Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-02-04
CHAPTER TX.
Jane In Her Own Element.

Jane In Her Own Element.
When she reached New York Jane
did not head for the bargain counters
| OF the big Sixth avenue stores. These
were her rightful domain, or had been
when she had gone to spend the few
dollars that her own limited resources
allowed. She rode now to one of the
| more exclusive Fifth avenue shops and
| proceeded to make such purchases as
she wanted without regard to cost. The
more she paid the better, Cor her plan
OF conc ealment would not permit of
her buying too much, and, besides, she
was through with the cheap and
shoddy.
Everything Ia this store catered to
the better tastes of the better class of
people. Even the girls behind the
counters were different. They were
polite and suave, softer voiced and
gentler hammered None Of them
chewed gum and none of them called
cash In Shrill, repellent tones. Nor
did any of them carry on a converse
ton with a companion SO feet away to
inform her friend that she had had a
perfectly swell time last night" and
contemplated spending the ensuing
evening with Jimmie" tasting Joys
unconfiHed at the skating rink.
Most of the fioorwalkers were in
keeping with the clerks. They were
not dressed in long Prince Alberts an
for an afternoon tea, nor did they twirl
huge black mustaChios. They were
clean shaven and neat, and stood or
walked about with some display of
modeSty as II they thought 1t possible
that some OF their millionaire custom
ers were almost as elevated In lifes
station as themselves.
Here was house in order and Jane
reveled in it. No more Sixth avenue
for her; she would leave that to Mrs.
Collins. For herself she was through
with the hoi polloi. She was not one
OF them and never had been except
from necessity. She thought OF her
home In one of the larger cities up
state and Of her life there when Bob
had courted her Ave years ago. Her
father was not rich, as wealth Is re.
garded today. but he was a well.to
and much respected attorney and an
intellectual one. II the occasion had
required 1t he would have taken lodg-
Ing at a frst-class hotel and done
without a meal rather than stay at an
inferior enc.
Jane had had a year at one of the
leading colleges for girls and then a
turn in the tide of her fathers bust.
ness affairs had cut short this luxury.
But she knew her art and her music
and she had looked forward with a
thrill and with wholesome authorization
to her advent in the great metropolis.
She had an inkling of ROb's business
then and business OF any kind seemed
better for a man to her than a profes-
sion. Her fathers case convinced her
OF this. She was sure that no man was
more capable. more suited to enjoy the
best things Of life or more eager to
supply them for his family, but his
calling did not seem to provide the
means.
Jane had known Bob's history at
school. He was a leader, as Brand had
said. and she was confident that he
would force his way to the front in
the business world Not that she was
marrying him from any selfish View
point She loved him, but she was
also proud of him, and the last year
or two Of their married lie had seen a
tiDge OF disappointment mingled with
his pride. She was still hopeful, or
had been until the coming Of Brand
In five years Brand had become q mil.
lionaire, though it was true that he
had started from a higher plane than
Bob and with much greater opportuni-
ties. But he had made the most OF
these chsncas and shs found harsaI.