Chapter II. What Poverty Threatened: Of Granite And Brass

           

           Minnie’sflat,astheone-floorresidentapartmentswerethenbeingcalled,wasinapartofWestVanBurenStreetinhabitedbyfamiliesoflabourersandclerks,menwhohadcome,andwerestillcoming,withtherushofpopulationpouringinattherateof50,000ayear.Itwasonthethirdfloor,thefrontwindowslookingdownintothestreet,where,atnight,thelightsofgrocerystoreswereshiningandchildrenwereplaying.ToCarrie,thesoundofthelittlebellsuponthehorse-cars,astheytinkledinandoutofhearing,wasaspleasingasitwasnovel.ShegazedintothelightedstreetwhenMinniebroughtherintothefrontroom,andwonderedatthesounds,themovement,themurmurofthevastcitywhichstretchedformilesandmilesineverydirection.

           Mrs.Hanson,afterthefirstgreetingswereover,gaveCarriethebabyandproceededtogetsupper.Herhusbandaskedafewquestionsandsatdowntoreadtheeveningpaper.Hewasasilentman,Americanborn,ofaSwedefather,andnowemployedasacleanerofrefrigeratorcarsatthestock-yards.Tohimthepresenceorabsenceofhiswife’ssisterwasamatterofindifference.Herpersonalappearancedidnotaffecthimonewayortheother.HisoneobservationtothepointwasconcerningthechancesofworkinChicago.

           “It’sabigplace,”hesaid.“Youcangetinsomewhereinafewdays.Everybodydoes.”

           Ithadbeentacitlyunderstoodbeforehandthatshewastogetworkandpayherboard.Hewasofaclean,savingdisposition,andhadalreadypaidanumberofmonthlyinstalmentsontwolotsfaroutontheWestSide.

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