Sister Carrie

nd should only be accepted as a moral due-that it should be paid out as honestly stored energy, and not as a usurped privilege-many of our social, religious, and

ter off for the having of them. It was something that was power in itself. One of her order of mind would have been content to be cast away upon a desert island with a bundle of money, and only the long strain of starvation would have taug

she was still glad. Now she would have a nice new jacket! Now she would buy a nice pair of pretty button shoes. She would get stockings, too, and a s

aled to him like a poor young girl. Femininity affected his feelings. He was the creature of an inborn desire. Yet no beggar could have caught his eye and said, "My God, mister, I'm starving," but he would gladly have handed out what was considered the proper portion to give beggars and thought no more about it. There would have been no speculation, no philosophising. He ha

ght. He was vain, he was boastful, he was as deluded by fine clothes as any silly-headed girl. A truly deep-dyed villain could have hornswaggled him as readily as he could have flattered a pretty shop-girl. His fine success as a salesman lay in his geniality and the thoroughly reputable standing of his house. He bobbed about among men, a veritable bu

ectual are not so helpless. Nature has taught the beasts of the field to fly when some unheralded danger threatens. She has put into the small, unwise head of the chipmunk the untutored fear of poisons. "He keepeth His creatures whole," wa

irls had to be knocked around like that. Cold weather coming on and no clothes. Tough. He would go ar

of points which perplexed her seriously. How should she buy any clothes when Minnie knew that she had no money? She had no

ut?" asked Minnie,

hing directly opposed. She would prevaricate, but it would be in the line of he

promise of

he

Boston

romised?" que

eturned Carrie, disliking to draw ou

ht with her. She felt now was the time to express to Carrie t

it-" she paused, tro

thing pretty soon, I

saw her

ght be best for th

ger, out of work. She did not blame Minnie, she did not blame Hanson very much.

a few moments, "I th

he knew its dull, little round by heart. Here was the great, mysterious city which was still a magnet for her. What she had seen only

ar them here. She would need to save part of the twenty to pay her fare home. She did not want to borrow of Minnie fo

and yet she did not want to go home. In the light of the way they would look on her getting money without work, the taking of it now seemed dreadful. She began to be ashamed. The whole situation depr

he would give the money back. It was wrong to take it. She would go down in the morning and hunt for work. At noon sh

usions, she could sweep away all thought about the matter and then the twenty dollars seemed a wonderful and delight

least shade less terrible. She walked into the wholesale district, but as the thought of applying came with each passing concern, her heart shrank. What a coward she was, she thought to herself. Yet

ng window display, its crowd of shoppers. It readily changed her thoughts, she who was so weary of them. It was here that she had int

ce had given her a high opinion of its merits. Now she paused at each individual bit of finery, where before she had hurried on. Her woman's heart was warm with desire for them. How would she look in this, how charming that would make her! She came upon the corset counter and paused in rich reverie as she noted the dainty concocti

ince herself that there was nothing she would like better. She went about among the glass cases and racks where these things were displayed, and satisfied herself that the one she thought of was the proper one. All the time she wavere

the corner whe

e is the jacket and"-lo

n in some intelligent way, but this swept th

u that-that I can'

ed. "Well, you come on with me. L

sibility had slipped from her mind. She could not get at the points

go in here," and Drouet turned into one of the very ni

n a cosey corner, and Drouet had ordered the lunch. "I can't wear

to do," he smiled,

go home," she

tell you what you do. You say you can't wear them out there. Why d

re to object and be convinced. It was for him to b

u going hom

't get any

you?" he remark

n't," sa

," he said. "You come with

he welcome breath of an open door. Drouet seemed of her own spirit and pleasing. He w

nd a picture of the dull world she had left. "There isn't anything down there. Chicago's

mirable, great city, so fine when you are not poor. An elegant coach, with a pr

no subtle undercurrent to the question. He imagined that she

wondering what she could do. They would

subject of the clothe

it. I'll loan you the money. You needn't worry about taking it.

xpress her thoughts. She felt more th

get something t

n't let you stay out there. Now, why not let me get you a nice room? I won't bother y

little mortal to him-there was no doubt of that. She seemed to have some power ba

mental strain in her that made possible her depression and loneliness. Her

could get someth

over and filling her cup

im, and he laug

d you pick out what you want. Then we'll look around for a room for yo

shook h

s all right. You don't need to stay in the ro

about this until t

nd look at the j

's radiating presence, the scheme proposed seemed feasible. She looked about and picked a jacket like the one which she had admired at The Fair. When she got it in her hand i

he thing,

not help feeling pleased as she looked at

g," said Drouet.

dollars," s

ight-take it,

he woman asked if she would wear the coat and went off. I

aw how nice they looked, said, "Wear them." Carrie shook her head, however. She was thinking of returning to

"you come down here an

nto the entanglement, the more she imagined that the thing hung upon the few rem

, you're my sister." He carried the arrangement off with an easy hand when it came to the selection, looking aroun

least. He talked in the same general way as if th

et, "why don't y

n't," sai

y n

ant to lea

oon. The sun had come out and the wind had died down. As he talked wi

id, "they won't care. I

ut a little and then help her get something. He really imagined t

he said, "you go out there and get

ar as Peoria Street and wait for her. She was to meet him at half-past eight.

Minnie, referring to Carrie

t of the corner of her

better try any more t

said

went off to read his paper. At dinner Carrie felt a little nervous. The strain of her

anything, eh?

N

e her here dwelling in his mind. She would have to go home, that was a

know that this condition was ending. They would not care. Hanson partic

throom, where they could not dist

. I'm going to stay in Chicago a little while an

per. As usual, she helped Minnie clear away

r a little while." She could scarce

ered Hanson's

t looks good to stand

rrie. "I won't do it

n the little bedroom, wondering where to slip the

of the queerness of her deed affected her. She went slowly down the stairs. She looked back up the lig

g away, Hanson cam

at the door ag

he said she wasn't goi

it was playing on the floor and

e corner waiting

figure of a girl drew near him. "Got he