The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-01

WRITTEN FOR TIL, SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
Bilkins street is not an inviting place at
its best At least, Jack Holland had
never seen anything attractive about it II
Is dinky little tForcughtare that runs up
hill from the river 10 Broadway, and hen
stops. as though afraid OF the row Of ,od
brick houses on the other side Of ;he street
The streets architecture IS not inspir-
ing. There are numerous red brick houses
that look alike. and a lot Of board fences
that look alike. and a lot more Of corner
groceries and saloons that look alike. Fv-
cry few steps there is al alley or an area
way or an open gate in one of the board
fences: and there are bad places in the
sidewalks and worse places IN the :elford
street.
lack had been down there on a story once
before The story was about an cid man
and an old house--"a grandfather CLOCK
sort of story; for on the night Of the Old
mans death the Old house burned. or some
thing of the sort He wasn't preposs assed
with the uelghborhood then: and that was
before the street car strike. and before the
denizens of the district had begun 10 teat
men and strip women for riding on "scab'
cars The city editor knew all Of this; but
when Jack thought 10 call his attention TO
1t he only grinned and said:
That's all right You might bump into
another story
So Jack had started out. and there he was
with an uncomfortable humping at his
heart and an awkward humping at his pistol
pocket.
And what was he afterc Just a story or
how a blind man got through a law course.
AS Jack swung off the car a small boy
on beer wagon yelled ''Scabi Jack was
sure no small boy in St. Louis had such a
foghorn voice. In the story h. mad written
.ss,L.A l.. g.<
mob attacking a woman. he had said.
graphically: "A small boy on the corner
gave the alarm tc, the mob. At his cry of
'scab,' as the voting woman alighted from
the car, hundreds OF angered men, women
and children swarmed from the houses rs
maddened bees swarm from their hives
1t read well in the story. but it didn't hap
pen In Jacks case. Nobody "swarmed.'
which pleased Jack. who was not blood
thirsty, for ali that big go was humping
his right hip In a most warlike man.
ner The small boy continued to yell ''scab."
with variations, until his wagon had passed
the corner and Jack was out OF sight. No
one else had taken up the cry, and by the
time Jack had reached the house where he
was to get his STORY" he had decided that
the little street was not such terribly
dangerous place. after all.
The house Jack sought was two-storv
brick affair. AUDITING on the street. with
the front door set back at the end OF a
narrow vestibule. A brown knob, hanging
loosely on a wire, showed how visitors were
expected to announce themselves Jack
pulled the knob and there was a thin tink-
ling at the other end Of the wire.
The day was hot. and Jack, while he
waited for an answer to his ring, mOpped
his forehead. 4 small boy came carefully
10 the doorway, peeTed at him. and then
ecampered back. Another small boy, on
the other side Of the street, did the same
They were sCouts--no doubt of that-whetil-
er curiosity or q mob were the cause OF
their scouting. The sight of them reminded
Jack that he had his hat in his shooting
hand" and he made quick shift. Then he
rang the door bel again. 1t was far from
a. gentle Jerk that he gave the knob, and
4: set the thin bell a-tinkiing at a merry
rate. Then another small scout passed.
peered and scampered. :
Jack was certain that mob had formed.
and set his teeth griuly as he deiherateG
whether he should step boldly forth or kick
the door down. He was saved the necessity
for either course of action by the partial
,,pening of the door. An old. motherly face
peered out through a crack six inches wide.
Does Mrs johnson live here?'
She did.
rs Mr.. johnson in?'
He wasn't.
A shout I'D the street served a double
purpose It caused the door to show signs
of closing. and Jack to practice the old
reportorial trick of setting his foot side
WAYS between the door and the sill
"But / must see MIR. Johnson; or II 1
can't see him must see you. I'm not a
deputy sheriff; I'm just a reporter
There was a half-moment of hesitancy
upon the part OF the doorkeeper. 1t was
brief. but long enough for another shout
10 conc shrieking down the street. Then