Evening journal., 1913-01-17
MARGARET'S ROOM
HUNTING
A True Want Ad. storlette.


It was hopefulness and ignorance
that saved me- 1t is a queer thing to
say know. but I had come 70 the
city to do or die-and [ did not die.
wonder now as look back over
those years in the little town Of Ster-
ling. what it was l wanted to get
away from?
We called it the "deadest place"
Now l know it was the certainty the
sweet security and permanence Of
things which irritated us.
None of us girls could understand
Mothers placidity and satisfaction
with the monotonous round of living
We all had our ideas of what the
world owed us and it wasn't living in.
the same groove that father and
mother lived in. So l was the first 10
make my declaration Of independence
and fly away from the home nest into
the city.
My mind ran ahead SO fast in quest
Of adventure that when arrived my
body was fairly tired out trying 10
keep up with the visions and. worse
still. there was nothing real to which
could fit my vision
AT first the wonder and excitement
of the changing panorama dulled my
senses, so my meagre makeshift Of
cooking over a gas jet, my eXcur-
sions into one dingy restaurant after
another. were not very real.
But after a while, stopped as / en-
! tered the hallway of my boarding
houae and held my breath so as not TO
get the smell of the cooking until
was safely within my little ballroom.
/ pictured hunting for another room,
but the few experiences | had made
me shudder and turn, back to the
little bedroom where must spend
the few hours left to me between walk
ing and sleeping and working
Beth wrote, "lm crazy to come TO
the city" I wrote back by return
mail. registered letter stay where
you are Don't be fool"
She did not come
Those first few years we're full OF
disappointments. Nobody was inn
pressed by any of the characteristics
which had given me first place in my
little circle of friends at Sterling. Ia
fact I realized by what a fine pro-
cess of elimination we became a part
of the worlds work l was long in
making friends. Then one day girl
sat at my table and a warm friend
ship sprang up between u.s. You're
not living down there?" she asked in
tone of horror well, I don't
wonder did the same ting myself
I've been all through this hang-by-
the-oyelid' existence
"l have a fine room, and it's just
like home
But how did you get it,
"Why. | watched the Want Ads IN
the newspaper. answered many.
walked miles, and then ] wrote an ad
myself telling just exactly the sort
of a room ] wanted, and go so many
replies TO that ad was amazed.
learned that everyone reads the Want
Ads. that is. among the up-to-date,
intelligent people and ! found that
people with pleasant agreeable homes
, advertised them through the news
4 paper. so If ] were In your place
, would watch the Want Ads"
, ] followed her advice
not only watched the Want Ads
but advertised and finally / found a
large and pleasant room that was
just to my liking.
| found a better position through
the Want Ads, and ] was able to add
10 my salary by doing outside work
evenings. which came to me through
Want Ad. But if / had not been
hopeful and persistent I should never
have met my friend Now / know the
city and the best way to meet the
many needs of business life-all
through the Want Ads
MARGARET w.