Chapter 2

WHATPOVERTYTHREATENED:OFGRANITEANDBRASS

Minnie’sflat,astheone-floorresidentapartmentwerethenbeingcalled,wasinapartofWestVanBurenStreetinhabitedbyfamiliesoflabourersandclerks,menwhohadcome,andwerestillcoming,withtherushofpopulationpouringinattherateof50,000ayear.Itwasonthethirdfloor,thefrontwindowslookingdownintothestreet,where,atnightthelightsofgrocerystoreswereshinningandchildrenwereplaying.ToCarrie,thesoundofthelittlebellsuponthehorses-cars,asitwasnovel.

ShegazedintothelightedstreetwhenMinniebroughtherintothefrontroom,andwonderedatthesounds,themovement,themurmurofthevastcitywhichstretchedformilesandmilesineverydirection.

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

“It’sabigplace”hesaid.“Youcangetinsomewhereinafewdays.Everybodydoes”Ithadbeentacitlyunderstoodbeforehandthatshewastogetworkandpayherboard.Hewasofaclean,sayingdisposition,andhadalreadypaidanumberofmonthlyinstallmentsontwolotsfarouttheWestSide.Hisambitionwassomedaytobuildahouseonthem.

IntheintervalwhichmarkedthepreparationofthemealCarriefoundtimetostudytheflat.Shehadsomeslightgiftofobservationandthatsense,sorichineverywomenintuition.

Shefeltthedragofaleanandnarrowlife.Thewallsoftheroomswerediscordantlypapered.Thefloorswerecoveredwithmattingandthehalllaidwithathinragcarpet.Onecouldseethatthefurniturewasofthatpoor,hurriedlypatchedtogetherqualitysoldbytheinstallmenthouses.

ShesatwithMinnie,inthekitchen,holdingthebabyuntilitbegantocry.Thenshewalkedandsangtoit,untilHanson,disturbedinhisreading,cameandtookitApleasantsidetohisnaturecameouthere.Hewaspatient.Onecouldseethathewasverymuchwrappedupinhisoffspring.

“Now,now,”hesaid,walking.“There,there,”andtherewasacertainSwedishaccentnoticeableinhisvoice

“You’llwanttoseethecityfirst,won’tyou.”saidMinnie,whentheywereeating.“Well,we’llgooutSundayandseeLincolnPark.”

CarrienoticedthatHansonhadsaidnothingtothisHeseemedtobethinkingofsomethingelse.

“Well,”shesaid,“IthinkI’lllookaroundto-morrowI’vegotFridayandSaturday,anditwon’tbeanytroubleWhichwayisthebusinesspart.”

Minniebegantoexplain,butherhusbandtookthispartoftheconversationtohimself.

“It’sthatway,”hesaid,pointingeast.“That’seastThenhewentoffintothelongestspeechhehadyetindulgedin,concerningthelayofChicago.You’dbetterlookinthosebigmanufacturinghousesalongFranklinStreetandjusttheothersideoftheriver,”he

concluded.“Lotsofgirlsworkthere.Youcouldgethomeeasy,too.Itisn’tveryfar.”

Carrienoddedandaskedhersisterabouttheneighborhood.Thelattertalkedinasubduedtone,tellingthelittlesheknewaboutit,whileHansonconcernedhimselfwiththebaby.Finallyhejumpedupandhandedthechildtohiswife.

“I’vegottogetupearlyinthemorning,soI’llgotobed,”andoffhewent,disappearingintothedarklittlebedroomoffthehall,forthenight.

“Heworkswaydownatthestock-yards,”explainedMinnie,“sohe’sgottogetupathalf-pastfive.”

“Whattimedoyougetuptogetbreakfast.”askedCarrie.

“Atabouttwentyminutesoffive.”Togethertheyfinishedthelaboroftheday,CarriewashingthedisheswhileMinnieundressedthebabyandputittobed.Minnie’smannerwasoneoftrainedindustry,andCarriecouldseethatitwasasteadyroundoftoilwithher.

ShebegantoseethatherrelationswithDrouetwouldhavetobeabandoned.Hecouldnotcomehere.ShereadfromthemannerofHanson,inthesubduedairofMinnie,and,indeed,thewholeatmosphereoftheflat,asettledoppositiontoanythingsaveaconservativeroundoftoil.IfHansonsateveryeveninginthefrontroomandreadhispaper,ifhewenttobedatnine,andMinniealittlelater,whatwouldtheyexceptofher.Shesawthatshewouldfirstneedtogetworkandestablishherselfcompanyofanysort.HerlittleflirtationwithDrouetseemednowanextraordinarything.

“No,”shesaidtoherself,“hecan’tcomehere.”SheaskedMinnieforinkandpaper,whichwereuponthemantelinthedining-room,andwhenthelatterhadgonetobedatten,gotoutDrouet’scardandwrotehim.

“Icannothaveyoucallonmehere.Youwillhavetowaituntilyouhearfrommeagain.Mysister’splaceissosmall.”

ShetroubledherselfoverwhatelsetoputintheletterShewantedtomakesomereferencetotheirrelationsuponthetrain,butwastootimid.Sheconcludedbythankinghimforhiskindnessinacrudedway,thenpuzzledovertheformalityofsigninghername,andfinallydecideduponthesevere,windingupwitha“Verytruly,”whichshesubsequentlychangedto“Sincerely.”Shesealedandaddressedtheletter,andgoinginthefrontroom,thealcoveofwhichcontainedherbed,drewtheonesmallrocking-chairuptotheopenwindow,andsatlookingoutuponthenightandstreetsinsilentwonder.Finally,weariedbyherownreflections,shebegantogrowdullinherchair,andfeelingtheneedofsleep,arrangedherclothingforthenightandwenttobed.

Whensheawokeateightthenextmorning,Hansonhadgone.Hersisterwasbusyinthedining-room,whichwasalsothesitting-room,sewing.Sheworked,afterdressing,toarrangealittlebreakfastforherself,andthenadvisedwithMinnieastowhichwaytolook.ThelatterhadchangedconsiderablysinceCarriehadseenher.Shewasnowathin,thoughrugged,womenoftwenty-seven,withideasoflifecoloredbyherhusband’sandfasthardeningintonarrowerconceptionsofpleasureanddutythanhadeverbeenhersinathoroughlycircumscribedyouth.‘ShehadinvitedCarrie,notbecauseshelongedforherpresence,butbecausethelatterwasdissatisfiedathome,andcouldprobablygetworkandpayherboardhere.Shewaspleadtoseeherinawaybutreflectedherhusband’spointofviewinthematterofwork.Anythingwasgoodenoughsolongasitpaidsay,fivedollarsaweektobeginwith.Ashopgirlwasthedestinyprefiguredforthenewcomer.Shewouldgetinoneofthegreatshopsanddowellenoughuntilsomethinghappened.Neitherofthemknewexactlywhat.Theydidnotfigureonpromotion.Theydidnotexactlycountonmarriage.Thingswouldgoon,though,inadimkindofwayuntilthebetterthingwouldeventuate,andCarriewouldrewardedforcomingandtoilinginthecity.Itwasundersuchauspiciouscircumstancesthatshestartedoutthismorningtolookforwork.

Beforefollowingherinherroundofseeking,letuslookatthesphereinwhichherfuturewastolie.In1889Chicagohadthepeculiarqualificationsofgrowthwhichofyounggirlsplausible.Itsmanyandgrowingcommercialopportunitiesgaveitwidespreadfame,whichmadeofitagiantmagnet,drawingtoitself,fromallquarters,thehopefulandthehaplessthosewhohadtheirfortuneyettomakeandthosefortunesandaffairshadreachedadisastrousclimaxelsewhere.Itwasacityofover500,000,withtheambition,thedaring,theactivityofametropolisofamillion.Itsstreetsandhousesweremiles.Itspopulationwasnotsomuchthrivinguponparedpreparedforthearrivalofothers.Thesoundofthehameverywhereheard.Greatindustriesweremovingin.Thehugerailroadcorporationswhichhadlongbeforerecognizedtheprospectsoftheplacehadseizeduponvasttractsoflandfortransferandshippingpurposes.Street-carlineshadbeenextendedfaroutintotheopencountryinanticipationofrapidgrowth.Thecityhadlaidmilesandmilesofstreetsandsewersthroughregionswhere,perhaps,onesolitaryhousestoodoutaloneapioneerofthepopulouswaystobe.Therewereregionsopentothesweepingwindsandrain,whichwereyetlightedthroughoutthenightwithlong,blinkinglinesofgas-lamps,flutteringinthewind.Narrowboardwalksextendedout,passinghereahouse,andthereastoreatfarintervals,portionwasthevastwholesalesandshoppingdistrict,towhichtheuninformedseekerforworkusuallydrifted.ItwasacharacteristicsofChicagothenandonenotgenerallysharedbyothercities,thatindividualfirmsofanypretensionoccupiedindividualbuildings.

Thepresenceofamplegroundmadethispossible.Itgaveanimposingappearancetomostofthewholesalesplainviewofthestreet.Thelargeplatesofwindowglassnowsocommon,werethemrapidlycomingintouse,andgavetothegroundfloorofficesadistinguishedandprosperouslook.Thecasualwanderercouldseeashepassedapolishedarrayofofficefixtures,muchfrostedglassclerkshardatwork,andgenteelbusinessmenin“nobby”suitsandcleanlinenloungingaboutorsittingingroups.Polishedbrassornickelsignsatthesquarestoneentrancesannouncedthefirmandthenatureofthebusinessinratherneatandreservedterms.Theentiremetropolitancenterpossessedahighandmightyaircalculatedtooveraweandabashthecommonapplicant,andtomakethegulfbetweenpovertyandsuccessseembothwideanddeep.

IntothisimportantcommercialregionthetimidCarriewent.ShewalkedeastalongVanBurenStreetthrougharegionoflesseningimportance,untilitdeterioratedintoamassofshantiesandcoal-yards,andfinallyvergedupontheriver.Shewalkedbravelyforward,ledbyanhonestdesiretofindemploymentanddelayedateverystepbytheinterestoftheunfoldingscene,andasenseofhelplessnessamidsomuchevidenceofpowerandforcewhichshedidnotunderstand.Thesevastbuildings,whatwerewhatpurposesweretheythere.Shecouldhaveunderstoodthemeaningofalittlestone-cutter’syardatColumbiacity,carvinglittlepiecesofmarbleforindividualuse,butwhentheyardsofsomehugestonecorporationcameintoview,filledwithspurtracksandflatcars,transpiercedbydocksfromtheriverandtraversedoverheadbyimmensetrundlingcranesofwoodandsteel,itlostallsignificanceinherlittleworld.

Itwassowiththevastrailroadyards,withthecrowdedarrayofvesselsshesawattheriver,andthehugefactoriesovertheway,liningthewater’sedge.Throughtheopenwindowsshecouldseethefiguresofmenandwomeninworkingaprons,movingbusilyabout.Thegreatstreetswerewall-linedmysterioustoher;thevastoffices,strangemazeswhichconcernedfar-offindividualsofimportance.Shecouldonlythinkofpeopleconnectedwiththemascountingmoney,dressingmagnificently,andridingincarriages.Whattheydealtin,howtheylabored,towhatenditallcame,shehadonlythevaguestconception.

Itwasallwonderful,allvast,allfarremoved,andshesankinspiritinwardlyandflutteredfeeblyattheheartasshethoughofenteringanyoneofthesemightyconcernsandaskingforsomethingtodosomethingthatshecoulddoanything.