Part 1

THE LONG DAY

The Story of a New York Working Girl * * As Told by Herself

New York The Century Co. 1905

Copyright, 1905, by The Century Co.

Published October, 1905

The Devinne Press

TO MY THREE "LADY-FRIENDS"

Happy, fortunate Minnie; Bessie, of gentle memory; and that other, silent figure in the tragedy of Failure, the long-lost, erring Eunice, with the hope that, if she still lives, her eye may chance to fall upon this page, and reading the message of this book, she may heed.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I IN WHICH I ARRIVE IN NEW YORK 3

II IN WHICH I START OUT IN QUEST OF WORK 16

III I TRY "LIGHT" HOUSEKEEPING IN A FOURTEENTH-STREET LODGING-HOUSE 27

IV WHEREIN FATE BRINGS ME GOOD FORTUNE IN ONE HAND AND DISASTER IN THE OTHER 44

V IN WHICH I AM "LEARNED" BY PHOEBE IN THE ART OF BOX-MAKING 58

VI IN WHICH PHOEBE AND MRS. SMITH HOLD FORTH UPON MUSIC AND LITERATURE 75

VII IN WHICH I ACQUIRE A STORY-BOOK NAME AND MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF MISS HENRIETTA MANNERS 92

VIII WHEREIN I WALK THROUGH DARK AND DEVIOUS WAYS WITH HENRIETTA MANNERS 108

IX INTRODUCING HENRIETTA'S "SPECIAL GENTLEMAN-FRIEND" 123

X IN WHICH I FIND MYSELF A HOMELESS WANDERER IN THE NIGHT 142

XI I BECOME AN "INMATE" OF A HOME FOR WORKING GIRLS 151

XII IN WHICH I SPEND A HAPPY FOUR WEEKS MAKING ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS 180

XIII THREE "LADY-FRIENDS," AND THE ADVENTURES THAT BEFALL THEM 197

XIV IN WHICH A TRAGIC FATE OVERTAKES MY "LADY-FRIENDS" 215

XV I BECOME A "SHAKER" IN A STEAM-LAUNDRY 229

XVI IN WHICH IT IS PROVED TO ME THAT THE DARKEST HOUR COMES JUST BEFORE THE DAWN 249

EPILOGUE 266

THE LONG DAY