Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-11-17
Evening Story
THAT FORTY DOLLARS.
BY Clara lnez Deacon.
Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)

Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
Kitty Clarkson had come to the city
for the same reasons that had brought
hundreds of other girls from towns
and hamlets, and would continue to
bring them. She must become a
bread-winner. They never see the
other side of the case. It's all plain
sailing to them. If it were not their
friends would soon make it so.
When Kitty's father died it became
plain that she must help out. She
was young and in good health, and
she was anxious to take hold. But at
twhat?
Good old Dr. Watkins dropped in
| and hummed and hawed and finally
slapped his leg and exclaimed:
Dear me, but how absent minded |
of course, and there you will earn not
you will; of course
But what att" was asked
But what at? Hum! Hum! l
can't exactly say this minute, but I'll
think it over and let you know later
on. There are thousands of situations
in the city waiting to be filed. Don't
worry, dear. You'll come out all
right
/ The good Mrs. johnson dropped in
, to say:
"of course you'll 30 to the city.
You may have to begin on something
at $12 a week, but it won't be long
before your salary will be doubled.
You'll get one of the easiest places
and the most pay, because you are a
Sunday school teacher and because
the minister will give you letter as
recommend. He can vouch that
you are honest and are not in the
habit of running out nights. You have
never attended circus, have you%
"Naver'
well have him put that in the let
ter, IL viii snow that you are not
frivolous girl. Have you ever
danced?"
mo"
THAT mus go in, too. Whoever
employs you must knoW that you are
not one to put on your hat and walk
off to dance any time the fit comes
on. I don't think you ever had a
beau, did you? That is, you never
had one that talked about getting
marTied?"
NO"
"The minister orter make the most
Of that in his letter In the city they
want to know that gal they hire
amt talkin' love and marriage every
evenin' and gettin' all upset over it.
Let's see-you don't use paint nor
powder nor bleach your hair?''
"Oh, no"
I'll have the minister put that In.
The folks down there don't want girls
that primp up. Kitty Clarkson, you
can take the minister's letter and go
to the city and earn thirty or forty
dollars a week right from the day you
get there. There may be half a dozen
business men to-meet you at the depot.
! dollars week nobody will be en-
! vious."
But I don't know what can get
to do" said the girl.
$40? Do? Why, they'll offer you
this and that, and you can take your
pick. -
Then the good spinster Martin came
in to say:
Yes, Kitty, it's going to be great
thing for you. You won't have the
least trouble finding place, but it
would beia great thing for you to learn
typewriting. You may strike place
with some banker who'll want letter
written. Come over to the house and
| I'll teach YOU"
In the course>of fortnight Miss
Kitty departed for the city. She had
with her the minister's letter as a
certificate of character, and speci-
men of her dexterity on the type
writer that read:
"The sun is up, and The sun Is
Down. I Can Also write the Lords
Prayer
There was no one at the depot to
meet the girl. There was no one to
help her find boarding house. The
next mornings dailies did not chron-
icle her arrival.
Even when she had found board
ing place and paid a week in advance
on a hall bedroom she had heard the
landlady say to boarder:
"There's another fool girl come to
town instead of going to some idiot
asylum
The girl shed few tears and went
to bed and to sleep, and next morning
she started out with a brave heart to
secure place. She was justlto late