The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-10-16
Gllzabetb's
Positlon.scr
By CARL WILLIAMS.
Copyrlghted. 1908. by Associated
Literary Press.

EIlHaba'h round the town formidable
as she emerged from the station 10
face the horde OF shouting hackmen
At other times she had come TO the
city with n party or she had been met
ny the people whose guest she was Ia
be. This time she came alone 10 face
HE new life witch graduation and a
determination to make career had
opened up TO her.
In her pocketbook was $50, IA card
with the home address upon II in case
OF accident and Il clipping from the
J Moreton Century. These were the
shield and huckler in the fight she
was to make for success. The money
would keep her going until she OBJ
tained position and the clipping
would cheer her. 1t was written in
the editors best style and ran:
Miss Elizabeth Cady. whose graduation
essay on The Wider Scope OF womans
Sphere was the sensation OF the high
| scnool exercises will leave for the city
Monday TO become valued recruit in the
great army OF commerce. We predict
| tliat 1t will not be long before our ac-
| comphshed townswoman leaves the ranks
Inand.
With such an augury for her future
Elizabeth could not turn back. Her
mother had sent marked copies to ali
| their relatives. and, for her mothers
sake as well as her own Elizabeth
felt that she must succeed.
She swallowed the lump that came
into her throat and headed for the
street car In other days she had al
ways taken cab, but now she felt
that she could not AFFORD the expense.
1t was at the time when tollers were
returning TO their homes and the cars
were crowded to the rails, but she
braveIy climbed aboard and thank fully
accepted II strap with the feeling that
she was already one of the workers.
The Home For Self Supporting Girls,
TO which she had been recommended,
was vastly different from the accom-
modations to which she was accus-
toned. The tiny room with its two
iron cots and its duplication OF bureaus
and rockers sharply marked the line
that separated the two girls domiciled
together
There was no homelike air about the
place. and the chill atmosphere Of the
dining room found a responsive chill
IL her heart. She went to bed early. |
feeling that she must stl6e her sobs to
avoid annoying her roommate
She lay in the narrow bed thinking |
OF the dainty room at home, with its !
white dimity hangings and its great |
white bed IF she had listened to Joe |
Trenton she would be there tonight. |
Crcaming OF the time when she and |
Joe would have n home OF their own.
A score of fines Joe had proposed,
hut Elizabeth had made the career Of
woman her fetch and she would not
sacrifice her freedom. Joe's last effort
had been i'll timed. for he had spoken
on the night OF her graduation, when
the plaudits OF the audience still rang
in her ears and bits Of tho essay echoed
loud and clear.
"Perhaps-wh | have found my ca.
reer.' the girl had promised gently,
but don't you see that to turn back
now upon my own principles would be
false to myself? Others, looking to me
for example. might be tempted to turn
back too"
What IL they did," argued the man.
DO you have to put happiness from
you just to practice what you prcach?"
"Of course" she cried 1--WE who
would lead must be prepared to sacri-
flee"
In the citation Of the moment she had
pictured herself leader Of her sex.
She did not hold with the extremists
who argued that woman should vote
ana rule the nation, but she had given
herself heart and soul to the theory
that woman had right to a career,
and she was her own most enthusias-
tic convert.
Now she regretted her stand as she
thoked back her sobs, but when morn
Ing came she was again strong in her
resolve. She sailed forth with list
" addresses. Toward evening she re.
turned. The list had proved unfruit-
Ful. and the kindly faced woman at
he desk offered words of encourage
nent that fell upon ears too tired to
grasp their meaning.
That day was but the first of many.
Yearly she trudged from place TO
place, but the demand was for skilled
workers. Some seemed willing to give
her trial IL she would serve for vary ,
ng periods without pay, but this was !,
mt of the question. She must have a
position by the time her slender re. ,
sources were exhausted or she must
'eturn home and confess failure. q
The thought preyed upon her mind,
md daily she grew thinner and more ,
Worried until the little woman at the .
iesk, whose big, motherly heart was o,
;reat enough to embrace her whole y
rood, sighed to see her. With q beam =
ne face she came to Eizabeths room T.
Turing the sixth week OF her stay and !.
visitor. Elizabeth think !,
nS that one Of the many men who had :,
AIKEN her address had come 10 an :,
ounce the reconsideration of his re. =,
usal, made herself tidy and with un. =