Сестра Керри

Chapter II. What Poverty Threatened: Of Granite And Brass

           Shewasnowathin,thoughrugged,womanoftwenty-seven,withideasoflifecolouredbyherhusband’s,andfasthardeningintonarrowerconceptionsofpleasureanddutythanhadeverbeenhersinathoroughlycircumscribedyouth.ShehadinvitedCarrie,notbecauseshelongedforherpresence,butbecausethelatterwasdissatisfiedathome,andcouldprobablygetworkandpayherboardhere.Shewaspleasedtoseeherinawaybutreflectedherhusband’spointofviewinthematterofwork.Anythingwasgoodenoughsolongasitpaid—say,fivedollarsaweektobeginwith.Ashopgirlwasthedestinyprefiguredforthenewcomer.Shewouldgetinoneofthegreatshopsanddowellenoughuntil—well,untilsomethinghappened.Neitherofthemknewexactlywhat.Theydidnotfigureonpromotion.Theydidnotexactlycountonmarriage.Thingswouldgoon,though,inadimkindofwayuntilthebetterthingwouldeventuate,andCarriewouldberewardedforcomingandtoilinginthecity.Itwasundersuchauspiciouscircumstancesthatshestartedoutthismorningtolookforwork.

           Beforefollowingherinherroundofseeking,letuslookatthesphereinwhichherfuturewastolie.In1889Chicagohadthepeculiarqualificationsofgrowthwhichmadesuchadventuresomepilgrimagesevenonthepartofyounggirlsplausible.Itsmanyandgrowingcommercialopportunitiesgaveitwidespreadfame,whichmadeofitagiantmagnet,drawingtoitself,fromallquarters,thehopefulandthehopeless—thosewhohadtheirfortuneyettomakeandthosewhosefortunesandaffairshadreachedadisastrousclimaxelsewhere.

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