Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-09-03

SIC dcsccndcd into the tLt sncttlng psrg0-
tory shcn the 1Ccathcr compelled her.
and for the first time since she started
her alventdrotis journey did a still,
questioning voice make itself
heard rs to whether she had done wise
". As she stood there on the threshold
Of her new life. the beauty, the comfort
and sheltered security Of the old warmed
her memory, NJ she felt tigteafS bum
ing under her eyelidR. Her reluctance to
plunge became with every moment more
intense. It seemed as il she must lose
herself irretrievably-bo swallowed up
and obliterated- But there was no help
for it. It was too late TO turn back now,
even II she had actually considered
the possibility. She had only I'd turn her
eyes toward the future with xll that II
had In store for her to feel again the
passionate devotion In her heart fafe UP
and all her joyous hopes rekindle. The
mere fact Of being so near the man Of
her choice (for 1000 miles seemed a
mere trife) made her pulses dance. and
conquering all weak reluctance she
started forward. following the direction
which the interpreter Of the commits.
sioners Of immigration had pointed out
to her. She was tostled and elbowed,
pushed hither and thtther. but managed
to make her way through the crowd Of
hotel runners, confidence men and other
shady characters who Ioitefed about the
entrance TO Castle Garden. She present
" noticed. however, that h was being
followed BY two fatfly ~ dressed PSF;
sons OF extremely ulpleasa1t aspect, n
when n OF them approached her at
Bowling Green and offered her q sitIia-
ton a. lady companion 70 . very rich
old lady she was go frightened that she
broke into Q ruiL Her other pursuer.
pcrceivillg tho discomnture @ b hrst.
disappeared, but to her horror me- her
with the polltest Ut bows two blocks
farther up and watned her against the
snares which beset the feet OF lonely
young girls In This wicked metropolis.
From sheer helplessness, because she did
not know how to get rid OF him, she IL
lowed him to walk at her side and lis
tened to his very pious discourse. But
she could no suppress an inward tfefnof
and resolved to be on her guard. 4
She had In the meanwhile counted the
number OF blocks from the Battery and
at the end Of 20 minutes turned the cor
ner OF the street which, according to her
directions, was to lead to the consuf's
office. 1t was, however, o narrow and
rather gloomy looking street. lined with
immensely tall buildings and swarming
with people who. in their eagerness to
get AHEAD, often q against each other
on the narrow sidewalks or pushed each
other into the gutter. Her companion.
pausing when she paused, repeated some
pious phrases about the desperate Mann
mon worship OF the lost souls who here
kept dancing about the golden calf and
begged her not to venture into 60 dan
gerous q neighborhood. II she would
take the elevated railway up town with
him, he would conduct her to Q safe.
quiet and respectable place, where she
would be well cared for and earn plenty
OF money. AS ne fancied That ne had BY
this time established himself in her CON-
fdence, his manner grew o familiar,
and she caught suddenly q greedy leer
on his face which sent 9 chill OF horror
through her. She would have cried ont
L her fear OF making . commotion in
the street . not restrained her, and Il
occurred also that her prosecutor. with
his fluency IN the Language, would have
greatly the advantage OF her. With
trembling knees and o stunned sense Of
bewilderment and distress, she stood aa
II rooted to the ground, NOD knowing