Rock Island Argus., 1914-10-12

| small framed motto on the wall at her
left. when the Outlook Is Not Good
! Try the Uplook."
AS she read her wide mouth set it
self in q line of bitterness. and shs
| turned away disgustedy.
! The waiting room of the Remwood
| Typewriter Employment agency was
| badly congested. Groups of girls were
| chattering together in the humid heat.
Hannah was an ''old girl" The
! term was used in the Office, with dis
respect, solely because it was descrip-
tive. 1t was abbreviated into 20. G., -"
and Hannah had caught glimpse of
these initials on her registration card
and with a chill of heart guessed their
meaning.
newcomer interrupted her thoughts
by sitting down quite close beside her.
Hannah turned toward her with un-
disguised annoyance, but her sharp
glance became steady stare.
The girl beside her wore plain
little gown of green checked gingham,
and the pink flush on her face was so
lovely and so natural a cOloring that
Hannah's eyes. long accustomed to
powdered cheeks, rested upon 1t in
credulously, dropping finally to the ex-
quisite line of a full white throat
The girl turned to her and spoke
shyly.
What do you have to do to get
work here-show your recommends
tions?' she asked
Recommendation here don't mean
much," Hannah answered sharply.
THE best argument you can put up is
the price you've worked for and how
much experience you've had"
I've worked a year." the girl an
swered.
Here in New York;" Hannah ques-
toned.
"No-up state"
"Can you read your notes?' Hannah
asked practically.
81 certainly can," the girl came back
with confidence that surprised her
questioner.
''Well, you ought to get something"
she encourag ged. Better go up and
shove those fresh kids away and talk
right up to the manager. How'd you
happen to come down to the city?"
Hannah inquired.
"Oh, 1 just wanted to get a better
chance. 1 got awfully tired Of living
in Lymansville. I've been here only a
week, but
She stopped hesitatingly.
"Oh, L don't know" she finished. |
''These girls seem awfully different !
some way. And they don't look well. |
They are so thin and''-
"They don't eat enough or sleep |
enough" Hannah interrupted.
a week passed. By some unworded
understanding Hannah and the up
state girl sat together in the waiting
room each day.
Neither was sent out, and Hannah.
realizing how low We're her own re-
sources, forced her way one morning
to the front and demanded the reason
why she couldn't get work.
The manager answered her outburst
gently.
You see, Miss Marvin she said,
1--WE have very few calls that require
your experience so many Offices want
TO get very young girls. and break them
in at Il low rate
Hannah shifted with comprehension.
Il know I'm Old" she said bluntly.
"but can get out the work.
The eyes of the manager showed
sympathetic understanding.
I'm sure you can" she said kindly.
"And we are bound to have a call be-
fore long for some one of your expe-
rience"
Hannah went back to her seat and
thought about her experience with bit
ter recollection.
The girl from up state was reading n
letter from home, and her face, which
had grown pale and a little thin. was
again rosily flushed. She turned
dreamy eyes toward Hannah inquir-
ngly and then let them go back TO
he bold handwriting on the sheets she
held
Hannah continued to think about her
experience
Only the night before she had found.
luite by accident, an old photograph of
lerself taken when she had first come
o New York, twenty years before.
She had studied it long and cuiously
lntil she burned with bitterness.
Beauty she had never possessed. but
he had been vivacious. joyous and
smart" In those days her father had
)een prosperous, and there was no
iced for her to toll. 1t was then that
he had met. loved and promised to
marry Alien Morehouse. Three months
he enga aGement had lasted
Sitting on the hard agency bench
wenty years later. Hannah Marvin
elt flame up within her the scorching
nger of her girlhood as she remember
d her discovery of the life young
Iorehouse was leading, the quarrel
hat ensued and the heartleSs words
e had spoken to her as he faced her
ccusationS.
After That there had been Scarcely a
TT in the storm clouds. Her father, 4,
wrecked. had died and left
IS daughter TO earn her living as she
luid. She had tried the shorthand
nd typewriting route. then just be-
ominS popular. and she had gone forth
\ hnfrla egIo /