Sister Carrie

low leather snap purse, containing her ticket, a scrap of paper with her sister's address in Van Buren Street, and four dollars in money. It was in August, 1889. She was eighteen years of

ill where her father worked by the day, a pathetic sigh as the familiar green environs of the village pas

bia City was not so very far away, even once she was in Chicago. What, pray, is a few hours--a few hundred miles? She looked at the little slip bearing her sister's address a

an tempter. There are large forces which allure with all the soulfulness of expression possible in the most cultured human. The gleam of a thousand lights is often as effective as the persuasive light in a wooing and fascinating eye. Half the undoing of the unsophisticated and natural mind is accomplished by forces wholly superhuman. A blare of sound, a roar

ising eventual shapeliness and an eye alight with certain native intelligence, she was a fair example of the middle American class--two generations removed from the emigrant. Books were beyond her interest--knowledge a sealed book. In the intuitive graces she was still crude. She could scarcely toss her head gracefully. Her hands were almost ineffectual. The feet, though small,

ar, "is one of the prettiest

e answered

with natural intuition she felt a certain interest growing in that quarter. Her maidenly reserve, and a certain sense of what was conventional under the circumstance

pon the back of her seat and proceede

ple. The hotels are swell. You are not famil

hat is, I live at Columbia City. I h

r first visit to Ch

lourful cheeks, a light moustache, a grey fedora hat. She now turned and looked upon him

say that,"

sing way and with an assumed air

was of a striped and crossed pattern of brown wool, new at that time, but since become familiar as a business suit. The low crotch of the vest revealed a stiff shirt bosom of white and pink stripes. From his coat sleeves protruded a pair of linen cuffs of the same pattern, fastened with large, gold plate buttons, set with the common yellow agates known as "cat's-eyes." His fingers bore several rings--one, the ever-enduring

, of course, by an intense desire and admiration for the sex. Let him meet with a young woman once and he would approach her with an air of kindly familiarity, not unmixed with pleading, which would result in most cases in a tolerant acceptance. If she showed any tendency to coquetry he would be apt to straighten her tie, or if she "took up" with him at all, to call her by her first name. If he visited a department store it was to lounge familiarly over the counter and ask some leading questions. In more exclusive circles, on the train or

those who are worth glancing at and those who are not. Once an individual has passed this faint line on the way downward he will get no glance from her. There is another line at which the dress of a man will cause her to study her

umber of people in your town. Morgenroth t

roused by memories of longings t

a few minutes he had come about into her seat. He talked of sales

you will enjoy it immense

isit my sister,"

are putting up great buildings there. It's a second New York--great.

a round of pleasure, and yet there was something promising in all the material prospect he set forth. There was something satisfactory in the attention of this individual with

time, won't you?" he observed at one

lash vision of the possibility of her no

," he said, looking st

to him from the one standpoint which a woman both delights in and fears. Her manner was simple, though for the very reason that she had not yet learned the many little affectations with

ou ask?"

I'm going to study stock at our place and

ing with my sister, and----""Well, if she minds, we'll fix that." He took out his penci

rse which containe

ver been carried by any one attentive to her. Indeed, an experienced traveller, a brisk man of the world, had never come within such close range before. The purse, the shiny tan sho

s engraved Bartlett, Caryoe & Company, and do

nd and touching his name. "It's pronounced Drew-

the house I travel for," he went on, pointing to a picture on it, "corner of State and Lake." There was pride

" he began again, fixi

ed at hi

Three hundred and fifty-four West V

the purse again. "You'll be at home i

so," she

lings and purposes. Here were these two, bandying little phrases, drawing purses, looking at cards, and both unconscious of how inarticulate all

ielded something--he, that he had gained a victory. Already they felt that they were somehow associate

s of flat, open prairie they could see lines of telegraph poles stalking across the fields toward the g

ing out in the open fields, without fence or trees

mise of the night. What does it not hold for the weary! What old illusion of hope is not here forever repeated! Says the soul of the toiler to itself, "I shall soon be free. I shall be in the ways and the hosts of the merry. The streets, the lamps, the lighted chamber set for dining, are for me. The thea

ected by her wonder, so contagious are all things, felt a

with the huge masted wanderers from far-off waters nosing the black-posted banks. With a puff, a clang, and a clatter o

into a great sea of life and endeavour, began to tell. She could not help but feel a little choked for breath--a little sick as

live with the clatter and clang of life. She began to gather up her poor little grip and closed her hand firml

be here to meet you?" he sai

wouldn't. I'd rather you wouldn't

I'll be near, though, in case she isn't

eeling the goodness of such atte

shed, where the lamps were already beginning to shine out, with passenger cars all about and th

, leading the way to the door. "

nswered, taking h

looking till you

ed into

of her. A lean-faced, rather commonplace woman rec

she began, and there w

nd novelty she felt cold reality taking her by the hand. No world of light and merriment.

s at home?" she began; "ho

n he saw that she saw him and was safe with her sister he turned to go, sending back the shadow of a smile. Only Carrie saw it. She felt something lost to