Chapter	O
I	O
.	O

THE	O
MAGNET	O
ATTRACTING	O
--	O
A	O
WAIF	O
AMID	O
FORCES	O
When	O
Caroline	O
Meeber	O
boarded	EVENT
the	O
afternoon	O
train	O
for	O
Chicago	O
,	O
her	O
total	O
outfit	O
consisted	O
of	O
a	O
small	O
trunk	O
,	O
a	O
cheap	O
imitation	O
alligator-skin	O
satchel	O
,	O
a	O
small	O
lunch	O
in	O
a	O
paper	O
box	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
yellow	O
leather	O
snap	O
purse	O
,	O
containing	O
her	O
ticket	O
,	O
a	O
scrap	O
of	O
paper	O
with	O
her	O
sister	O
's	O
address	O
in	O
Van	O
Buren	O
Street	O
,	O
and	O
four	O
dollars	O
in	O
money	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
in	O
August	O
,	O
1889	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
eighteen	O
years	O
of	O
age	O
,	O
bright	O
,	O
timid	O
,	O
and	O
full	O
of	O
the	O
illusions	O
of	O
ignorance	O
and	O
youth	O
.	O

Whatever	O
touch	O
of	O
regret	EVENT
at	O
parting	EVENT
characterised	O
her	O
thoughts	EVENT
,	O
it	O
was	O
certainly	O
not	O
for	O
advantages	O
now	O
being	O
given	EVENT
up	O
.	O

A	O
gush	O
of	O
tears	EVENT
at	O
her	O
mother	O
's	O
farewell	O
kiss	EVENT
,	O
a	O
touch	EVENT
in	O
her	O
throat	O
when	O
the	O
cars	O
clacked	EVENT
by	O
the	O
flour	O
mill	O
where	O
her	O
father	O
worked	O
by	O
the	O
day	O
,	O
a	O
pathetic	O
sigh	EVENT
as	O
the	O
familiar	O
green	O
environs	O
of	O
the	O
village	O
passed	EVENT
in	O
review	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
threads	O
which	O
bound	O
her	O
so	O
lightly	O
to	O
girlhood	O
and	O
home	O
were	O
irretrievably	O
broken	EVENT
.	O

To	O
be	O
sure	O
there	O
was	O
always	O
the	O
next	O
station	O
,	O
where	O
one	O
might	O
descend	O
and	O
return	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
the	O
great	O
city	O
,	O
bound	O
more	O
closely	O
by	O
these	O
very	O
trains	O
which	O
came	O
up	O
daily	O
.	O

Columbia	O
City	O
was	O
not	O
so	O
very	O
far	O
away	O
,	O
even	O
once	O
she	O
was	O
in	O
Chicago	O
.	O

What	O
,	O
pray	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
few	O
hours	O
--	O
a	O
few	O
hundred	O
miles	O
?	O

She	O
looked	EVENT
at	O
the	O
little	O
slip	O
bearing	O
her	O
sister	O
's	O
address	O
and	O
wondered	EVENT
.	O

She	O
gazed	EVENT
at	O
the	O
green	O
landscape	O
,	O
now	O
passing	EVENT
in	O
swift	O
review	O
,	O
until	O
her	O
swifter	O
thoughts	EVENT
replaced	EVENT
its	O
impression	EVENT
with	O
vague	O
conjectures	EVENT
of	O
what	O
Chicago	O
might	O
be	O
.	O

When	O
a	O
girl	O
leaves	O
her	O
home	O
at	O
eighteen	O
,	O
she	O
does	O
one	O
of	O
two	O
things	O
.	O

Either	O
she	O
falls	O
into	O
saving	O
hands	O
and	O
becomes	O
better	O
,	O
or	O
she	O
rapidly	O
assumes	O
the	O
cosmopolitan	O
standard	O
of	O
virtue	O
and	O
becomes	O
worse	O
.	O

Of	O
an	O
intermediate	O
balance	O
,	O
under	O
the	O
circumstances	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
possibility	O
.	O

The	O
city	O
has	O
its	O
cunning	O
wiles	O
,	O
no	O
less	O
than	O
the	O
infinitely	O
smaller	O
and	O
more	O
human	O
tempter	O
.	O

There	O
are	O
large	O
forces	O
which	O
allure	O
with	O
all	O
the	O
soulfulness	O
of	O
expression	O
possible	O
in	O
the	O
most	O
cultured	O
human	O
.	O

The	O
gleam	O
of	O
a	O
thousand	O
lights	O
is	O
often	O
as	O
effective	O
as	O
the	O
persuasive	O
light	O
in	O
a	O
wooing	O
and	O
fascinating	O
eye	O
.	O

Half	O
the	O
undoing	O
of	O
the	O
unsophisticated	O
and	O
natural	O
mind	O
is	O
accomplished	O
by	O
forces	O
wholly	O
superhuman	O
.	O

A	O
blare	O
of	O
sound	O
,	O
a	O
roar	O
of	O
life	O
,	O
a	O
vast	O
array	O
of	O
human	O
hives	O
,	O
appeal	O
to	O
the	O
astonished	O
senses	O
in	O
equivocal	O
terms	O
.	O

Without	O
a	O
counsellor	O
at	O
hand	O
to	O
whisper	O
cautious	O
interpretations	O
,	O
what	O
falsehoods	O
may	O
not	O
these	O
things	O
breathe	O
into	O
the	O
unguarded	O
ear	O
!	O

Unrecognised	O
for	O
what	O
they	O
are	O
,	O
their	O
beauty	O
,	O
like	O
music	O
,	O
too	O
often	O
relaxes	O
,	O
then	O
weakens	O
,	O
then	O
perverts	O
the	O
simpler	O
human	O
perceptions	O
.	O

Caroline	O
,	O
or	O
Sister	O
Carrie	O
,	O
as	O
she	O
had	O
been	O
half	O
affectionately	O
termed	EVENT
by	O
the	O
family	O
,	O
was	O
possessed	O
of	O
a	O
mind	O
rudimentary	O
in	O
its	O
power	O
of	O
observation	O
and	O
analysis	O
.	O

Self-interest	O
with	O
her	O
was	O
high	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
strong	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
,	O
nevertheless	O
,	O
her	O
guiding	O
characteristic	O
.	O

Warm	O
with	O
the	O
fancies	O
of	O
youth	O
,	O
pretty	O
with	O
the	O
insipid	O
prettiness	O
of	O
the	O
formative	O
period	O
,	O
possessed	O
of	O
a	O
figure	O
promising	O
eventual	O
shapeliness	O
and	O
an	O
eye	O
alight	O
with	O
certain	O
native	O
intelligence	O
,	O
she	O
was	O
a	O
fair	O
example	O
of	O
the	O
middle	O
American	O
class	O
--	O
two	O
generations	O
removed	O
from	O
the	O
emigrant	O
.	O

Books	O
were	O
beyond	O
her	O
interest	O
--	O
knowledge	O
a	O
sealed	O
book	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
intuitive	O
graces	O
she	O
was	O
still	O
crude	O
.	O

She	O
could	O
scarcely	O
toss	O
her	O
head	O
gracefully	O
.	O

Her	O
hands	O
were	O
almost	O
ineffectual	O
.	O

The	O
feet	O
,	O
though	O
small	O
,	O
were	O
set	O
flatly	O
.	O

And	O
yet	O
she	O
was	O
interested	O
in	O
her	O
charms	O
,	O
quick	O
to	O
understand	O
the	O
keener	O
pleasures	O
of	O
life	O
,	O
ambitious	O
to	O
gain	O
in	O
material	O
things	O
.	O

A	O
half-equipped	O
little	O
knight	O
she	O
was	O
,	O
venturing	O
to	O
reconnoitre	O
the	O
mysterious	O
city	O
and	O
dreaming	O
wild	O
dreams	O
of	O
some	O
vague	O
,	O
far-off	O
supremacy	O
,	O
which	O
should	O
make	O
it	O
prey	O
and	O
subject	O
--	O
the	O
proper	O
penitent	O
,	O
grovelling	O
at	O
a	O
woman	O
's	O
slipper	O
.	O

“	O
That	O
,	O
”	O
said	EVENT
a	O
voice	O
in	O
her	O
ear	O
,	O
“	O
is	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
prettiest	O
little	O
resorts	O
in	O
Wisconsin	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Is	O
it	O
?	O
”	O

she	O
answered	EVENT
nervously	O
.	O

The	O
train	O
was	O
just	O
pulling	EVENT
out	O
of	O
Waukesha	O
.	O

For	O
some	O
time	O
she	O
had	O
been	O
conscious	EVENT
of	O
a	O
man	O
behind	O
.	O

She	O
felt	EVENT
him	O
observing	EVENT
her	O
mass	O
of	O
hair	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
been	O
fidgetting	EVENT
,	O
and	O
with	O
natural	O
intuition	EVENT
she	O
felt	EVENT
a	O
certain	O
interest	EVENT
growing	EVENT
in	O
that	O
quarter	O
.	O

Her	O
maidenly	O
reserve	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
certain	O
sense	O
of	O
what	O
was	O
conventional	O
under	O
the	O
circumstances	O
,	O
called	EVENT
her	O
to	O
forestall	O
and	O
deny	O
this	O
familiarity	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
daring	O
and	O
magnetism	O
of	O
the	O
individual	O
,	O
born	O
of	O
past	O
experiences	O
and	O
triumphs	O
,	O
prevailed	EVENT
.	O

She	O
answered	EVENT
.	O

He	O
leaned	EVENT
forward	O
to	O
put	EVENT
his	O
elbows	O
upon	O
the	O
back	O
of	O
her	O
seat	O
and	O
proceeded	O
to	O
make	O
himself	O
volubly	O
agreeable	EVENT
.	O

“	O
Yes	O
,	O
that	O
is	O
a	O
great	O
resort	O
for	O
Chicago	O
people	O
.	O

The	O
hotels	O
are	O
swell	O
.	O

You	O
are	O
not	O
familiar	O
with	O
this	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
country	O
,	O
are	O
you	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
Oh	O
,	O
yes	O
,	O
I	O
am	O
,	O
”	O
answered	EVENT
Carrie	O
.	O

“	O
That	O
is	O
,	O
I	O
live	O
at	O
Columbia	O
City	O
.	O

I	O
have	O
never	O
been	O
through	O
here	O
,	O
though	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
And	O
so	O
this	O
is	O
your	O
first	O
visit	O
to	O
Chicago	O
,	O
”	O
he	O
observed	EVENT
.	O

All	O
the	O
time	O
she	O
was	O
conscious	EVENT
of	O
certain	O
features	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
side	O
of	O
her	O
eye	O
.	O

Flush	O
,	O
colourful	O
cheeks	O
,	O
a	O
light	O
moustache	O
,	O
a	O
grey	O
fedora	O
hat	O
.	O

She	O
now	O
turned	EVENT
and	O
looked	EVENT
upon	O
him	O
in	O
full	O
,	O
the	O
instincts	O
of	O
self-protection	O
and	O
coquetry	O
mingling	EVENT
confusedly	O
in	O
her	O
brain	O
.	O

“	O
I	O
did	O
n't	O
say	O
that	O
,	O
”	O
she	O
said	EVENT
.	O

“	O
Oh	O
,	O
”	O
he	O
answered	EVENT
,	O
in	O
a	O
very	O
pleasing	O
way	O
and	O
with	O
an	O
assumed	O
air	O
of	O
mistake	O
,	O
“	O
I	O
thought	EVENT
you	O
did	O
.	O
”	O

Here	O
was	O
a	O
type	O
of	O
the	O
travelling	O
canvasser	O
for	O
a	O
manufacturing	O
house	O
--	O
a	O
class	O
which	O
at	O
that	O
time	O
was	O
first	O
being	O
dubbed	O
by	O
the	O
slang	O
of	O
the	O
day	O
“	O
drummers	O
.	O
”	O

He	O
came	O
within	O
the	O
meaning	O
of	O
a	O
still	O
newer	O
term	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
sprung	EVENT
into	O
general	O
use	O
among	O
Americans	O
in	O
1880	O
,	O
and	O
which	O
concisely	O
expressed	O
the	O
thought	O
of	O
one	O
whose	O
dress	O
or	O
manners	O
are	O
calculated	O
to	O
elicit	O
the	O
admiration	O
of	O
susceptible	O
young	O
women	O
--	O
a	O
“	O
masher	O
.	O
”	O

His	O
suit	O
was	O
of	O
a	O
striped	O
and	O
crossed	O
pattern	O
of	O
brown	O
wool	O
,	O
new	O
at	O
that	O
time	O
,	O
but	O
since	O
become	O
familiar	O
as	O
a	O
business	O
suit	O
.	O

The	O
low	O
crotch	O
of	O
the	O
vest	O
revealed	O
a	O
stiff	O
shirt	O
bosom	O
of	O
white	O
and	O
pink	O
stripes	O
.	O

From	O
his	O
coat	O
sleeves	O
protruded	O
a	O
pair	O
of	O
linen	O
cuffs	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
pattern	O
,	O
fastened	O
with	O
large	O
,	O
gold	O
plate	O
buttons	O
,	O
set	O
with	O
the	O
common	O
yellow	O
agates	O
known	O
as	O
“	O
cat	O
's	O
-	O
eyes	O
.	O
”	O

His	O
fingers	O
bore	O
several	O
rings	O
--	O
one	O
,	O
the	O
ever-enduring	O
heavy	O
seal	O
--	O
and	O
from	O
his	O
vest	O
dangled	O
a	O
neat	O
gold	O
watch	O
chain	O
,	O
from	O
which	O
was	O
suspended	O
the	O
secret	O
insignia	O
of	O
the	O
Order	O
of	O
Elks	O
.	O

The	O
whole	O
suit	O
was	O
rather	O
tight-fitting	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
finished	O
off	O
with	O
heavy-soled	O
tan	O
shoes	O
,	O
highly	O
polished	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
grey	O
fedora	O
hat	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
order	O
of	O
intellect	O
represented	O
,	O
attractive	O
,	O
and	O
whatever	O
he	O
had	O
to	O
recommend	O
him	O
,	O
you	O
may	O
be	O
sure	O
was	O
not	O
lost	O
upon	O
Carrie	O
,	O
in	O
this	O
,	O
her	O
first	O
glance	EVENT
.	O

Lest	O
this	O
order	O
of	O
individual	O
should	O
permanently	O
pass	O
,	O
let	O
me	O
put	O
down	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
striking	O
characteristics	O
of	O
his	O
most	O
successful	O
manner	O
and	O
method	O
.	O

Good	O
clothes	O
,	O
of	O
course	O
,	O
were	O
the	O
first	O
essential	O
,	O
the	O
things	O
without	O
which	O
he	O
was	O
nothing	O
.	O

A	O
strong	O
physical	O
nature	O
,	O
actuated	O
by	O
a	O
keen	O
desire	O
for	O
the	O
feminine	O
,	O
was	O
the	O
next	O
.	O

A	O
mind	O
free	O
of	O
any	O
consideration	O
of	O
the	O
problems	O
or	O
forces	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
and	O
actuated	O
not	O
by	O
greed	O
,	O
but	O
an	O
insatiable	O
love	O
of	O
variable	O
pleasure	O
.	O

His	O
method	O
was	O
always	O
simple	O
.	O

Its	O
principal	O
element	O
was	O
daring	O
,	O
backed	O
,	O
of	O
course	O
,	O
by	O
an	O
intense	O
desire	O
and	O
admiration	O
for	O
the	O
sex	O
.	O

Let	O
him	O
meet	O
with	O
a	O
young	O
woman	O
once	O
and	O
he	O
would	O
approach	O
her	O
with	O
an	O
air	O
of	O
kindly	O
familiarity	O
,	O
not	O
unmixed	O
with	O
pleading	O
,	O
which	O
would	O
result	O
in	O
most	O
cases	O
in	O
a	O
tolerant	O
acceptance	O
.	O

If	O
she	O
showed	O
any	O
tendency	O
to	O
coquetry	O
he	O
would	O
be	O
apt	O
to	O
straighten	O
her	O
tie	O
,	O
or	O
if	O
she	O
“	O
took	O
up	O
”	O
with	O
him	O
at	O
all	O
,	O
to	O
call	O
her	O
by	O
her	O
first	O
name	O
.	O

If	O
he	O
visited	O
a	O
department	O
store	O
it	O
was	O
to	O
lounge	O
familiarly	O
over	O
the	O
counter	O
and	O
ask	O
some	O
leading	O
questions	O
.	O

In	O
more	O
exclusive	O
circles	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
train	O
or	O
in	O
waiting	O
stations	O
,	O
he	O
went	O
slower	O
.	O

If	O
some	O
seemingly	O
vulnerable	O
object	O
appeared	O
he	O
was	O
all	O
attention	O
--	O
to	O
pass	O
the	O
compliments	O
of	O
the	O
day	O
,	O
to	O
lead	O
the	O
way	O
to	O
the	O
parlor	O
car	O
,	O
carrying	O
her	O
grip	O
,	O
or	O
,	O
failing	O
that	O
,	O
to	O
take	O
a	O
seat	O
next	O
her	O
with	O
the	O
hope	O
of	O
being	O
able	O
to	O
court	O
her	O
to	O
her	O
destination	O
.	O

Pillows	O
,	O
books	O
,	O
a	O
footstool	O
,	O
the	O
shade	O
lowered	O
;	O
all	O
these	O
figured	O
in	O
the	O
things	O
which	O
he	O
could	O
do	O
.	O

If	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
reached	O
her	O
destination	O
he	O
did	O
not	O
alight	O
and	O
attend	O
her	O
baggage	O
for	O
her	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
because	O
,	O
in	O
his	O
own	O
estimation	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
signally	O
failed	O
.	O

A	O
woman	O
should	O
some	O
day	O
write	O
the	O
complete	O
philosophy	O
of	O
clothes	O
.	O

No	O
matter	O
how	O
young	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
things	O
she	O
wholly	O
comprehends	O
.	O

There	O
is	O
an	O
indescribably	O
faint	O
line	O
in	O
the	O
matter	O
of	O
man	O
's	O
apparel	O
which	O
somehow	O
divides	O
for	O
her	O
those	O
who	O
are	O
worth	O
glancing	O
at	O
and	O
those	O
who	O
are	O
not	O
.	O

Once	O
an	O
individual	O
has	O
passed	O
this	O
faint	O
line	O
on	O
the	O
way	O
downward	O
he	O
will	O
get	O
no	O
glance	O
from	O
her	O
.	O

There	O
is	O
another	O
line	O
at	O
which	O
the	O
dress	O
of	O
a	O
man	O
will	O
cause	O
her	O
to	O
study	O
her	O
own	O
.	O

This	O
line	O
the	O
individual	O
at	O
her	O
elbow	O
now	O
marked	EVENT
for	O
Carrie	O
.	O

She	O
became	O
conscious	EVENT
of	O
an	O
inequality	O
.	O

Her	O
own	O
plain	O
blue	O
dress	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
black	O
cotton	O
tape	O
trimmings	O
,	O
now	O
seemed	O
to	O
her	O
shabby	O
.	O

She	O
felt	O
the	O
worn	O
state	O
of	O
her	O
shoes	O
.	O

“	O
Let	O
's	O
see	O
,	O
”	O
he	O
went	EVENT
on	O
,	O
“	O
I	O
know	O
quite	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
people	O
in	O
your	O
town	O
.	O

Morgenroth	O
the	O
clothier	O
and	O
Gibson	O
the	O
dry	O
goods	O
man	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Oh	O
,	O
do	O
you	O
?	O
”	O

she	O
interrupted	EVENT
,	O
aroused	EVENT
by	O
memories	O
of	O
longings	O
their	O
show	O
windows	O
had	O
cost	O
her	O
.	O

At	O
last	O
he	O
had	O
a	O
clew	EVENT
to	O
her	O
interest	O
,	O
and	O
followed	EVENT
it	O
deftly	O
.	O

In	O
a	O
few	O
minutes	O
he	O
had	O
come	EVENT
about	O
into	O
her	O
seat	O
.	O

He	O
talked	EVENT
of	O
sales	O
of	O
clothing	O
,	O
his	O
travels	O
,	O
Chicago	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
amusements	O
of	O
that	O
city	O
.	O

“	O
If	O
you	O
are	O
going	O
there	O
,	O
you	O
will	O
enjoy	O
it	O
immensely	O
.	O

Have	O
you	O
relatives	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
am	O
going	EVENT
to	O
visit	O
my	O
sister	O
,	O
”	O
she	O
explained	EVENT
.	O

“	O
You	O
want	O
to	O
see	O
Lincoln	O
Park	O
,	O
”	O
he	O
said	EVENT
,	O
“	O
and	O
Michigan	O
Boulevard	O
.	O

They	O
are	O
putting	O
up	O
great	O
buildings	O
there	O
.	O

It	O
's	O
a	O
second	O
New	O
York	O
--	O
great	O
.	O

So	O
much	O
to	O
see	O
--	O
theatres	O
,	O
crowds	O
,	O
fine	O
houses	O
--	O
oh	O
,	O
you	O
'll	O
like	O
that	O
.	O
”	O

There	O
was	O
a	O
little	O
ache	EVENT
in	O
her	O
fancy	EVENT
of	O
all	O
he	O
described	EVENT
.	O

Her	O
insignificance	O
in	O
the	O
presence	O
of	O
so	O
much	O
magnificence	O
faintly	O
affected	EVENT
her	O
.	O

She	O
realised	EVENT
that	O
hers	O
was	O
not	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
round	O
of	O
pleasure	O
,	O
and	O
yet	O
there	O
was	O
something	O
promising	O
in	O
all	O
the	O
material	O
prospect	O
he	O
set	EVENT
forth	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
something	O
satisfactory	O
in	O
the	O
attention	EVENT
of	O
this	O
individual	O
with	O
his	O
good	O
clothes	O
.	O

She	O
could	O
not	O
help	O
smiling	EVENT
as	O
he	O
told	EVENT
her	O
of	O
some	O
popular	O
actress	O
of	O
whom	O
she	O
reminded	EVENT
him	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
not	O
silly	O
,	O
and	O
yet	O
attention	O
of	O
this	O
sort	O
had	O
its	O
weight	O
.	O