The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-11-15

family. I've tried every possible place
here, and you know how 1t Is"
Dorothy looked ut the girl gravely,
but did not say anything.
Il have been writing to Grace Hol-
ley, who went to Chicago a year ago
to learn retouching in Keffen's studio.
She Is earning as high as SIT and SIS
a week. She says there will be a va
cancy there soon, and If l apply at
once may get the place. You know
l have learned retouching here, all
they can teach me, and like it. Moth
er, l can't stand 1t any longer to re-
main here at home doing nothing. The
! never cared about it. l want to be
photographer or an architect or pa
per hanger or something useful. II IA
ther can spare enough money to get me
started. | can be in position before
the year is out to help the family. We
never can break father OF his habits OF
helping everybody, and | want to be
self supporting and help the rest too
This was long speech for Faith TO
make, but it was the beginning of sew
eral family conferences. and the end Of
it all was that one day In winter OF
that year Faith and her father went
down to the station, and Faith took
the express for Chicago. The arrange
ments had all been completed for her
to enter the studio, where she was to
receive $S Il week to begin with ana
promise Of rapid increase If the work
was satisfactory.
"Goodby. father. Don't give away
your ovcrcoat before you get home,
will you?" Faith called out of the win
dow as the train started.
Malcolm Kirk smiled and waved his
hand. Then he ran along the platform
and handed up an envelope to Faith.
She managed to kiss his hand as she
took the envelope and then leaned back
in her seat ANA clicd.
When she opened the envelope, q
check for $25 dropped ont.
"rAls is Il good companion, my
dear. You will find it good company
Oh the road. Your father" This was
written hastily in note with the
check. Faith understood it was the
price of a story Malcom had written
that fall. She tucked the check into
her purse and cried harder than ever.
But when she found herself in Chi
cago next morning, she set herself res
~'utelv and with courage toward her
1 new Ire.
The work in the studio was extreme
ly interesting to her. Her letters t,
the people athome were very entertain
ing and even funny. But after sh,
had been in the city few months sh'
was obliged to face serious condition
one that she had not anticipated.
In the first place, it cost her nearl.
every cent Of the $S week to live
But economize as she would aftcl
counting out rent and fuel and light
| with what her clothes and car far'
cost, with everything that must ehteI
into the account Of daily existence, shC
had very little left when Sunday came
One day she realized, with n shock
that she had been obliged to draw OF
the S25 check. She had used all thl
money her father had been able t(
spare. The work in the studio had FOL
J several weeks been piecework, and i
| happened that business was dull. anJ
several weeks she had been able tC
earn less than So.
| Then came crisis that she had not
counted on. The studio changed Ian Is
| and the new proprietor began 10 cCt
| down expenses and dismiss scLle ol
| the retouchers. Faith was one Of The
latest arrivals, and one evening as she
came down to the Office from the little
workshop under the roof she was nOti
fed that her services would not be
| wanted after the next week.
She went out Of the studio, and in.
stead Of taking the car as she usually
was obliged to do on account Of the
distance to Ler room she walked Oh
until she was at the corner Of Madison
and State streets.
She plunged through that boiling
, CIO"u VI uGildIItS anu SAdl tCi W "uin
up State street the four miles that yet
lay between her and her room. And
as she walked on she was deeply
thinking of what she would do. The
idea of writing home for money was
so distasteful that she could not bear
to entertain it. Her lips closed firm.
ly, and she said to herself: Il never
will do it while l can live. l have
made failure out Of 1t so far here
but | can't burden father and mother
right now. l know how matters are
going at home with all the expense
there and uermons illness last month
No, no! l started out to be bread
winner. l must earn my own living"
She was suddenly brought to stoT
by n crowd that filled up the sidewalb
In front of a large window. There
Tas Q picture on exhibition there, and
Faith, after running into one or two
people, seeing what was the object OF
attraction. stopped herself and grad
ually was pushed up to the window as
the crowd went and came.
1t was an oil painting with life size
What