The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1908-04-03

fnery they descended in the elevator
to the street, where the men employees
were waiting for the favored few.
Ida Clark hurriedly rinsed her hands
and slipped OF her worn, dark skirt
and frayed jacket. 1t was growing too
warm for a coat, but she could not af-
ford a new waist just now, and there
were patches i'll the elbows of the old
one. The jacket was at least whole save
Oh the edges, which now defied further
binding.
For more than a year she had fol-
lowed the regular factory routine, yet
she had never become accustomed to
this rush and turmoil of the streets
when the mountainous buildings sud
denly disgorged their hordes Of work
ers into the narrow canyons below.
The hurrying armies, fighting their
way east, west, north and south, terri
fed her, and as she found herself
caught in the tide bound for her home
she gave a little sigh of relief.
1t would be ell right until the corner
was reached, when the cross current Of
humanity again would be encountered.
She still dreaded the impact Of the hui
man tide. She thought Of the quiet
country lanes of home and how the
sun was now slanting across the fields.
just turning green under the warming
sun.
Hers had been great hopes when she
had left the country for the city. She
had planned to study shorthand and
typewriting while she supported her
| self at lighter clerical work. But there
had been no Office vacancies, and her
fast vanishing funds had forced her to
have recourse to the factory. where
her back was soon wrenched and
strained and her fingers twisted and
tired from handling the heavy material
she forced through the speeding ma
chimes.
1t was vastly different from the ma
chine sewing at home, for the factory
exacted the utmost work from each
machine. human or iron, while a sharp
| eyed forewoman prowled up and down
the aisle ready to pounce upon any one
| who faltered.
Ida's hands were too stir to hold a
| pencil after the days work was done,
and the dreams of advancement had to
be forgotten in the necessity of the
moment; but, though her muscles
ached and her eyes seemed to- burn In
their sockets, she would not give up.
She would not 60 back to Carsonville
and confess failure.
She blushed as she thought Of what
| going back meant. She had come to
the city because Jack Deering had
lcoffed at the idea of her earning her
own way.
Some unfortunate twist of his words
had given Ida the belief that he Of
fered himself only because she was
left alone in the world, because of pity
for her condition. She was too proud
to admit her love when he did not con-
fess his own affection.
Deering, looking only on the practi-
cal side Of the matter, had never
dreamed that he had been refused be-
cause Of her belief that he did not love
her. He had supposed that Of course
she knew how dearly he cared for her,
and he had not thought 1t necessary to
tell the oft told tale. So he had al
lowed her to go.
Ida had not lost her fresh coloring
In spite Of her h%ardships, and to the
fear Of the great masses of men and
women homeward bound was added
the dread Of an encounter with one
Of the human brutes who presume
their attentions will be welcome to