her a try-out.” Or, “You might see if this girl will be of any
use to you.” And Clyde, after he had questioned them as to
where they had worked, what the nature of the general
working experiences were, and whether they lived at home
here in Lycurgus or alone (the bachelor girl was not much
wanted by the factory) would explain the nature of the work
and pay, and then call Miss Todd, who in her turn would
first take them to the rest room where were lockers for their
coats, and then to one of the tables where they would be
shown what the process was. And later it was Miss Todd’s
and Clyde’s business to discover how well they were
getting on and whether it was worth while to retain them or
not.
Up to this time, apart from the girls to whom he was so
definitely drawn, Clyde was not so very favorably impressed
with the type of girl who was working here. For the most
part, as he saw them, they were of a heavy and rather
unintelligent company, and he had been thinking that
smarter-looking girls might possibly be secured. Why not?
Were there none in Lycurgus in the factory world? So many
of these had fat hands, broad faces, heavy legs and ankles.
Some of them even spoke with an accent, being Poles or
the children of Poles, living in that slum north of the mill.
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And they were all concerned with catching a “feller,” going
to some dancing place with him afterwards, and little more.
Also, Clyde had noticed that the American types who were
here were of a decidedly different texture, thinner, more
nervous and for the most part more angular, and with a
general reserve due to prejudices, racial, moral and
religious, which would not permit them to mingle with these
others or with any men, apparently.
But among the extras or try-outs that were brought to him
during this and several succeeding days, finally came one
who interested Clyde more than any girl whom he had seen
here so far. She was, as he decided on sight, more
intelligent and pleasing—more spiritual—though apparently
not less vigorous, if more gracefully proportioned. As a
matter of fact, as he saw her at first, she appeared to him to
possess a charm which no one else in this room had, a
certain wistfulness and wonder combined with a kind of self-
reliant courage and determination which marked her at
once as one possessed of will and conviction to a degree.
Nevertheless, as she said, she was inexperienced in this
kind of work, and highly uncertain as to whether she would
prove of service here or anywhere.
Her name was Roberta Alden, and, as she at once
explained, previous to this she had been working in a small
hosiery factory in a town called Trippetts Mills fifty miles
north of Lycurgus. She had on a small brown hat that did
not look any too new, and was pulled low over a face that
was small and regular and pretty and that was haloed by
bright, light brown hair. Her eyes were of a translucent gray
blue. Her little suit was commonplace, and her shoes were
not so very new-looking and quite solidly-soled. She looked
practical and serious and yet so bright and clean and willing
and possessed of so much hope and vigor that along with
Liggett, who had first talked with her, he was at once taken
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357
with her. Distinctly she was above the average of the girls in
this room. And he could not help wondering about her as he
talked to her, for she seemed so tense, a little troubled as
to the outcome of this interview, as though this was a very
great adventure for her.
She explained that up to this time she had been living with
her parents near a town called Biltz, but was now living with
friends here. She talked so honestly and simply that Clyde
was very much moved by her, and for this reason wished to
help her. At the same time he wondered if she were not
really above the type of work she was seeking. Her eyes
were so round and blue and intelligent—her lips and nose
and ears and hands so small and pleasing.
“You’re going to live in Lycurgus, then, if you can get work
here?” he said, more to be talking to her than anything else.
“Yes,” she said, looking at him most directly and frankly.
“And the name again?” He took down a record pad.
“Roberta Alden.”
“And your address here?”
“228 Taylor Street.”
“I don’t even know where that is myself,” he informed her
because he liked talking to her. “I haven’t been here so very
long, you see.” He wondered just why afterwards he had
chosen to tell her as much about himself so swiftly. Then he
added: “I don’t know whether Mr. Liggett has told you all
about the work here. But it’s piece work, you know,
stamping collars. I’ll show you if you’ll just step over here,”
and he led the way to a near-by table where the stampers
were. After letting her observe how it was done, and without
calling Miss Todd, he picked up one of the collars and
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358
proceeded to explain all that had been previously explained
to him.
At the same time, because of the intentness with which she
observed him and his gestures, the seriousness with which
she appeared to take all that he said, he felt a little nervous
and embarrassed. There was something quite searching
and penetrating about her glance. After he had explained
once more what the bundle rate was, and how much some
made and how little others, and she had agreed that she
would like to try, he called Miss Todd, who took her to the
locker room to hang up her hat and coat. Then presently he
saw her returning, a fluff of light hair about her forehead,
her cheeks slightly flushed, her eyes very intent and
serious. And as advised by Miss Todd, he saw her turn
back her sleeves, revealing a pretty pair of forearms. Then
she fell to, and by her gestures Clyde guessed that she
would prove both speedy and accurate. For she seemed
most anxious to obtain and keep this place.
After she had worked a little while, he went to her side and
watched her as she picked up and stamped the collars
piled beside her and threw them to one side. Also the
speed and accuracy with which she did it. Then, because
for a second she turned and looked at him, giving him an
innocent and yet cheerful and courageous smile, he smiled
back, most pleased.
“Well, I guess you’ll make out all right,” he ventured to say,
since he could not help feeling that she would. And
instantly, for a second only, she turned and smiled again.
And Clyde, in spite of himself, was quite thrilled. He liked
her on the instant, but because of his own station here, of
course, as he now decided, as well as his promise to
Gilbert, he must be careful about being congenial with any
of the help in this room—even as charming a girl as this. It
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would not do. He had been guarding himself in connection
with the others and must with her too, a thing which
seemed a little strange to him then, for he was very much
drawn to her. She was so pretty and cute. Yet she was a
working girl, as he remembered now, too—a factory girl, as
Gilbert would say, and he was her superior. But she was so
pretty and cute.
Instantly he went on to others who had been put on this
same day, and finally coming to Miss Todd asked her to
report pretty soon on how Miss Alden was getting along—
that he wanted to know.
But at the same time that he had addressed Roberta, and
she had smiled back at him, Ruza Nikoforitch, who was
working two tables away, nudged the girl working next her,
and without any one noting it, first winked, then indicated
with a slight movement of the head both Clyde and
Roberta. Her friend was to watch them. And after Clyde had
gone away and Roberta was working as before, she leaned
over and whispered: “He says she’ll do already.” Then she
lifted her eyebrows and compressed her lips. And her friend
replied, so softly that no one could hear her: “Pretty quick,
eh? And he didn’t seem to see any one else at all before.”
Then the twain smiled most wisely, a choice bit between
them. Ruza Nikoforitch was jealous.
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Chapter 13
THE reasons why a girl of Roberta’s type should be seeking
employment with Griffiths and Company at this time and in