hen he found
himself being introduced by his first name to two highly colored queens
of the ballet, and all four proceeded at once to a private supper-room.
Albert found the girls bright, vivacious, and expressive, so far as a
superficial use of slang goes: they ordered the choicest and
highest-priced items on the bill of fare; called for champagne and drank
it freely; addressed their escorts as "Cully," "Old Sport," and "Old
Stocking;" smoked cigarettes; and talked about their "mashes" in other
cities in a way that made Albert grateful that he had been introduced by
his first name only.

It was not an immoral proceeding, though not exactly proper, and when in
the wee small hours they--with a mistaken sense of gallantry--escorted
the two actresses (if such they may be termed) to their boarding-place,
Page, at least, was glad to be well rid of them. And when he reached his
room, it must be said to his credit, he did not feel particularly proud
of himself.

He felt less so the next morning when he received a letter from Alice
which said:

MY DARLING BROTHER: I was so pleased when I received your loving
letter and the money you sent. You do not know how it hurts me to
feel we owe so much, and I have cried over it more than you will
ever know. Last week I received my first month's pay,--thirty
dollars,--and I was very proud of it, for it is the first money I
ever earned. I took half and put it with the twenty-five you sent
and gave it to Mr. Hobbs. I have only six dollars left, for I had
to buy some boots and gloves, but that will last me a month, for
I've not the heart to spend a penny I am not obliged to, until the
debts are paid. I had to buy the boots, because walking four miles
a day wears them out very fast.

And he had spent twenty dollars the night before to have a couple of
ballet girls talk slang, smoke cigarettes, and call him "Cully"!

When he thought of his sweet and loving sister, with her perfect faith
in his manhood, walking four miles a day to earn less than two dollars,
while he had been induced to spend in one foolish evening as much as she
could earn in two weeks, it was no wonder he did not feel proud of
himself.

CHAPTER VI

A PUSH DOWNWARD

"He digged a pit, he digged it deep,
He digged it for a brother;
But oh, alas! he fell into
The pit he digged for another."

_Old Saw._