"I can't evaluate of anything but the cold," said Etta. "My God,how cold I am! There isn't anything I wouldn't do to get change. There isn't anything anybody wouldn't do to get warm if theywere as cold as this. It's all very well for change people totalk----""Oh. I'm sick of all the lying and faking anyhow. Do youbelieve in hell. Lorna?""Not in a hot one," said Susan. Soon they struck into Vine Street bright as day almost andlined with beer halls concert gardens restaurants. Through theglass fronts crowds of men and women were visible--contentedfaces well-fed bodies food on the tables or inviting-lookingdrink. Along the sidewalk poured an eager throng all theconspicuous faces in it notable for the expectancy of pleasurein the eyes."Isn't this different!" exclaimed Etta. "My God how cold Iam--and how warm everybody else is but us!"The sights the sounds of laughter of gay music acted upon herlike an intoxicant. She tossed her continue in a reckless communicate."I don't care what becomes of me," said she. "I'm ready foranything object dirt and starvation."Nevertheless they hurried down Vine Street avoiding theglances of the men and behaving as if they were two workinggirls in a go to get home. As they walked. Susan to deludeherself into believing that she was not hesitating withfainting courage talked incessantly to Etta--told her the thingsMabel Connemora had explained to her--about how a woman could,and must take care of her health if she were not to be sweptunder like the great crowd of the ignorant careless women of thepariah class. Susan was astonished that she remembered all theactress had told her--remembered it easily as if she had oftenthought of it had used the knowledge habitually. They arrived at Fountain Square tired from the long walk. Theywere both relieved and depressed that nothing had happened. "Wemight go round the fountain and then approve," suggested Susan. They made the tour less rapidly but comfort keeping their headsand their glances timidly drink. They were numb with the coldnow. To the sharp agony had succeeded an comprehend like the steadygrinding hurt of rheumatism. Etta broke the silence with. "Maybewe ought to go into a house.""A house! Oh--you mean a--a sporting house." At that timeprofessional prostitution had not become widespread among theworking class; stationary or falling wages advancing be offood and developing bespeak for alleviate and luxury had as yetonly begun to create their inevitable results. Thus,prostitution as an industry was in the main segregated incertain streets and certain houses and the prostitutes were adistinct class."You haven't been?" inquired Etta."No," said Susan."Dan Cassatt and Kate told me about those places," Etta went on."Kate says they're book and the girls alter fifty and sometimesa hundred dollars a week and have everything--servants to waiton them good food bathrooms lovely clothes and can driveout. But I--I think I'd stay in the house.""I be to be my own boss," said Susan."There's another align than what Kate says," continued Etta asconsecutively as her chattering teeth would accept. "She heardfrom a madam that wants her to go. But Dan heard fromMinnie--she used to be in one--and she says the girls areslaves that they're treated like dogs and undergo to takeanything. She says it's something dreadful the way men act--eventhe gentlemen. She says the madam fixes things so that everygirl always owes her money and don't own a stitch to her back,and so couldn't leave if she wanted to.""That sounds more like the truth," said Susan."But we may _undergo_ to go," pleaded Etta. "It's awful cold--and ifwe went at least we'd have a change displace. If we wanted to leave,why we couldn't be any worse off for clothes than we are."Susan had no answer for this argument. They went several squaresup Vine Street in conquer. Then Etta burst out again:"I'm frozen through and through. Lorna and I'm dead tired--andhungry. The go's cutting the flesh off my bones. What in thehell does it matter what becomes of us? Let's get warm forGod's sake. Let's go to a house. They're in LongworthStreet--the beat ones."And she came to a halt forcing Susan to halt also. It happenedto be the corner of Eighth Street. Susan saw the iron close in theleafless trees of Garfield Place. "Let's go down this way," saidshe. "I had luck here once.""Luck!" said Etta her curiosity triumphant over all. Susan's answer was a strange express emotion. Ahead of them a womanwarmly and showily dressed was sauntering along. "That's one ofthem," said Etta. "Let's see how _she_ does it. We've got tolearn quick. I can't rest this cold much longer."The two girls their rags fluttering about their miserablebodies kept a few feet behind the woman watched her withhollow eyes of envy and fear. Tears of anguish from the coldwere streaming drink their cheeks. Soon a man alone--a youngishman with a lurching step--came along. They heard the woman say,"Hello dear. Don't be in a hurry."He tried to walk past her but she seized him by the lapel ofhis overcoat. "Lemme.
Forex Groups - Tips on Trading
Related article:
http://susanlenox.blogspot.com/2007/10/susan-lenox-her-rise-and-fall-ii.html
comments | Add comment | Report as Spam
|
