West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-02-27
CITY OR TOWN L|FE2
Tommy wilkins Tries Both and
Prefers StringviIIe.
A TALE OF TRUE CONDITIONS
How a Youth From a Small Town In
vadod Chicago With Tall Notions.
Things Not What They Seem From
Distance That Lends Enehantnnent.

Distance That Lends Enehantnnent.
This Is just the simple little story OF
the going up and the coming down OF
Tommy Wilkins. No matter where he
lives. You have known youths exact
iy like Tommy. You will recognize In |
Tommy some old acquaintance.
Tommy wilkins lived In small |
town until he was lured away Vi |
sions OF vast wealth and the blowing
In thereof lured him. The small town
had no amusements such as horse rae
Ing, pool selling places. big league
baseball games, not even hockey
club; but, after all, II had its COM
pensations. There was the lively lit
tie main street. with the general stores,
the printing office, the bakery and 9TH
or places OF business. Then there were
the quiet residential streets. borlered
with trees that almost overlapped their
leaves In summer time, with pretty
green lawns all around the houses
The residences themselves were COM
Portable and coy, with lots and lots
of fresh air circulating around and
through them and plenty and plenty
OF Gods unadulterated light pouring
In through the windows. In front
were porches with rustic chairs
In one OF these coy cottages .dwelt
Tommy wilkins with his parents and
two younger brothers and a sister
Sister was little older than Tommy,
who was just twenty and feeling Inn
portant enough for forty. Sister was
engaged 70 the head clerk I'm De Bow
& Browns general store, who earned
$50 a week.
Chuck him, Sis" said Tommy Will
kins. you just wait about year, and
I'll find you n man TO fall in love with
who'll be worth your while I'm going
to Chicago TO live, am. I'm tired OF
clerking in Harris grocery store for 50
per. and I'm going where the big OPP
portunities are"
Sister laughed softly.
in about year, Tommy" said sis
ter in sisterly way. "you can come
back here and board with Ned and me.
We won't charge you n cent till you
get your old job back or something else
TO do"
''Huhp' calculated Tommy wilkins.
who made off next day for Chicago
Tommy did better in Chicago right
from the start He got Job In dry
goods store Mt So week. or course
his 50 at home wasn't the worst I'm the
world. for his parents had boarded him
free. In Chicago, of course, il cost
him $50 week for board-a tiny hall
bedroom at the top OF the house, rear,
without heat and practically without
light and air by reason of the amazing
closeness OF similar buildings. But
then Tommy had $3.50 left over-to
pay car fare, buy standup lunches at
the football rush hash joints. purchase
clothes with which to shine In society.
buy theater tickets. play the races and
but, come TO think of 1t, no use to
mention baseball. for Tommy never
had time 10 attend n game.
Then, again, Tommy really needed no
money for fine clothes. because he had
no use for fine clothes. He knew no
body In the city except his landlady,
who smiled upon him just once week
FOR $50 per smile. True, he did
know, so TO speak, the lady across the
table, who worked In De Smiths de-
partment store as head saleslady" at
S11 a week. but Tommy didn't like the
DE Smith person. She had spoken 10
him just once. She had said across the
table:
Where are you from, Mr.. MilkinsY'
wilkins" corrected Tommy; evil
kins. I'm from Stringville."
What are you doing in the cityT'
"Clerking at Solomon & Isaacs',"
replied Tommy. swelling with manly
pride.
Huh! You'd better go back to
Stringville," commented Miss De
Smith, scooping up the final stewed
prune from her dinner dessert.
go back TO Stringvllle." Tommy
mentally echoed as he climbed the
three flights Of stairs to his cell on
the top tier. We'll, anyhow, did get
something TO eat there that didn't give
me the feeling OF being stuffed full OF
baled hay. And / wore pretty good
clothes there, with fair prospects OF
getting a new suit when I needed one
and j had friends thefe-yes, friends!
There's 100000 people in this burg.
but not a single. solitary one Of 'em
cares n red copper for Tommy VIII
kins"
Tommy had been I'm Chicago eight
months ana had saved IS, the price OF
ticket to Stringville, when one Sat.
urdsy night after paying his board he
received a letter from sister some.
thing like this.
Dear Tommy-1f you think Ned f. good
enough for me, wen be married next
"wednesday noon In the Methodist church
Bring some Of your high life friends down
and attend tho wedding won't your And
Ned says. II you will accept he'll get you
4 JOB iu the store az 81 a week and we
P1n't charge you but g Tor board.
The only reason Tommy wilkins
didn't wire his acceptance was that he
needed all Of his cash on hand 10 buy
the railroad ticket when he got back
70 sTingville be remarked condden-
italy to sister.
There is high life in Chicago. sis.
but It's 80 plagued high that 70 Is not
visible 10 the naked eye Of 500 out on
loo young fellows who go Up there
70 fy high stringyPle life looks love
~ % me"
Ho" % Grow Fine Sweet Peas.
rich sandy loan. GOOD OREGON
grown seed. enthusiasm. good culture
well drained situation. win produce
me sweet peas Excavate trenches