The San Francisco call., 1899-01-29

! than reluctant, at the half open door.
which means the step from childhood to
womanhood, wondering, with all the self
! consciousness of youth, just how this step
might be most gracefully accomplished.
thousands of young girls in America con-
sidered Ruth Ashmore the last court of
appeal in mooted questions of etiquette
and propriety. In the role of an author
ity on fashion Mrs Mallon had still a
third audience, with an occasional one un-
der her own name for short stories of fic-
ton.
Her death, while a surprise to the out
SIDE world, was not altogether unexpect-
ed For some months Mrs. Mallon's
health had been bad. Her mother. to
whom the daughter had always been de-
voted and who for many years had been
her constant companion and friend died
in October. This preyed on the mind of
the gifted, high-strung woman and made
the conquest of disease an easy matter.
She died the day after the Christmas hol-
lday, December q. Once Bah said:
After all, we Southern women don't
know very much, anyhow except how to
love and be loyal to what we love"
Mrs Mallon was a native of the pfctur-
esque city of Baltimore, whose boast il il
that all its women are beautiful and all
its men brave and chivalrous Her mother
belonged to one Of the most distinguished
people, the Sloans, for five generations
had occupied the old mansion in which
the writer was born
The little Isabel had every ADVANTAGE
which wealth could give her, fashionable
governesses and masters. When she was
little more than child she married Will
lam Mallon, good looking young Irish
man of fine family and prospects, Ever
since she was L years old she had known
him, and the match met with the entire
appreciation of both families, with the
single objection to the youthful years of
the bride. She was 16 and Mr. Mallon was
seven years her senior.
After the wedding they went abroad and
several years were spent in travel. On
their return they made their home in New
York City. Unfortunately Mr. Mallon was
not strong, and after few years con-
sumption began to make fatal inroads on
his health. With this came financial dis
asteT, and the young woman who had
never known what it meant TO have
spoken wish ungratitied found herself
with an invalid husband and no means of
support
She made an effort 10 secure emplov-
ment. The daughters of luxury do not
often bring marketable wares into the
business world, but she was an exception.
The manager of a great publishing house
to whom she applied was struck by her
courage and sincerity.
What can you do?" he asked
Anything" she replied, choking back
4 sob scrub your floor, if you've moth
ing better for me to do!'
The publisher thought the matter over.
! He had a man TO scrub his floors, and
while he did not doubt the will of the
slender. pale-faced young woman who
stood before him he much doubted her
physical ability to keep his floors 4mmac-
ulate. So he said doubtfuly:
DO you think you could write fash
ions?"
She thought she could and was engaged
at a salary of $40 a week She worked
nine hours a day at a dingy desk in a
dingy office, and was glad of the chance
because ii enabled her to make her hus-
bands descent to the grave little easier.
For three years she worked thus, and in
that period her salary was raised num-
Der of times
In her position she made the acquaint-
ance of other writers, and some of these
advised her to contribute to other papers
in addition to her modest work for the
great pattern publishing firm.
Her first Bah letter was one of these
!