For Love or Gold? The Story of a Great Department Store — page 200: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

+4 ’ Vem Coe See ts ora , & ‘ * a 196 Lon is Caught at Last. ak “Of course I knew~it, but what of that? Suppose I - was going to prevent the girl from earning her living?” “But didn’t you think she’d be apt to steal again?” The girl laughed coarsely before she answered. “Well, to tell you the truth, | hoped she would!” she said, glibly. “I would like to have seen her get away with the whole establishment! What were Denton, Day & Co. doing about that time, I’d like to know? Weren't they robbing the poor devils who made their goods, cheat- ing their customers with inferior garments and exorbi- _ tant prices, and last, but not least, weren’t they wearing the souls out of our bodies with the system of slavery that they employed in the building? What did I care who cheated them or even who robbed them? Wouldn't they ‘grind me to death just as they did poor Miss Jennings? Of course, if it should happen now I should feel very different; still, I’m a good deal sorrier for Lou than I am for Mr. Denton!’ 4 “We would all feel different now,” spoke up Faith very quickly. “We would all scorn to be disloyal to such a good employer as Mr. Denton!” __ | “He’s the best friend we girls ever had,” spoke up an- other clerk. ‘‘Why, we are in heaven now, compared with what we were a month ago! Shorter hours, bigger pay, no slave-drivers over us, and, best of all, we are treated like human beings. There is no more of that feeling that we are a lot of cattle!” | “The Lord be praised for all His goodness,” said Faith, devoutly, “for what but His mercy has enacted this change? It is a demonstration of His love through His servant, Mr. Denton.” | | , “Vou are right, Miss Marvin,” said Miss Jones, firmly. _ “There is no power on earth that could have altered these conditions, and I for one am ready and glad to admit it!” _ Faith looked at the speaker with beaming eyes. It - delighted her to witness her companion’s fearless de- meanor. | oo ns “There they go! Lou and the officers!” cried cash girl Number 83. “They are almost carrying her down the - stairs! I wouldn’t be in her shoes for a thousand dol- lars.”’ comicbooks.com —