Sister Carrie

ATERIAL--BEAUTY S

ding of the moral significance of money was the popular understanding, nothing more. The old definition: "Money: something everybody else has and I must get," would have expressed her understanding of it thoroughly. Some of it she now held in her hand--two soft, green ten-dollar bills--and she felt that she was immensely better off for the having of them. It was something that was power in itself. On

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 had

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

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

t?" asked Minnie, re

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

promise of

ere

Boston

omised?" quest

eturned Carrie disliking to draw out

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

it--" she paused, trou

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

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

nd 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 depres

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

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

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

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

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

is the jacket and"--loo

n in some intelligent way, but this swept th

u that--that I can

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

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

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

and be convinced. It was for him to brush the doubts away and c

t get anyth

you?" he remarke

't," said

" he said. "You come with m

e welcome breath of an open door. Drouet seemed of her own spirit and pleasing. He was

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

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

o subtle undercurrent to the question. He imagined that she wo

wondering what she could do. They would

ubject of the clothes

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

xpress her thoughts. She felt more th

get something t

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

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

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

could get someth

over and filling her cup w

m, and he laughe

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

," said Drouet. "

dollars," s

ght--take it,"

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

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

you come down here and

eeper she sank into the entanglement, the more she imagined that

done these, ther

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

e in the least. He talked in the same gene

eft her

t, "why don't you

n't," sai

y n

nt to leave

on. The sun had come out and the wind had died down. As he talked with

id, "they won't care. I

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

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

etter try any more thi

said no

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

anything, eh?

o.

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

now that this condition was ending. They would not care. Hanson particul

throom, where they could not dist

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

er. As usual, she helped Minnie clear away t

r a little while." She could scarce

ered Hanson's

looks good to stand d

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 light

g away, Hanson cam

at the door ag

he said she wasn't goi

it was playing on the floor and

corner waiting,

figure of a girl drew near him. "Got he