The Citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1903-1912, 1906-08-25

Her father was deld--has been
killed in the railroad yards while cou-
ping cars at $50 per month. Her
mother also was dead-having spent
the small life insurance money In
heart-breaking dressmaking venture
for which she was eminently unified,
and then succumbed 10 pneumonia.
So Nina was left alone TO work out
the problem of life-and In It's work.
ing ont she had finally landed In de-
partment store as "saleslady." True,
the salary was not much-only four
dollars per week-but to her II was
untold riches, especially when she re-
ilected upon the status OF the other
girls-Jessie, Maud and Ethel and
countless others who were getting only
three dollars for work much more alb
horrent. For be II known Nina was
In the stationery department on the
first floor which was comparatively
well ventilated. and she served people
who bad some sort OF an idea az to
what they wanted. while Jennie and
Maud were In the bargain notion de-
partment In the stuffy, ill-smelling
basement, where women shoppers.
knowing not what they wanted, ell
bowed and fought for vantage
ground from which to paw over the
stock; and Ethel was under the side
walk In a sort OF tunnel which the
store lad stolen from under the street,
where she mechanically handed out
lacks and nails to people who had pur-
sued them to this grewsome lair.
In the meantime Nina was living
with a half-slster whose husband re-
ceived $50 per month for mailing COW
ers on boxes In the shipping depart
ment OF great wholesale house. On
this income he supported his wife and
four rsllid children. who never had
seen green things grow nor smelled
fresh country air.
They charged Nina two dollars
week for her board and cot under the
stairway-and thought II was great
luck To get II. Then she paid 90 cents
week car fare. ten cents week for
her dues 10 the Salesladies' Union and
ten cents per week to the Medical Aid
and Burial association as a sgt OF in
surance against sickness or death She
was driven to this latter extravaganza
by the gloomy forebodlngs of her half
sister and her husband regarding her
possible, indeed probable impending
sickness and death. the query being,
where's the money coming from Ia
take care of you and bury you?"
The astute mathematician can easily
figure that Nina had yilO per week
with which to clothc herself and buy
ice cream sodas and chewing gum II
was rot a hilarious life.
In the meantime she WIS growing
thinner and paler and more tired every
week. II would have been plain Ia any
intelligent person, were such interest
ed In her, that she would not last long
in such environments About this
time there was another addition to her
sisters family, and her brother-in-law,
being pressed 10 eXtremities, informed
Nina that he would have "a raise the
price OF her hoard 10 three dollars per
week. This was a staggering blow 10
the girl, already carrying FAR more
than her fair share Of burdens
All day long In the hot, stlning store
she brooded over IL. wondering vaguely
how in the world she was ~ get along
at all If she handed three precious dol
lars 70 her brOther-ln-law each week.
And then there was that muslin dress
she mad been Coyeting 80 hcrCely for so
many nonths-and nearly attained. too.
or course that must be given up, and
all the other nice things Of life. She
must hereafter toll on enduringly with
only the homo of paying her brother
in-law for her board and lodging aud
money enough over To pay car fare
Communing thus, heart-bruken ana
SICK with fear, she staggered forth
from the store Ia catch her ear home
home, oh! what a trayesty on the word
"a dismal, squalid cottage. filled with
the walls OF neglected children, the
oomplpinings OF an overworked wife.
and the sOrdid demands Of an inoom-
peleat master, Her cup indeed was
fun.
lse gong Of a street ear changed
Hereby just before her, and awakened
her from her reyerie. She stepped
quickly back and found herself directly
IN he path OF an approaching spirited
team OF blacks, the control OF whom
the driver seemed 20 have lost. To go
forward was to meet certain leath I'M
der the iron wheels OF the street ear:
TO remain was TO fall beneath the hoofs .
Of the horses. On top of an her siren I
uous mental strain Nina collapsed and
sank 10 the ground In a swOon.
4 cry OF horror went up from the
passengers on he electric car and