The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-11-19
THE MESSAGE OF THE MAR|G0L DS
The ish STANDARD
By Jennie McGough
written for The Irish Standard

Sfeeteu. Iney cOnVerSed in low tones,
but the prospective victim heard the
man say something about Closing a
fare" Then the woman turned to the
girl but Jet did not wait to hear what
she had to say. Seeing a policeman at
the corner she walked quickly in that
direction. But the cabdriver, antici-
pating her action, jumped into his seat
and drove rapidly down the street and
was out of sight before the girl could
point him out to the officer
After inquiring the way to Dearborn
avenue Jet walked over the bridge and
found the number she sought without
any difficulty. 1t was a boarding
house which had been recommended
to her by a woman friend who had
formerly lived in Chicago
After breakfast and a short rest Jet
started out to familiarize herself with
the city and to advertise for a position.
She was anxious TO get employment
at once, but ANTICIPATED many difficult
ties and disappointments. Great was
her surprise, therefore, when on call
ing at the newspaper Office during the
forenoon of the following day the clerk
handed her Il bundle of letters-eleven
in ALL Some of these communications
proved to be very vague and unbusi-
ness-like-neverthele she felt in
duty bound to investigate all of them.
One man offered her travelling posi-
ton as his private secretary and
another tried to induce her to give up
$40 for a course of tuition in his dra-
matte school, in return for which
would be given a guarantee of
part in the cast of one of his num-
erous road companies. A few others
wanted canvassers and solicitors, but
nearly all, it appeared, wished merely
to make the acquaintance of the girl
who had innocently advertised herself
as stranger in the city in search of
All too soon she realized
her mistake and felt disappointed and
somewhat discouraged as the day
wore on and her bright hopes of the
We're being shattered one by
one.
Next morning she again went to the
newspaper office and this time re-
ceived four letters. Among them was
one in which the writer wished it to
be understood that he was not a trifier
and could offer good position to the
right party An interview could be
had, he stated, any time between 10
a. III. and p. IN. There was no sig
nature given other than the suite num-
Der in an Office building in State street.
At IL o'clock Jet was seated in the
reception room in the aforementioned
suite awaiting the pleasure of the anti
trifler. A tall, gray-bearded man
walked in and out Of a private room
several times, seemingly much inter-
ested in the visitor. Being entirely
devoid of vanity the girl was not
abashed, nor did she resent the fixed
attention Of the old gentleman who,
after all, she reasoned, might be so
preoccupied over some involved bust
ness matter as to the wholly uncon-
scious of being rude. Presently he re-
tired and a second man appeared who
subjected her to much the same kind
of scrutiny. At this an almost uncon-
trollable desire to laugh took posses
sion Of the girl and she was making
brave effort to hide her amusement
behind magazine she had picked up
from the table when third man
thrust hatchet-lile chin and side
whis1lers through a slide window and
gazed at her steadily and solemnly.
This was too much for Jets too keen
sense of the ludicrous and to hide her
embarrassment she got up and walked
toward the door. But the man of
prodigious chin was at her side in
an instant.
you will suit admirably, I believe,
but I must have talk with you," he
said.
He ushercd her into sumptuously
furnished Office and after some pre-
liminaries as to age, former occupa-
ton, etc, asked her if she would like
to engage in detective work.
'I'm afraid the work would not be
congenial," Jet answered.
but suppose YOU try at a salary of
$40 per week and all expenses at
first-class boarding Fouse?'
"What is the nature Of the work ?"
ooh there is no work attached to it.
All you have to 10 is to get located at
a certain boarding house and scrape
up an acquaintance with a man who
is rooming there and report to me
every day. You see it is this way. I
am Il lawyer and make speciality of
divorces. I have lady client who is
anxious to secure Il divorce She and
her husband have separated and the
husband is now living in a boarding
house in I.aSalle avenue. What I
want are the services of a clever
young woman who is capable of gain
ing the confidence Of the husband
himself clever, but very susceptible
where women are concerned-to the
end that we may get information we
desire concerning Il piece of property
that is in dispute The party engage