stiff collar； the 〃Torture Brand；〃 Janet called it； when she and her sister
were engaged in one of their frequent controversies about life in general： the
obvious retort to this remark； which Lise never failed to make； was that Janet
could boast of no beaux at all。
It is only fair to add that the photograph scarcely did Mr。 Wylie justice。 In
real life he did not wear the collar； he was free and easy in his manners； sure
of his powers of conquest。 As Lise observed； he had made a home…run with her
at Slattery's Riverside Park。 〃Sadie Hartmann was sure sore when I tangoed off
with him；〃 she would observe reminiscently 。。。。
It was Lise's habit to slight her morning toilet； to linger until the last
minute in bed； which she left in reluctant haste to stand before the bureau
frantically combing out kinks of the brown hair falling over her shoulders
before jamming it down across her forehead in the latest mode。 Thus occupied；
she revealed a certain petulant beauty。 Like the majority of shop…girls； she
was small； but her figure was good； her skin white； her discontented mouth gave
her the touch of piquancy apt to play havoc with the work of the world。 In
winter breakfast was eaten by the light of a rococo metal lamp set in the
centre of the table。 This was to save gas。 There was usually a rump steak and
potatoes； bread and 〃creamery〃 butterine； and the inevitable New England
doughnuts。 At six thirty the whistles screeched again；a warning note； the
signal for Edward's departure； and presently； after a brief respite； the heavy
bells once more began their clamour； not to die down until ten minutes of
seven； when the last of the stragglers had hurried through the mill gates。
The Bumpus flat included the second floor of a small wooden house whose owner
had once been evilly inspired to paint it a livid clay…yellowas though
insisting that ugliness were an essential attribute of domesticity。 A bay ran
up the two stories； and at the left were two narrow doorways； one for each
flat。 On the right the house was separated from its neighbour by a narrow
interval； giving but a precarious light to the two middle rooms； the diningroom
and kitchen。 The very unattractiveness of such a home； however； had certain
compensations for Janet； after the effort of early rising had been surmounted；
felt a real relief in leaving it； a relief； too； in leaving Fillmore Street；
every feature of which was indelibly fixed in her mind； opposite was the blind
brick face of a warehouse； and next to that the converted dwelling house that
held the shop of A。 Bauer； with the familiar replica of a green ten…cent
trading stamp painted above it and the somewhat ironical announcementwhen
boar frost whitened the pavementthat ice…cold soda was to be had within； as
well as cigars and tobacco； fruit and candy。 Then came a tenement； under which
two enterprising Greeks by the name of Pappasspelled Papas lower down
conducted a business called 〃The Gentleman；〃 a tailoring； pressing； and dyeing
establishment。 Janet could see the brilliantined black heads of the two
proprietors bending over their boards； and sometimes they would be lifted to
smile at her as she passed。 The Pappas Brothers were evidently as happy in
this drab environment as they had ever been on the sunny mountain slopes of
Hellas； and Janet sometimes wondered at this； for she had gathered from her
education in the Charming public school that Greece was beautiful。
She was one of the unfortunate who love beauty； who are condemned to dwell in
exile； unacquainted with what they love。 Desire was incandescent within her
breast。 Desire for what？ It would have been some relief to know。 She could
not； like Lise； find joy and forgetfulness at dance ；halls； at the 〃movies；〃 at
Slattery's Riverside Park in summer； in 〃joy rides〃 with the Max Wylies of
Hampton。 And beside； the Max Wylies were afraid of her。 If at times she
wished for wealth； it was because wealth held the magic of emancipation from
surroundings against which her soul revolted。 Vividly idealized but unconfided
was the memory of a seaside village； the scene of one of the brief sojourns of
her childhood； where the air was fragrant with the breath of salt marshes；
where she recalled； through the vines of a porch； a shining glimpse of the sea
at the end of a little street。。。。
Next to Pappas Brothers was the grey wooden building of Mule Spinners' Hall；
that elite organization of skilled labour； and underneath it the store of
Johnny Tiernan； its windows piled up with stoves and stovepipes； sheet iron and
cooking utensils。 Mr。 Tiernan； like the Greeks； was happy； too： unlike the
Greeks； he never appeared to be busy； and yet he throve。 He was very proud of
the business in which he had invested his savings； but he seemed to have other
affairs lying blithely on his mind； affairs of moment to the community； as the
frequent presence of the huge policemen； aldermen； and other important looking
persons bore witness。 He hailed by name Italians； Greeks； Belgians； Syrians；
and 〃French〃； he hailed Janet； too； with respectful cheerfulness； taking off
his hat。 He possessed the rare； warm vitality that is irresistible。 A native
of Hampton； still in his thirties； his sharp little nose and twinkling blue
eyes proclaimed the wisdom that is born and not made； his stiff hair had a
twist like the bristles in the cleaning rod of a gun。
He gave Janet the odd impression that he understood her。 And she did not
understand herself！
By the time she reached the Common the winter sun； as though red from exertion；
had begun to dispel the smoke and heavy morning mists。 She disliked winter；
the lumpy brown turf mildewed by the frost； but one day she was moved by a
quality； hitherto unsuspected； in the delicate tracery against the sky made by
the slender branches of the great elms and maples。 She halted on the pavement；
her eyes raised； heedless of passers…by； feeling within her a throb of the
longing that could be so oddly and unexpectedly aroused。
Her way lay along Faber Street； the main artery of Hampton； a wide strip of
asphalt threaded with car tracks； lined on both sides with incongruous edifices
indicative of a rapid； undiscriminating； and artless prosperity。 There were
long stretches of 〃ten foot〃 buildings； so called on account of the single
story； their height deceptively enhanced by the superimposition of huge and
gaudy signs； one on top of another； announcing the merits of 〃Stewart's
Amberine Ale；〃 of 〃Cooley's Oats； the Digestible Breakfast Food；〃 of
graphophones and 〃spring heeled〃 shoes； tobacco； and naphtha soaps。 〃No； We
don't give Trading Stamps； Our Products are Worth all You Pay。〃 These 〃ten
foot〃 stores were the repositories of pianos； automobiles； hardware； and
millinery； and interspersed amongst them were buildings of various heights； The
Bagatelle； where Lise worked； the Wilmot Hotel； office buildings； and an
occasional relic of old Hampton； like that housing the Banner。 Here； during
those months when the sun made the asphalt soft； on a scaffolding spanning the
window of the store； might be seen a perspiring young man in his shirt sleeves
chalking up baseball scores for the benefit of a crowd below。 Then came the
funereal； liver…coloured； long…windowed Hinckley Block （1872）； and on the
corner a modern； glorified drugstore thrusting forth plate glass baystwo on
Faber Street and three on Stanleyfilled with cameras and candy； hot water
bags； throat sprays； catarrh and kidney cures； calendars； fountain pens；
stationery； and handy alcohol lamps。 Flanking the sidewalks； symbolizing and
completing the heterogeneous and bewildering effect of the street were long
rows of heavy hemlock trunks； unpainted and stripped of bark； with crosstrees
bearing webs of wires。 Trolley cars rattled along； banging their gongs； trucks
rumbled across the tracks； automobiles uttered frenzied screeches behind
startled pedestrians。 Janet was always galvanized into alertness here； Faber
Street being no place to dream。 By night an endless procession moved up one
sidewalk and down another； staring hypnotically at the flash…in and flash…out
electric； signs that kept the breakfast foods and ales； the safety razors；
soaps； and soups incessantly in the minds of a fickle public。
Two blocks from Faber Street was the North Canal； with a granite…paved roadway
between it and the monotonous row of company boarding houses。 Even in bright
weather Janet felt a sense of oppression here； on dark； misty mornings the
stern； huge battlements of the mills lining the farther bank were menacing
indeed； bristling with projections； towers； and chimneys； flanked by heavy
walls。 Had her experience included Europe； her imagination might have seized
the medieval parallel；the arched bridges flung at intervals across the water；
lacking only chains to raise them in case of siege。 The place was always
ominously suggestive of impending strife。 Janet's soul was a sensitive
instrument； but she suffered from an inability to find parallels； and thus to
translate her impressions intellectually。 Her feeling about the mills was that
they were at once fortress and prison； and she a slave driven thither day after
day by an all…compelling power； as much a slave as those who trooped in through
the gates in the winter dawn； and wore down； four times a day； the oak treads
of the circular tower stairs。
The sound of the looms was like heavy rain hissing on the waters of the canal。
The administrative offices of a giant mill such as the Chippering in Hampton
are labyrinthine。 Janet did not enter by the great gates her father kept； but
walked through an open courtyard into a vestibule where； day and night； a
watchman stood； she climbed iron…shod stairs； passed the doorway leading to the
paymaster's suite； to catch a glimpse； behind the grill； of numerous young men
settling down at those mysterious and complicated machines that kept so
unerring a record； in dollars and cents； of the human labour of the operatives。
There were other suites for the superintendents； for the purchasing agent； and
at the end of the corridor； on the south side of the mill； she entered the
outer of the two roo