The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
THE ROMANCE OF WILLIE.
PURSUIT OF a TYPEWRITER OVER
ON THE East SIDE.
Renections In n Hanson Cab on HHatriuaony-
The Homo OF the TypewritorlA Conclusion
ut which Resolution Melted with Hts Rider
on nts or tire Romance.

THE Home or the Typewritor2A Conclusion
at which Resolution Melted with ITS Rider
on rts Back-Ena or tbe Romance.
Some drops Of the drizzle crawlod down the
slender neck of Willie. He came around the
slippery;corncr into broadway. There, by the
side OF q mail box, stood tho woman whom no
adored. Her plcnteous figure resisted In SWELL
ing curves tho moulding grasp OF tho black
waist and dampened skirt.
Two small wet feet showed beneath n HON
clutched Mn. An arm, right angled, supported
In the socket of q rounded palm the glistening
umbrella. Tho collar Of tho brown Russian
blouse pressed the round white cars among
sable hair. A glooming wide-plumed hat
dropped over the olive oval splashed with sub
cutaneous reds, each side tho straight nose.
Brown bovine eyes swan beneath the serene
white brow punctuatod by tho semi.parenthoses
OF inky eyebrows. A drowsy mouth was upheld
by the pointed chin. which poked dnzzlingly
outward through the dotted veil.
II beg your pardon, Miss Lavigne!" Willie
called to her, coming up with his hat of.
Quite moist, isn't III Just loft the officer
Her even teeth smiled at him and she bowed.
"Yos! 1t rains all the time now. Why are
you putting down your umbrcllni"
Willie made a gesture ut tho crashing tangle
Of wheels in the street.
by tho way. let me Gull that cab and take
you home"
Tho crowd had hcmmed them into the gutter
by this timc.
THANK you very much. I'm not going di.
rectly home. Here is my car now. Good
night"
She seized the handrail Of an uptown cablc
car and merged into the downcast jam of men
and women upon its rear platform. Willie
clambered over the near wheel Of a hanson
stalled in front Of him.. Twisting around tho
side, he spoke to the cabman.
FOLLOW that car" he said, and sprawled out
on the cushion.
Tho cable car slid slowly northward with
banging bell, holding back for tardy renr wheels
and humping the tails of obstinate trucks.
Pedestrians scurried across beneath ths grip.
mans very nose.
Tho lowering cloud of decision on willie's
smooth.shaven innocent face cast a shadow of
determination into his blue eyes.
"Well!" he asserted, eff I marry Miss La
vigno l won't be the first business man who
| has married his typewriter and I won't be the
first business man who made himself happy
ever after"
On every crossing a few damp people dug
| their way out of the car and were replaced by
soaking persons, who burrowed their way in.
Miss LaviEne transferred cast on a jangling
white car. The cab followed east also. Soon
tnG SnOTJ tTceb anu pccIlnB ldWpS Oh 1OInDklnS
square came dead ahead.
I'll get firod from the firm all right when the
old man.fnds out" Illuminated the passenger in
the hanson.
Willie tipped his black derby backward over
his blond centre-parted hair.
Anyway, I can do bookkeeping and earn o
living"
He thrust his slim white hands into the sido
pockets of his brown .tweed suit and pushed
aside his macintosh to do SO.
That's tho third time che has avoided mo.
and I'm going to find out where she lives now
and why she gave us that false address on Lex
ington avenue"
His chin sank over the high white collar and
rested on the plaid'club tic. His gaze settled
upon his black wet boots.
II believe that she is'some aristocratic girl In
hard luck. She has to work for a living and
doesn't want any Of her old friends to know 1t.
Lavignei Lavigne! That must be q French
name Maybe.it's assumed. -
Once MIRO the passenger pursued changed
cars. The cab followed closely the blue lights
of the ~plunging car as 1t churned rapidly south.
ward along the eastern border a the square.
Then the smell OF the tenemcnts folded in
around thcm-that indescribable odor which is
made up Of perspiration. f/cooking, and of
decay. that oily aroma Of the poor. forever the
permcable ghost which hugs misery. The
squirting. stoss lights looked ~tearfully at the
glistening asphalt, Uttered with sticks and
paper. The children of the pavement slid over
its shining surface.
They talk more in the Ghetto than they do any
where else in the city. Conversation here
really forms part Of the street noise. The
shuttle of gritty shoes on the Shiny sidewalk. the
flap of soRgy clothing. and the gargle of Yid-
dish echoed up the living walls of this cation OF
the Ghetto.
The car ahead hesitated, and Miss Lavlgne
dropped easily to the street and merged in the
oblong black blotch Of a doorway Of the tene-
ments. Tho pursuing hanson halted and VIII
lie sent 1t away.
he leaned on the dripping iron. handrails lead.
ing to the dismal entrance and gazed for a long
time into a store. This store resembles q
human life. That is to say, the snowy goods
crowded the narrow window for all passersby
to SEQ. while tho interior was nearly bare. AS
he did so, he reflected:
''She is on some errand of mercy. Suffer-
ing makes a soul more kind. 1t shows a noble
heart in a patrician body, at any rate"
Finally he looked up at the houses. while he
determined on the next step.
The sullcn tenements shook fists of n no
escapes at each other. through the drizzle.
Their 5leary eyesIthe lighted T~indowsa'hon
MUTUALLY WSs steSlip nese tint oth ss shSs 4sa reai'zed that each
Willie entered the door between the rails.
The fan-spread tips of his right fingers brushed
the grimy wall. The left slid up the sticky
banister. His muddy boots scraped over the
resisting knots on the wooden stairs and secured
into the worn hollows. All around him was
the smell-stronger on the first landing. A
dusty light came over the transom on the left.
A voice came out also. He knocked.
The door opened for a foot, and n stupid, yei-
low woman looked craftily out. Hor narrowed
features were framed by black accommodating
hair, and she was beneath a spotted gray shawl.
Seeing an unfamiliar person. she sought,
without q word, to retire by slaniming the door.
Willie blocked the door with his left foot
and shouldered the aperture wide open.
Miss Layigne stood In the ccntrc OF the wet
browned floor; with waist removed and her
steam. This vapor arose as from a censor upon
an altar. This altar was a tub Of clothes. Hcr
moist softcned c0lors blended with the inky
wetness of the piled-up hair.
Between her feet played a curly.headed little
god, naked rs Apollo and twice as handsome.
This" thought Willie, us not charity. 1t
Is degeneration