The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1917-06-15
HER EXPERIMENT
By JANE MeLGAN.

There's really nothing at all 80 life, y
uald Tessle despondently FAN these
people who write about the beautiful
things that happen don't know that's
ali; they've never been up against It."
Her companion did not answer all
at once. She was walking along az
TessIes side, thinking about the words
that had Just been spoken. We're they
srue7 II so, what was the use Of 1t
all?
Tessie was speaking again.
"Yon know, some Of us girls was
wondering the other night how you
stand for H. You don't seem like the
rest Of us, and yet you don't do half
The complalnin' we do"
The other girl smiled at this.
Complaining doesn't do any good"
ayes, it does II seems TO help things
Il lot Of us get together and talk
about our troubles"
"You think It does, but II really
doesn't help. Things are just as bad
after you 80 back to them again"
The speaker was slight, dark girl.
She had thoughtful eyes and a rounded,
lristocratic little chin. She was differ
ent from Tessle who was worker
and whose people were workegs She
looked as though she had come from a
different world, and had known diff
ferent people, and yet she worked next
to Tessie at the ribbon counter.
what do you think about At allT
Tessie asked. suddenly. M
The other girl turned to her. Il
wonder If it would help you II told
you what really do thInk3"
"Sure It would" the other girl re-
sponded. "Here we've been wnlkin'
home together for two weeks now, and
you've never said what you think right
out"
IF do tell you, Tessie, you won't
speak Of 1t to the other girls, will your
Tessie promised quickly, almost
breathlessly and the other girl smiled
again, her smile that somehow carried
more in 1t than the ordinary smile Of
n girl Of her age.
"Well, Tessie, came down here be-
cause wanted to know more about
life. / thought that the life was lead
ing was too narrow"
"You mean you don't have to work
If you don't want tO?" Tessie spoke,
suspiciously There is nothing that so
frightens a working girl and 50 quiex-
ly places her ON guard as the thought
that she is being made material Of In
one way or another
mo, don't have to work." the other
girl returned, 'but don't misunder-
stand, Tessie. didn't come down here
to ind out about you, came to find
out about myself. Oh, you haven't any
Idea how / hated life at home. finally
came to the conclusion that nothing
could be worse than 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 10 a store"
Like one Of those society girls who
want to find out about us girls who
work, said Tessie bitterly.
mo, not 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 1t
ALL"
But I'm not going back to it,
Tessle stopped for a moment on the
street and stared, then she walked on
in silence.
'Tm not going hack to the old life,
Tessle, because I've found something
in this that the old life never had
TessIe laughed a mirthIess little
laugh.
''That's jokel" she exclaimed. at
must be d lot Of fun for you to get up
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 ribbon coun-
ter all our lives, Tessie. why, do you
know that ] have found something ia
this life that never hard IN the old?
I've. found friend, a real friend. May-
be yom think that doesn't mean some
tlunB 70 me.
Tessle reddened and a shy smile
crept across her sullen little face.
I'VE have been sort Of pals, haven't
we!" she said softly.
''That's just it," the other girl re-
sponded. "And we live our own lives
In a sense, because we're not hampered
with the old conventionalities that
close one in up where lived, We're
definite personalities. each with
chance to fight for survival And we're
going to fight, Tessle, do you hear, you
and are both going to fight for cur ex-
istence, and that's all that really mat
ters. You're with me, aren't your
And Tessie, who did not quite Gnder-
stand 1t yet, felt suddenly a great
flame OF courage. something new to her
colorless little life. something a great
deal like hope.-ChicagO Evening
American.
Philippine Lumber Goes to China.
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