. Still later the fur was re
placed by Q silk plush, glued ON to Q
felt form or body. But of late years
even the felt body has been discarded
for one of coarse muslin or canvas
stepped in the same stiffening liquor
I