hese troubles.

In the morning she got up and started out a little early. Her decision
to hunt for work was moderately strong, but the money in her pocket,
after all her troubling over it, made the work question the least
shade less terrible. She walked into the wholesale district, but as the
thought of applying came with each passing concern, her heart shrank.
What a coward she was, she thought to herself. Yet she had applied so
often. It would be the same old story. She walked on and on, and finally
did go into one place, with the old result. She came out feeling that
luck was against her. It was no use.

Without much thinking, she reached Dearborn Street. Here was the great
Fair store with its multitude of delivery wagons about its long window
display, its crowd of shoppers. It readily changed her thoughts, she who
was so weary of them. It was here that she had intended to come and get
her new things. Now for relief from distress; she thought she would go
in and see. She would look at the jackets.

There is nothing in this world more delightful than that middle state
in which we mentally balance at times, possessed of the means, lured by
desire, and yet deterred by conscience or want of decision. When Carrie
began wandering around the store amid the fine displays she was in this
mood. Her original experience in this same place had given her a high
opinion of its merits. Now she paused at each individual bit of finery,
where before she had hurried on. Her woman's heart was warm with desire
for them. How would she look in this, how charming that would make her!
She came upon the corset counter and paused in rich reverie as she noted
the dainty concoctions of colour and lace there displayed. If she would
only make up her mind, she could have one of those now. She lingered in
the jewelry department. She saw the earrings, the bracelets, the pins,
the chains. What would she not have given if she could have had them
all! She would look fine too, if only she had some of these things.

The jackets were the greatest attraction. When she entered the store,
she already had her heart fixed upon the peculiar little tan jacket with
large mother-of-pearl buttons which was all the rage that fall. Still
she delighted to convince herself that there was nothing she would
like better. She went about among the glass cases and racks where these
things were displayed, and satisfied herself that the one she thought
of was the proper one.