«Carry on yez mashin' tricks right before me eyes, will yez?» shouted the cop. «I'll teach yez to speak to ladies on me beat that ye're not acquainted with. Come along.»
Elsie turned away with a sigh as the ranchman was dragged away. She had liked the effect of his light blue eyes against his tanned complexion. She walked southward, thinking herself already in the district where her father used to work, and hoping to find some one who could direct her to the firm of Fox & Otter.
But did she want to find Mr. Otter? She had inherited much of the old cutter's independence. How much better it would be if she could find work and support herself without calling on him for aid!
Elsie saw a sign «Employment Agency» and went in. Many girls were sitting against the wall in chairs. Several well–dressed ladies were looking them over. One white–haired, kind–faced old lady in rustling black silk hurried up to Elsie.
«My dear,» she said in a sweet, gentle voice, «are you looking for a position? I like your face and appearance so much. I want a young woman who will be half maid and half companion to me. You will have a good home and I will pay you $30 a month.»
Before Elsie could stammer forth her gratified acceptance, a young woman with gold glasses on her bony nose and her hands in her jacket pockets seized her arm and drew her aside.
«I am Miss Ticklebaum,» said she, «of the Association for the Prevention of Jobs Being Put Up on Working Girls Looking for Jobs. We prevented forty–seven girls from securing positions last week. I am here to protect you. Beware of any one who offers you a job. How do you know that this woman does not want to make you work as a breaker–boy in a coal mine or murder you to get your teeth? If you accept work of any kind without permission of our association you will be arrested by one of our agents.»
«But what am I to do?» asked Elsie. «I have no home or money. I must do something. Why am I not allowed to accept this kind lady's offer?»
«I do not know,» said Miss Ticklebaum. «That is the affair of our Committee on the Abolishment of Employers. It is my duty simply to see that you do not get work. You will give me your name and address and report to our secretary every Thursday. We have 600 girls on the waiting list who will in time be allowed to accept positions as vacancies occur on our roll of Qualified Employers, which now comprises twenty–seven names. There is prayer, music and lemonade in our chapel the third Sunday of every month.»
Elsie hurried away after thanking Miss Ticklebaum for her timely warning and advice. After all, it seemed that she must try to find Mr. Otter.
But after walking a few blocks she saw a sign, «Cashier wanted,» in the window of a confectionery store. In she went and applied for the place, after casting a quick glance over her shoulder to assure herself that the job–preventer was not on her trail.
The proprietor of the confectionery was a benevolent old man with a peppermint flavor, who decided, after questioning Elsie pretty closely, that she was the very girl he wanted. Her services were needed at once, so Elsie, with a thankful heart, drew off her tan coat and prepared to mount the cashier's stool.
But before she could do so a gaunt lady wearing steel spectacles and black mittens stood before her, with a long finger pointing, and exclaimed: «Young woman, hesitate!»
Elsie hesitated.
«Do you know,» said the black–and–steel lady, «that in accepting this position you may this day cause the loss of a hundred lives in agonizing physical torture and the sending as many souls to perdition?»
«Why, no,» said Elsie, in frightened tones. «How could I do that?»
«Ruin,» said the lady — «the demon rum. Do you know why so many lives are lost when a theatre catches fire? Brandy balls. The demon rum lurking in brandy balls. Our society women while in theatres sit grossly intoxicated from eating these candies filled with brandy. When the fire fiend sweeps down upon them they are unable to escape. The candy stores are the devil's distilleries. If you assist in the distribution of these insidious confections you assist in the destruction of the bodies and souls of your fellow–beings, and in the filling of our jails, asylums and almshouses. Think, girl, ere you touch the money for which brandy balls are sold.»
«Dear me,» said Elsie, bewildered. «I didn't know there was rum in brandy balls. But I must live by some means. What shall I do?»
«Decline the position,» said the lady, «and come with me. I will tell you what to do.»
After Elsie had told the confectioner that she had changed her mind about the cashiership she put on her coat and followed the lady to the sidewalk, where awaited an elegant victoria.
«Seek some other work,» said the black–and–steel lady, «and assist in crushing the hydra–headed demon rum.» And she got into the victoria and drove away.
«I guess that puts it up to Mr. Otter again,» said Elsie, ruefully, turning down the street. «And I'm sorry, too, for I'd much rather make my way without help.»
Near Fourteenth street Elsie saw a placard tacked on the side of a doorway that read: «Fifty girls, neat sewers, wanted immediately on theatrical costumes. Good pay.»
She was about to enter, when a solemn man, dressed all in black, laid his hand on her arm.
«My dear girl,» he said, «I entreat you not to enter that dressing–room of the devil.»
«Goodness me!» exclaimed Elsie, with some impatience. «The devil seems to have a cinch on all the business in New York. What's wrong about the place?»
«It is here,» said the solemn man, «that the regalia of Satan—in other words, the costumes worn on the stage—are manufactured. The stage is the road to ruin and destruction. Would you imperil your soul by lending the work of your hands to its support? Do you know, my dear girl, what the theatre leads to? Do you know where actors and actresses go after the curtain of the playhouse has fallen upon them for the last time?»
«Sure,» said Elsie. «Into vaudeville. But do you think it would be wicked for me to make a little money to live on by sewing? I must get something to do pretty soon.»
«The flesh–pots of Egypt,» exclaimed the reverend gentleman, uplifting his hands. «I beseech you, my child, to turn away from this place of sin and iniquity.»
«But what will I do for a living?» asked Elsie. «I don't care to sew for this musical comedy, if it's as rank as you say it is; but I've got to have a job.»
«The Lord will provide,» said the solemn man. «There is a free Bible class every Sunday afternoon in the basement of the cigar store next to the church. Peace be with you. Amen. Farewell.»
Elsie went on her way. She was soon in the downtown district where factories abound. On a large brick building was a gilt sign, «Posey & Trimmer, Artificial Flowers.» Below it was hung a newly stretched canvas hearing the words, «Five hundred girls wanted to learn trade. Good wages from the start. Apply one flight up.»
Elsie started toward the door, near which were gathered in groups some twenty or thirty girls. One big girl with a black straw hat tipped down over her eyes stepped in front of her.
«Say, you'se,» said the girl, «are you'se goin' in there after a job?»
«Yes,» said Elsie; «I must have work.»
«Now don't do it,» said the girl. «I'm chairman of our Scab Committee. There's 400 of us girls locked out just because we demanded 50 cents a week raise in wages, and ice water, and for the foreman to shave off his mustache. You're too nice a looking girl to be a scab. Wouldn't you please help us along by trying to find a job somewhere else, or would you'se rather have your face pushed in?»
«I'll try somewhere else,» said Elsie.
She walked aimlessly eastward on Broadway, and there her heart leaped to see the sign, «Fox & Otter,» stretching entirely across the front of a tall building. It was as though an unseen guide had led her to it through the by–ways of her fruitless search for work.