The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-03-03


TOWN. laughed Jennie Ames, a
slip of a girl with blue eyes that al
ways seemed to be surprised or won
dering, and fluffy yellow hair that was
always blowing about her face.
"Wal, it's bigger now than some
towns, If 1t amt anything but a vii
1age," retorted the woman. "My, I
wouldn't go down there to New York,
not KNOWN anybody, fer the hull
world"
81 shall know Miss Kraft" protested
Jennie.
HUH" exclaimed Mrs. Tucker,
Miss Kraft is one Of them sassiety
folks. I guess she won't have much
time fer-fer-"
"For me, you mean" The surprised
look gave way to defiant CLEAN IN
the blue eyes. II am not going down
there TO be in society. Miss Kraft has
found me a position, and 1 shall be
too busy to be lonesome"
'Well, New York is an awful place
for young girls, an hope"
Mrs. Tucker had way Of pausing
before a momentous climax. Jennie
again supplied 1t.
"You hope I won't go wrong"
snapped the girl. "Well, I guess
know enough not to get out Of the
straight and narrow path. I've never
had anything all my life but narrow
paths, and I ought to know one when
see It,"
An audible masculine chuckle just
inside the door of the store where
they were standing made Jennie quick
ly take leave of Mrs. Tucker, enter,
and pass rapidly to the farther end.
She saw it was Joe Banks who had
laughed, but she did not let him know
she saw him. Joe was the son of the
proprietor, Seth Banks, skinny,
shriveled, money-making machine who
kept his sole heir very carefully in
line with his object In life Joe
worked the farm part of the time,
and helped in the general supply
store at intervals. Before Joe's
mother died she had stood by her son
in his desire for an education, and
so, much against the old mans par
simonious ideas, Joe had been al
lowed to go through the high school
in the neiShboring town. His taste
for good reading was cultivated in
his spare hours, and Jennie being
somewhat like him in that respect,
mutual attraction had grown up be-
tween them. Then came Miss Kraft
to visit the Stevensons, who lived in
the most pretentious house in the
place. She was settlement worker
in New York, and having accidentally
met Jennie. she became interested in
her; and when the girl told her of
the necessity of finding work, and her
desire to 90 to New York to try to
earn something, Miss Kraft prom
ised to see what she could do. This,
however, was not till she had tried
to dissuade the girl from leaving her
home.
But" reasoned Jennie, "there won't
be any home pretty soon if l can't
find something to do There's just
able to sew, but she's not so very
strong now, and the orchard that
used to help support US has failed for
two seasons"
Joe had very little sympathy with
Jennies desire for New York. She
was perhaps foolishly reticent regard
ing the real reason, not explaining as
she had to Miss Kraft. She thought
he did not care He did not ask her
to stay. And Joe believed she wished
to get away from the little village,
himself included to find in the great
city the chance for excitement and
the kind of life he loathed. SO 1t was
a misunderstanding all around. He
did not know that one word from him
would have kept her there, even
though she had scrubbed floors for a
living, and perhaps he had not yet
thought of speaking that word.
So with the bitter memory Of his
indifference ranking In her heart,
Jennie went down to the great city.
The place Miss Kraft had found for
her was that of s0leswoman In
cheap department store downtown.
The pay was so small that though she
shared a small, comfortless room with
another girl, prepared her slender
breakfast over a gas Jet, and ate
ten-cent lunch, there was very little
left at the end of the week. Out of
this meager amount she sent some
thing to her mother with reassuring
words of q raise In her salary. At
first 1t seemed to Jennie she would
not be able to stand the privation and
hard work; but pride and determi-
nation to hold on kept her at 1t.
Miss Kraft conducted a club for
'rking girls on the East side, and
/, asked Jennie to Join. The men,
were mostly of foreign parentage.
first Jennie, all unused to their
lner and mode Of expression, IN
'ngly held herself aloof. But she
d them so bright, so responsive,
with such an eager desire to
that soon all barriers were
I'd. The subjects for discussion
d all the way from domestic n.y.
to a study Of Browning: and
It amounting to enthusiasm was
lacking.