Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-08-01

Inen, TOO, Sne IelC nurt because ne
had gently but firmly refused to give
up his school and his farm to accept a
clerks position in one of the big dry
goods stores.
Il can work out my destiny here
And I am so much happier here than
would be up there. I am Of some use
here, and am not sure that would be
up there"
Thus the two lifelong friends and
lovers had come to the parting of the
ways.
1t was thought Of this parting that
had brought look of longing to the
girls eyes.
Every week brought her letters from
home, but from Fred no line came to
break the silence. Several times she
had left strongly tempted to write to
him, but her pride always conquered
the temptation. Perhaps she could
have endured it all better if the other
things had gone right. But the other
things had not gone right. In the first
place, she had not succeeded in getting
such place as she had expected and
desired.
For three days after coming to the
city she had gone from place to place
where she thought stenographer
might be needed Her reception at
these places had been a revelation to
her
At one place she was made to feel
oh -
another she felt that she must be the
greatest nuisance on the earth. Then
at another place she was addressed by
the man to whom she had applied in
voice SO void of any emotion what
ever that she felt like a useless ma
chine. But the final blow came when
a bald-headed lawyer addressed her as
little grille" Whereupon she stamp
ed her little foot wrathfully and fled
down the steps with burning cheeks
and flashing eyes.
After that she gave up and went to
one OF the employment bureaus. She
paid the required fee and, after three
weeks of waiting, she was given the
opportunity of accepting a place with
wholesale merchant at six dollars
week. She would have scorned the
offer ON her arrival, but three weeks
OF waiting, with thought of her
slender purse, had forced her to ac-
cept the place. There was little left
OF her salary after she paid her board
and laundry bills. Then she had not
ceen able to get such boarding place
ho1 MI
heat Jared on her sensitive nerves:
and she missed the milk and whole
some fruit that was always so plenti-
full at home.
Ihree months of the wear and tear
nad told on her sadly and some of her
bright dreams had faded. Today she
knew that she was just a worn-out.
homesick girl.
her eyes left the clouds and came
Dack to the notes that lay on the table.
Sne read them over and began to pa
tlently transcribe them. Then her eyes
nlled with sudden rush of tears. Just
tnen her employer came up.
Are you about through. Miss Lis
lie?"
he was a bluff kindly man, but at
the moment his voice grated harshly
on her ears.
L will be through in a few mo-
ments."
She had tried to steady her voice, but
tnere was a very perceptible quaver in
II. Mr. Adams eyed her keenly. and
"nen ne spoke again it was in a lower
key.
This has been a trying week on us
all, and when you get through with
tnose letters you can go. It is not
long until six anyway"
Inc city clock was striking four
as she left the Office. She walked slow
~, ana as she walked she did some ac-
i've thinking. She wondered how she.
would feel if she were forced to stay
IN ner present place. Then she won
oered how the people felt who had to
keep on at such work and wages with
nothing better to look forward to. OF
course, she would have better posi-
tlon some day. Miss Kenneth made
twenty dollars week. But she was
faded woman, and she was only
tWenty-eight, too. Then she wondered
dlmly If Miss Kenneth had quarreled
with her lover before she entered on
her business career