Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-23

Copyright by Doubleday. Page & Coz
No, bumptious reader this story is
not a continuation of the Elsie series.
But If your Elsie had lived over here
in our big city there might have been
a chapter in her books not very d'f-
ferent from this
Especially for the vagrant feet of
youth are the roads of Manhattan be
set with pitfalls and with sin" but
the civic guardians of the young have
made themselves acquainted with the
snares of the wicked and most Of the
dangerous paths are patrolled by
their agents. And this will tell you
how they guided my Elsie safely
through all peril to the goal that Ehe
was seeking.
Elsies father had been cutter for
Fox ~ Otter, cloaks and furs, on lower
| Broadway. He was an old man, with
a limping gait, so a chauffeur ran
him down one day when livelier game
was scarce. They took the old man
home, where he lay on his bed year
and then died, leaving $3.50 in cash
and a letter from Mr.. Otter offering
to do anything he could to help his
faithful old employee. The old cutter
regarded this letter as a valuable leg
acy to his daughter, and he put 1t
| into her hands with pride IS the
! shears of the dread Cleaner and Re
| pairer shipped off his thread Of life.
That was the landlords cue, and
forth he came and did his part in tho
great eviction scene There was no
SLOW storm ready for Elsie to steal
out into, drawing her little red WOOL
Ell shawl about her shoulders, but she
went out, regardless; and as for the
red shaWl-Elsie'S fall tan coat NDls
cheap, but it had the style and fit OF
| the best at Fox * Otter's ana her
lucky stars had given her good looks
and eyes as blue ana innocent as the
new shade of note paper ana she had
| 81 left of the $3.50, and the letter from
Mr.. Otter. Keep your eye on the let
| ter from Mr.. Otter.
| And so we find Elsie starting out
to seek her fortune One trouble
about the letter from Mr.. Otter was
| that it did not bear the new address
| of the firm. Which had moved
| month before. But Elsie thought she
could find it. She had heard that
policemen. when politely addressed,
or thumbscrewed by an investigation
committee. viii give M information
| and addresses. So she boarded "
downtown. car at One Hundred ana
| Seventy street ana RODE
south to Forty second.
! A knd-faced, sunburned young
man went past Elsie into the Grand
| Central station. That was Hank
Ross. of the Suntlower ranch. IN
Idaho. OH his way home from a visit
| to the East. Hanks heart was
| heavy. for the Sunhower ranch was
lonesome place. lacking the pre-
ence of woman. He had hoped -
| find one during his visit who would
| congenially share his prosperity ana
| home, but the girls of Gotham had
not pleased his fancy. But, as he
passed in, he noted, with jumping
| of his pulses. the sweet, ingenious
face of Elsie and her pose of doubt
and loneliness With true and honest
Western impulse he said to himself
| that here was his mate. He could
love her. he knew; and he would sur
round her with so much comfort
and cherish her so carefully that ehe
would be happy.
Backed by his never before-ques-
toned honesty of purpose, he APP
preached the girl and removed his
hat. Elsie had but time to sum up
| his handsome frank face with one
shy look of modest admiration when
| a burly cop hurled himself upon the
ranchman, seized him by the collar
and backed him against the wall.
Two blocks away a burglar was COM
! ing out of an apartment-housew with
a bag of silverware on his shoulders
hut that is neither here nor there.
Garry on yez mashin' tricks right
before me eyes. will yez?" shouted
the cop. "rl teach yez to speak to
ladies on me beat that ye're not ac-
uuainted with. Come along.
Elsie turned away with a sigh as
the ranchman was dragged away
he had liked the effect of his light
blue eyes against his tanned com
plexion She walked southwark
thinking herself already in the dis
trict where her father used to work,
and hoping to find someone who
could direct her to the firm of Fox
& otter.
But did she want to find Mr. Otter?
She had inherited much OF the ola
cutters Independence. How much
better it would be if she could find
work and support herself without
calling on him for aid!
Elsie saw sign Employment
Agency" and went in Many girls
were sitting against the wall in
chairs. Several well-dressed ladies
| were looking them over. One Wnlle-
haired, Sind-faced old lady in rus
Ting black silk hurried up to Elsie.
"My dear she said in a sweet
egentle voice, ARE you looking for
position? I like your face and APP
pearance so much. | want young
woman who will be half maid and
half companion to me. You will have
good home and | will pay you $50
month.
Before Elsie could stammer forth
her gratified acceptance young
woman with gold glasses on her bony
nose and her hands In her Jacket
pockets seized her arm and drew her
aside
81 am Miss Ticklebaum," said she,
"of the Association for the Proven
ton of Jobs Being Put Up on Work
ing Girls Looking for Jobs. We pre-
vented forty-seven girls from secur-
ing positions last week. / am here
to protect you. Beware of anyone
who offers you a job. How do you
| know that this woman does not want
to make you work as a breaker-boy
| in a coal mine or murder you to get
your teeth? If you accept work of
any kind without permission of our
association you will be arrested by
one of our agents.
But what am / to do?' asked
Elsie. 81 have no home or money.
| must do something. Why am | not
allowed to accept this kind lady's
offer?"
IT do not know" said Miss Tickle
baum. THAT is the affair of our Com
mittee on the Adjustment of EN-
ployers. 1t is my duty simply to see