The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-12-10

lover of that dear old home in the
country must have been mistaken,
she sometimes sadly thought, for from
the time her father came to the great
city only to leave her the sole support
OF her mother, not one message had
been received from the one sweetheart
of her childhood. She felt that she
was a woman now, and wondered
sometimes as she looked at her plain
face in the glass, il the lover Of old
would recognize her now. He had for
gotten her entirely; was he dead, mar
ried, or wooingf Nobody at the old
home knew, for he had left that neigh
borhood and his whereabouts remain
ed mystery.
Slug Ten never felt bitter towards
him somehow. Their courtship had
been so informal and protracted that
she could not recollect even that any
promises had heen made between
them. but there had been some sort
OF understanding that they were to be
married sometime, she was sure, an
agreement that might have originated
in childhood, for the two had known
each other almost from the cradle
This was her romance, no doubt, but
Slug Ten had not shed tears nor
wasted away with the pining
that story-tellers are fond OF
attributing to. love-sick-girls. She
was a working girl, and had
earned more than q livelihood for her.
self from her earliest recollections.
Perhaps that was why she had not
wasted nights and days in sad and
fruitless repining. She had worked
little harder no doubt, had occas-
ional reminiscent moods that were
tinged with sadness, and had
felt none of the inclinations.
common to young people to affiliate
closely with those Of her kind. But
she did not intend to die because a
boy-lover had forgotten all the pretty
things he had said to her and did not
care enough to seek her out when pow
erty and trials came. ...-- Du,..
Yes, our heroine had learned some
thing about hard times. Her mother
had been an invalid for years, and
Slug Ten had managed one way and
another SO that in their little flat up
in Harlem the dear one had missed
few of the comforts to which she had
been accustomed in better days. Had
itnot been for the mothers extremely
delicate health Slug Ten would have
insisted on an immediate return to
the New England village from which
they came, but most OF the time the
invalid was confined to her room, and
the doctors said moving was not to
be thought OF.
Perhaps it was their utter loneliness
that drew the two togetherin a closer
relation even than those that usually
unite mother and child. AS disease
fed itself on the parents frail frame
thegirl's great longing to be with her
mother bore more heavily upon her.
The necessity OF work lacerated her
young spirit, and she knew that the
brave words of encouragement from
her mother hid deep regret that they
were so much separated. Mary, the
nurse, house-maid, and woman-of-all-
work generally OF their little establish
ment, was envied by her girl mistress
the pleasure OF being so near the loved
one, and Slug Ten scarcely allowed
herself sleep and food when at home,
so anxious was she to do all that lay
in her power to tighten the hours OF
gloom that she was sure her mother
experienced.
Alone, all alone in the great city, i'm
a world of cities-one weak woman
fighting for bread against an army of
traditions, of adverse circumstances,
Of human caprices and all her kind
Sadness rested in Slug Tens young
spirit like a pail as she trudged through
the silent Harlem streets from her car
that night. She was accustomed to
the leers Of men like those she had
several times passed on those desert
ed streets, accustomed to the impu-
dent ogling of dudes and drunken loaf
ers in the late cars, accustomed to
the share of fat, heavy-cheeked police
men, for she was a working girl and
not entitled to the respect and eour-
tesy of the world as it's canons are
practiced, she sometimes thought. No,
it was not these things that saddened
her, but an awful sense of loneliness
and weakness. Long hours OF work
had no doubt depressed her, and that
her place at McGinnis & Bucks was
insecure, she felt convinced Of. The
expenses of the little household had
permitted very little saving, and were
she to lose the place, Slug Ten was
afraid privation would follow. And
Thanksgiving was coming, too, she
reflected, an event the family
had always celebrated in it's true
spirit. What would she, poor work
ing-girl, be thankful for this year were
she to lose her place? What could her
mother, a helpless invalid, be thank
full for?
"If Slug Ten is late tonight give the
new man that Frame" Sutton said to
his assistant as he left the Office the
next evening. "When the girl comes
tell her we will not need her any
more"
Slug Ten was late again that night,
only a few. minutes, to be sure, but
late. Neither foreman or assistant
were visible when she entered the COM
posing-room, and in hope that her
hardness had not been observed the
compositor hurried to her place to
lind a stalwart young man at work
there.
Slug Ten was not an emotional sort
Of girl but she clutched nervously at