The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-20
THE GOOD OGRE WHO swoRE.

otler small town in southern Illinois. 70
establish herself IN Chicago. She was a
determined little woman for all her ten
oerness, quite convinced thai 2 strong
VIII and a stout heart were better IN the
! long run than experience or beauty. She
wasn't pretty, but she had loneliness
I that comes Of great gray eyes, q frank
mouth, mass OF dark brown hair and
the indescribable quality Of courage that
IS written on the brow of every good
woman.
As she watched the shanties OF South
Chicago fit past the car window she be-
gan 10 put on her wraps and TX her
little satchel 4Iurphysboro thus far had
been metropolis for Hetty. and she
Was afraid the train would run past Chi
cago before she could alight.
And the poor little woman wondered
fast and then grew fearful of city SO
big and dark that the train took an hour
TO penetrate il and the sun could hardly
piece the curtains OF smoke. and fog that
wavered and rolled sxy-high in al direc-
tons. She went TO breakfast in cafe
near the station and turned pale when
dapper waiter charged her 80 cents for
baked apple, two eggs and cup Of
coffee. She knew what such things cost
in Granville and a dim, hesiJant fear
began TO take mold OF her. When she had
wandered into the maelstrom of State
ing where was the fire TO and from
which 2 million people seemed 10 be rush
ing, terror indeed seized her heart. The
buzz of traffic and the incesssnt clang
OF harsh gongs seemed 10 shake the
ground beneath her, the air was vibrant
with a noise all raucous. men and wo-
men jostled her, and for a while she
stood trembling and wishing that she
had stayed at home with her old
mother.
The thought gave back her courage
and sch dared ask a policeman for direc-
tons TO d car that would take her to
Mrs O'Hara. The big fellow, with i'm
pressive majesty, waved back a lumber
ing truck that was bearing down upon
her. How grand he was, thought Hetty
another Joshua at Avalon She had to
shout to make him hear. but he told
her where to GO and within an hour she
was safe in the humble little fat Of old
Mrs. O'Hara. The good woman made
Hetty drink another cup of coffee laugh
ed at her establishment, talked lovingly
Of the good old mother at Granville, and
so cheered and heartencd her guest that
Hetty began TO suspect a time might
come when she would like Chicago.
She wanted to pay her board in ad-
tai with which to conquer fortune). but
the motherly o'Hara waved it aside
with:
Put it away, dearie. I'll bet you
haven't $50 to your name, and the Lord
knows you'll need it all before you
can
Find work." concluded Hetty. her face
falling. why, it must be easy to find
employment in big city like this"
oh, you'll find it time enough" laugh
ed Mrs. O'Hara, and when you do you
can begin to pay"
And so it WAS fixed Hetty wrote home
a long letter radiant with hope, fun Of
plans for her mothers coming and vocal
with praise of their tried friend, Mrs.
OHara. And having put the best OF her
store of courage into the letter, she went
to her dismal little hall room and cried
herself 10 sleep.
II was three days before Mrs. O'Hara
would let Hetty start on the search for
work. The old woman had had dodgers
before-pink checked girls from the coun-
try, whose faces had faded and whose
eyes had dimmed in that long heart
breaking search for work. She had tried
TO temper Hetty's enthusiasm and to
hearten her with words of praise and
such counsel as she knew, but at last
the day came for the start, and the
prim, comely little adventures sailed
hraYely forth, not seeing the tears that
glistened in the old woman's kindly eyes.
in week HetJy was paler, the scared
look was in her big gray eyes. Not all
OF the Irish woman's jollity could win
from the girl an echo Of the old laugh.
she wrote daily letters and filed them
with white, hopeful lies.
Cheer up. Hetty! You'll find some
thing today"
The grl had heard that false prophecy
from Mrs. O'Hara SO often that as the
days slipped by and dollar after dollar
of her small fund disappeared. she al
most hated the sound OF il. Her heart
had failed a month before she would adj
nit it even to herself Then she came
home one night with a new light in her
tired face, and Mrs. O'Hara knew that
at last the luck had changed.
You've got a placel 1 knew you
would laughed the hearty woman.
"Oh. ] don't know what it'll amount
TO, smiled Hetty. but showing something
of her old hope and courage. I'm an
agent if you please"
And she unwrapped 4 brave looking
parcel.
Not book agent.' trernbled on the
lips of Mrs. OHara. but she didn't speak
as the innocent agent showed her a
red and gold atrocity entitled. Mother,
Home and Friends" On the contrary,
the widow agreed at once that she could
sell at least six Of them. and she did.
levying tribute from her grocer, butcher,
milkman and baker. Two days of book
canvassing put back the gray pallor up
on Hetty's face. She couldn't sell the
thing. Doors had been slammed in her
face women laughed and men smirked
at her; boys guyed her; her little feet
were blistered and her heart ached
If I don't do better today" she said.
defantly, to Mrs. Hsra, I'll give up.''
The first place she visited was a south
Water street comm ssion house. Inside
there was q whisiZered giant roaring oaths
~ a dozen porters. The windows ratified
with his profanity. when he paused she
came to him and asked for the propri-
etor-
That's me-" he roared; what dyou
want?'
she wanted tc run. A tear grew slowly
in her eve, ard, in spite of her fell on her
glove as she fumbled TO get ont the
book.
Come in the Office he roared again.
Her heart leaped UP and she followed
him into a little cubby-hoie almost filed
with one desk and a table
See here. KID lie said. shutting the
door. 4 don't want no books. but I want
Won 70 quit selling them. Can you write
All right. lets see YOU"
He gave her q pen. and she wrote.
copying some signs on The wall The
ogre was watching her face
pine. fine he growied. And then she
noticed THAI his eyes were kind and
brown with O are tist wsrned hers.
"IN give you ten week Just st right
there and cory al thein letters
lie got out q pile a. letters from
dusty drawer. gave her paper and veRr
back into the store rearing and swearing
again ike q shinuate- he came r. ofttn
and once ~ twice Hettv feir him looking