The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-06-27
HER EXPERIMENT |
BY JANE MCLEAN.

"There's 'really nothing at all to life,
said Tessie, despondently. "All these
people who write about the beautifu
things that happen don't know, that's
all they've never been VI against II.
Her companion did net answer all
at once. She was wall ing along al
Tessie's side, thinking alb Dut the words
that had just been spoke /. Were they
true? If so, what was the use of II
all?
Tessie was speaking ain.
you know, some of US girls was
wondering the other ght how you
stand for it. You doIft seem like the
rest of us. and yet you don't do half
the complainin' we do"
The other girl smiled ut this.
complaining doesn't 10 any good"
sYes, it does; it seem to help things
If a lot of US get tog sther and talk
about our troubles
"YOu think it does but it really
doesn't help. Things re just as bad
after you go back TO en- again"
The speaker was a light, dark girl
She had thoughtful eye and rounded
aristocratic little chin. She as'differ
ent from TeSse, who was a worker
and whose people wer' workers. She
looked as though she h I'd come from
different world, and ! ad known diff.
ferent people, and yet he worked next
to TesSie at the ribbon counter.
"What do you think about it all?'
Tessie asked, suddenly
The other girl turf ed to her. 81
wonder if it would he p yousif | told
you what | really do think?'
"Sure 1t would" the other girl re.
sponded Here we've been waikiki
home together for two weeks now, and
you've never said what youtthink right
OUT
IF l do tell you, Tessie, you won't
speak of it to the other girls. will you?"
Tcssie promised quickly. almost
breathlessly, and the other girl smiled
again, her smile that somehow carried
more in it than the ordinary smile OF
! a girl of her age.
'Well, Tessie, I came down here be.
cause l wanted to know more about
/ life. I thought that theIife | was lead.
| ing was too narrow"
"YOu mean you don't, have to work
/ If you don't want tO?"' Tcssie spoke
suspiciOusly There is nothing that sc
/ frightenS a working girl and so quick.
/ ~ places her on guard as the thought
/ that she is being made material of in
| one way or another.
"No. don't have to work. the other
yirj Eh11f MIC do
stand, TesSie I didn't come down here
to find out about you, / came to fine
out about myself. Oh, you haven't any
idea how I hated life at homeu finally
came to the conclusion that nothing
could be worse than a life where
couldn't think my own thoughts.
wanted to be free, so | just cut away
from it all and came down town and
got a position in a store"
Like one of those society girls who
want to find out about US girls who
work" said Tessie bitterly.
mo, not a bit like that" the other
girl responded.
''Why not? You're just like them
having play time now, and going back
to the gay life when you're tired of i,
ALL"
But I'm not going back to it."
Tessie stopped for a moment on the
street and stared, then she walked or
in silence.
SIN not going back to the old life
Tessie, because I've found somethin!
in this that the old life never had"
Tessie laughed a mirthless LITTLE
laugh.
That's a joke" she exclaimed II
must be lot of fun for you to get III
:, early and work all day for just enough
to cover yourself and keep life going"
But it isn't just that that counts
We don't have to stay at a ribbon coun
$ ter all our lives, Tessie. Why, do yor
know that | have found something i
J this life that | never had in the old
t I've found a friend, a real friend May
I be you think that doesn't mean some
: thing to me-"
! Tessie Redeemed and a shy smil
. ,crept across her sullen little face.
. 1--WE have been sort of pals, haven
! 'we?" she said softly.
7 That's Just it." the other girl re
t spOnded. 'And we live our own live
0 in a sense, because We're not hampere
d with the old conventionalities tina
e close one in up where l lived. We'r
$ definite personalities, each with
: chance to fight for survival. And we'r
a going TO fight. Tessie, do you hear, 70
S and | are both going to fight for our e1
d iStence, and that's all that really ma
t tiers. You're with me, aren't you?"
: And Tessie, who did not quite under
7 stand it yet, felt suddenly a grea
flame Of courage. something new to he
colorless little life, something a grea
IDEAL like hope.-Chicago Evenin
American.