Chicago (Ill.) -- Fiction; Didactic fiction; Mistresses -- Fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
Carrie said nothing, but bent over her work. She felt as though she
could hardly endure such a life. Her idea of work had been so entirely
different. All during the long afternoon she thought of the city outside
and its imposing show, crowds, and fine buildings. Columbia City and the
better side of her home life came back. By three o'clock she was sure it
must be six, and by four it seemed as if they had forgotten to note the
hour and were letting all work overtime. The foreman became a true ogre,
prowling constantly about, keeping her tied down to her miserable task.
What she heard of the conversation about her only made her feel sure
that she did not want to make friends with any of these. When six
o'clock came she hurried eagerly away, her arms aching and her limbs
stiff from sitting in one position.
As she passed out along the hall after getting her hat, a young machine
hand, attracted by her looks, made bold to jest with her.
"Say, Maggie," he called, "if you wait, I'll walk with you."
It was thrown so straight in her direction that she knew who was meant,
but never turned to look.
In the crowded elevator, another dusty, toil-stained youth tried to make
an impression on her by leering in her face.
One young man, waiting on the walk outside for the appearance of
another, grinned at her as she passed.
"Ain't going my way, are you?" he called jocosely.
Carrie turned her face to the west with a subdued heart. As she turned
the corner, she saw through the great shiny window the small desk at
which she had applied. There were the crowds, hurrying with the same
buzz and energy-yielding enthusiasm. She felt a slight relief, but it
was only at her escape. She felt ashamed in the face of better dressed
girls who went by. She felt as though she should be better served, and
her heart revolted.
CHAPTER V
A GLITTERING NIGHT FLOWER: THE USE OF A NAME
Drouet did not call that evening. After receiving the letter, he had
laid aside all thought of Carrie for the time being and was floating
around having what he considered a gay time. On this particular evening
he dined at "Rector's," a restaurant of some local fame, which occupied
a basement at Clark and Monroe Streets. Thereafter he visited the resort
of Fitzgerald and Moy's in Adams Street, opposite the imposing Federal
Building. There he leaned over the splendid bar and swallowed a glass of
plain whiskey and purchased a couple of cigars, one of which he lighted.
This to him represented in part high life--a fair sample of what the
whole must be.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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