VI + 

The room which Clyde secured this same day with the aid of Mrs.¬†Braley, was in Thorpe Street, a thoroughfare enormously removed in quality if not in distance from that in which his uncle resided. Indeed the difference was sufficient to decidedly qualify his mounting notions of himself as one who, after all, was connected with him. The commonplace brown or gray or tan colored houses, rather smoked or decayed, which fronted itвБ†вАФthe leafless and winter harried trees which in spite of smoke and dust seemed to give promise of the newer life so near at handвБ†вАФthe leaves and flowers of May. Yet as he walked into it with Mrs.¬†Braley, many drab and commonplace figures of men and girls, and elderly spinsters resembling Mrs.¬†Braley in kind, were making their way home from the several factories beyond the river. And at the door Mrs.¬†Braley and himself were received by a none-too-polished woman in a clean gingham apron over a dark brown dress, who led the way to a second floor room, not too small or uncomfortably furnishedвБ†вАФwhich she assured him he could have for four dollars without board or seven and one-half dollars withвБ†вАФa proposition which, seeing that he was advised by Mrs.¬†Braley that this was somewhat better than he would get in most places for the same amount, he decided to take. And here, after thanking Mrs.¬†Braley, he decided to remainвБ†вАФlater sitting down to dinner with a small group of mill-town store and factory employees, such as partially he had been accustomed to in Paulina Street in Chicago, before moving to the better atmosphere of the Union League. And after dinner he made his way out into the principal thoroughfares of Lycurgus, only to observe such a crowd of nondescript mill-workers as, judging these streets by day, he would not have fancied swarmed here by nightвБ†вАФgirls and boys, men and women of various nationalities, and typesвБ†вАФAmericans, Poles, Hungarians, French, EnglishвБ†вАФand for the most partвБ†вАФif not entirely touched with a peculiar somethingвБ†вАФignorance or thickness of mind or body, or with a certain lack of taste and alertness or daring, which seemed to mark them one and all as of the basement world which he had seen only this afternoon. Yet in some streets and stores, particularly those nearer Wykeagy Avenue, a better type of girl and young man who might have been and no doubt were of the various office groups of the different companies over the riverвБ†вАФneat and active. + 

And Clyde, walking to and fro, from eight until ten, when as though by prearrangement, the crowd in the more congested streets seemed suddenly to fade away, leaving them quite vacant. And throughout this time contrasting it all with Chicago and Kansas City. (What would Ratterer think if he could see him nowвБ†вАФhis uncleвАЩs great house and factory?) And perhaps because of its smallness, liking itвБ†вАФthe Lycurgus Hotel, neat and bright and with a brisk local life seeming to center about it. And the post-office and a handsomely spired church, together with an old and interesting graveyard, cheek by jowl with an automobile salesroom. And a new moving picture theater just around the corner in a side street. And various boys and girls, men and women, walking here and there, some of them flirting as Clyde could see. And with a suggestion somehow hovering over it all of hope and zest and youthвБ†вАФthe hope and zest and youth that is at the bottom of all the constructive energy of the world everywhere. And finally returning to his room in Thorpe Street with the conclusion that he did like the place and would like to stay here. That beautiful Wykeagy Avenue! His uncleвАЩs great factory! The many pretty and eager girls he had seen hurrying to and fro! + 

In the meantime, in so far as Gilbert Griffiths was concerned, and in the absence of his father, who was in New York at the time (a fact which Clyde did not know and of which Gilbert did not trouble to inform him) he had conveyed to his mother and sisters that he had met Clyde, and if he were not the dullest, certainly he was not the most interesting person in the world, either. Encountering Myra, as he first entered at five-thirty, the same day that Clyde had appeared, he troubled to observe: вАЬWell, that Chicago cousin of ours blew in today.вАЭ + 

вАЬYes!вАЭ commented Myra. вАЬWhatвАЩs he like?вАЭ The fact that her father had described Clyde as gentlemanly and intelligent had interested her, although knowing Lycurgus and the nature of the mill life here and its opportunities for those who worked in factories such as her father owned, she had wondered why Clyde had bothered to come. + 

вАЬWell, I canвАЩt see that heвАЩs so much,вАЭ replied Gilbert. вАЬHeвАЩs fairly intelligent and not bad-looking, but he admits that heвАЩs never had any business training of any kind. HeвАЩs like all those young fellows who work for hotels. He thinks clothes are the whole thing, I guess. He had on a light brown suit and a brown tie and hat to match and brown shoes. His tie was too bright and he had on one of those bright pink striped shirts like they used to wear three or four years ago. Besides his clothes arenвАЩt cut right. I didnвАЩt want to say anything because heвАЩs just come on, and we donвАЩt know whether heвАЩll hold out or not. But if he does, and heвАЩs going to pose around as a relative of ours, heвАЩd better tone down, or IвАЩd advise the governor to have a few words with him. Outside of that I guess heвАЩll do well enough in one of the departments after a while, as foreman or something. He might even be made into a salesman later on, I suppose. But what he sees in all that to make it worth while to come here is more than I can guess. As a matter of fact, I donвАЩt think the governor made it clear to him just how few the chances are here for anyone who isnвАЩt really a wizard or something.вАЭ + 

He stood with his back to the large open fireplace. + 

вАЬOh, well, you know what Mother was saying the other day about his father. She thinks Daddy feels that heвАЩs never had a chance in some way. HeвАЩll probably do something for him whether he wants to keep him in the mill or not. She told me that she thought that Dad felt that his father hadnвАЩt been treated just right by their father.вАЭ + 

Myra paused, and Gilbert, who had had this same hint from his mother before now, chose to ignore the implication of it. + 

вАЬOh, well, itвАЩs not my funeral,вАЭ he went on. вАЬIf the governor wants to keep him on here whether heвАЩs fitted for anything special or not, thatвАЩs his lookout. Only heвАЩs the one thatвАЩs always talking about efficiency in every department and cutting and keeping out dead timber.вАЭ + 

Meeting his mother and Bella later, he volunteered the same news and much the same ideas. Mrs.¬†Griffiths sighed; for after all, in a place like Lycurgus and established as they were, anyone related to them and having their name ought to be most circumspect and have careful manners and taste and judgment. It was not wise for her husband to bring on anyone who was not all of that and more. + 

On the other hand, Bella was by no means satisfied with the accuracy of her brotherвАЩs picture of Clyde. She did not know Clyde, but she did know Gilbert, and as she knew he could decide very swiftly that this or that person was lacking in almost every way, when, as a matter of fact, they might not be at all as she saw it. + 

вАЬOh, well,вАЭ she finally observed, after hearing Gilbert comment on more of ClydeвАЩs peculiarities at dinner, вАЬif Daddy wants him, I presume heвАЩll keep him, or do something with him eventually.вАЭ At which Gilbert winced internally for this was a direct slap at his assumed authority in the mill under his father, which authority he was eager to make more and more effective in every direction, as his younger sister well knew. + 

In the meanwhile on the following morning, Clyde, returning to the mill, found that the name, or appearance, or both perhapsвБ†вАФhis resemblance to Mr.¬†Gilbert GriffithsвБ†вАФwas of some peculiar advantage to him which he could not quite sufficiently estimate at present. For on reaching number one entrance, the doorman on guard there looked as though startled. + 

вАЬOh, youвАЩre Mr.¬†Clyde Griffiths?вАЭ he queried. вАЬYouвАЩre goinвАЩ to work under Mr.¬†Kemerer? Yes, I know. Well, that man there will have your key,вАЭ and he pointed to a stodgy, stuffy old man whom later Clyde came to know as вАЬOld Jeff,вАЭ the time-clock guard, who, at a stand farther along this same hall, furnished and reclaimed all keys between seven-thirty and seven-forty. + 

When Clyde approached him and said: вАЬMy nameвАЩs Clyde Griffiths and IвАЩm to work downstairs with Mr.¬†Kemerer,вАЭ he too started and then said: вАЬSure, thatвАЩs right. Yes, sir. Here you are, Mr.¬†Griffiths. Mr.¬†Kemerer spoke to me about you yesterday. Number seventy-one is to be yours. IвАЩm giving you Mr.¬†DuvenyвАЩs old key.вАЭ When Clyde had gone down the stairs into the shrinking department, he turned to the doorman who had drawn near and exclaimed: вАЬDonвАЩt it beat all how much that fellow looks like Mr.¬†Gilbert Griffiths? Why, heвАЩs almost his spittinвАЩ image. What is he, do you suppose, a brother or a cousin, or what?вАЭ + 

вАЬDonвАЩt ask me,вАЭ replied the doorman. вАЬI never saw him before. But heвАЩs certainly related to the family all right. When I seen him first, I thought it was Mr.¬†Gilbert. I was just about to tip my hat to him when I saw it wasnвАЩt.вАЭ + 

And in the shrinking room when he entered, as on the day before, he found Kemerer as respectful and evasive as ever. For, like Whiggam before him, Kemerer had not as yet been able to decide what ClydeвАЩs true position with this company was likely to be. For, as Whiggam had informed Kemerer the day before, Mr.¬†Gilbert had said no least thing which tended to make Mr.¬†Whiggam believe that things were to be made especially easy for him, nor yet hard, either. On the contrary, Mr.¬†Gilbert had said: вАЬHeвАЩs to be treated like all the other employees as to time and work. No different.вАЭ Yet in introducing Clyde he had said: вАЬThis is my cousin, and heвАЩs going to try to learn this business,вАЭ which would indicate that as time went on Clyde was to be transferred from department to department until he had surveyed the entire manufacturing end of the business. + 

Whiggam, for this reason, after Clyde had gone, whispered to Kemerer as well as to several others, that Clyde might readily prove to be someone who was a prot√©g√© of the chiefвБ†вАФand therefore they determined to вАЬwatch their step,вАЭ at least until they knew what his standing here was to be. And Clyde, noticing this, was quite set up by it, for he could not help but feel that this in itself, and apart from whatever his cousin Gilbert might either think or wish to do, might easily presage some favor on the part of his uncle that might lead to some good for him. So when Kemerer proceeded to explain to him that he was not to think that the work was so very hard or that there was so very much to do for the present, Clyde took it with a slight air of condescension. And in consequence Kemerer was all the more respectful. + 

вАЬJust hang up your hat and coat over there in one of those lockers,вАЭ he proceeded mildly and ingratiatingly even. вАЬThen you can take one of those crate trucks back there and go up to the next floor and bring down some webs. TheyвАЩll show you where to get them.вАЭ + 

The days that followed were diverting and yet troublesome enough to Clyde, who to begin with was puzzled and disturbed at times by the peculiar social and workaday worlds and position in which he found himself. For one thing, those by whom now he found himself immediately surrounded at the factory were not such individuals as he would ordinarily select for companionsвБ†вАФfar below bellboys or drivers or clerks anywhere. They were, one and all, as he could now clearly see, meaty or stodgy mentally and physically. They wore such clothes as only the most common laborers would wearвБ†вАФsuch clothes as are usually worn by those who count their personal appearance among the least of their troublesвБ†вАФtheir work and their heavy material existence being all. In addition, not knowing just what Clyde was, or what his coming might mean to their separate and individual positions, they were inclined to be dubious and suspicious. + 

After a week or two, however, coming to understand that Clyde was a nephew of the president, a cousin of the secretary of the company, and hence not likely to remain here long in any menial capacity, they grew more friendly, but inclined in the face of the sense of subserviency which this inspired in them, to become jealous and suspicious of him in another way. For, after all, Clyde was not one of them, and under such circumstances could not be. He might smile and be civil enoughвБ†вАФyet he would always be in touch with those who were above them, would he notвБ†вАФor so they thought. He was, as they saw it, part of the rich and superior class and every poor man knew what that meant. The poor must stand together everywhere. + 

For his part, however, and sitting about for the first few days in this particular room eating his lunch, he wondered how these men could interest themselves in what were to him such dull and uninteresting itemsвБ†вАФthe quality of the cloth that was coming down in the websвБ†вАФsome minute flaws in the matter of weight or weaveвБ†вАФthe last twenty webs hadnвАЩt looked so closely shrunk as the preceding sixteen; or the Cranston Wickwire Company was not carrying as many men as it had the month beforeвБ†вАФor the Anthony Woodenware Company had posted a notice that the Saturday half-holiday would not begin before June first this year as opposed to the middle of May last year. They all appeared to be lost in the humdrum and routine of their work. + 

In consequence his mind went back to happier scenes. He wished at times he were back in Chicago or Kansas City. He though of Ratterer, Hegglund, Higby, Louise Ratterer, Larry Doyle, Mr.¬†Squires, HortenseвБ†вАФall of the young and thoughtless company of which he had been a part, and wondered what they were doing. What had become of Hortense? She had got that fur coat after allвБ†вАФprobably from that cigar clerk and then had gone away with him after she had protested so much feeling for himвБ†вАФthe little beast. After she had gotten all that money out of him. The mere thought of her and all that she might have meant to him if things had not turned as they had, made him a little sick at times. To whom was she being nice now? How had she found things since leaving Kansas City? And what would she think if she saw him here now or knew of his present high connections? Gee! That would cool her a little. But she would not think much of his present position. That was true. But she might respect him more if she could see his uncle and his cousin and this factory and their big house. It would be like her then to try to be nice to him. Well, he would show her, if he ever ran into her againвБ†вАФsnub her, of course, as no doubt he very well could by then. + 