The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-11-11
Raw Material
By JOANNA SINGLE

1t was Labor day, and the world Of
work was trying hard to play. All
day there had been parades, brass
bands, picnics in parks, the streets
full of gay young workers, of bent,
discouraged, old workers-men and
women-of little children growing up
to heritage of toll Toward even
ing people went home, but later the
festivities eliminated for the young
IN the pavilion dance at the park.
In the big, lantern-lighted pavilion
Rose Shaw in her white dress sat
quietly against the wall. She had
danced little, for the tide OF gayety
did not snatch her up and claim her
Tor Its own-she did not know how
to play. Why was it? She felt set
apart, and her blue eyes were wistful
as John Clifford passed in a swinging
two-step with Mame Paulson
Rose, knowing the girl. whom she
worked with daily at the mill, to be
coarse and unkind, yet wished for a
share of Names evident popularity.
She herself, mouse of a homekeeper
Tor widowed father and younger
sister and brother, had from the be-
ginning of her mill work shrunk back
from the rough merry-making of the
others-she was too refined, too quiet,
and they resented it. The holder girls
felt the silent rebuke of her reserve,
and though she was very pretty, they
tainted and tormented the young fel-
lows of their crowd out of any inclina-
ton to notice her.
John Clifford, this young carpenter,
was rather prince to Rose, who In
stinctively felt him to be her own
sort, but she was both too proud and
Too delicate to court his attention, as
Name did, as she was at the moment
doing, as the dance ended and she
hung laughing upon his arm.
The two sat down near Rose in an
open window and the girl heard him
say something in low tone, but his
companions answering words were
unmistakable.
Rosie? Amt she a little stick?
Kind of pretty, as you say, but awful
raw MATERIAL She's been stuck to
the wall most of the evening! She's
too good for our crowd on everyday
occasions, so Of course she amt popu-
lar when it comes to the bloWouts-
don't see why she came at all. She
usually stays home and does house
work for that doddering old father of
hers. Small thanks she gets! Cook
in and SEWN are all right, but lit
tie more snap and go would do her
more good In society. Say, amt this
the SWEETEST dance? On, that you,
Tom?" this to a staggering young
fellow who was asking her for the
next waltz. We'll, seeing Mr.. Gift
ford is tired of me, perhaps 1 will"
With laugh and word, John Gif-
ford slipped away.
He walked straight over to Rose
Shaw and asked her for the next
dance. Then he sat down and began
to talk to her. He noted the sweet.
downcast modesty of the oval face,
the deep blue eyes, the heavy brown
hair which she had tried vainly to
stered-looking fashion. The small,
hardened hands lay In her lap. She
tried to talk-in fact, she had come
only because she had been stung into
it through hearing the girls at the
mill say, thinking her out of hearing,
that she didn't know how to talk to
a man even and never went any
where.
ITS pretty tonight, isn't It? But
It's almost prettier out of doors than
in, don't you think?" She raised her
eyes for shy glance at the face of
the young man. How could she know
that his silence was a hope that the
gentle voice would continue its un-
wonted speech. Il like outdoors" she
went on. Before we came here, and
mother was living, we had little
place almost In the country, and |
had some flower beds and chi:kens.
and just did the work at home. I lik-
ed that better than being indoors"
He began to draw her on to talk,
you're right" he answered. 1--WE
got little place myself at the edge
of town, and when I'm not building
at somebody else's house l tinker at
mine. My sisters coming on from
Chicago to keep house for me-if she
doesn't get married before she starts
she's such favorite. Not that she
likes housekeeping much"
III do" she said. Il keep Cts and
Jimmy in school-Tm bound they shall
know more than l do. Mother wanted
me to go to high school-but she
died."
She smiled wistfully, but the smile
touched the mans heart more than
tears would have done. And then he
realized that the dance he had asked
for was almost over. He jumped to
his feet, apologizing. But it's your
own fault, for talking to me~any-
body would have forgotten" he
said, and then they swung into the
waltz.
He would not have supposed the
girl could dance like a feather, but