The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-23

When q wealthy relative of Prof
Abelard Burrell died and left him an
inheritance, including the Pyramid
apartment house in New York, he was
comparatively happy man. The Pyr-
amid was only a part of a very gener-
Gus legacy, but as the rest of it was
in stocks and bonds, the house was by
far the most interesting portion of his
Inheritance
The professor was just then deep in
the study of Chinese, the only language
in the list with which he was not ia
miliar. Languages were his hobby, his
one delight, and he spent all his days
and many of his nights porting over
volumes that would be absolutely un-
| Ineligible to the erudite. He was an
authority on the subject, and historians
and writer's, universities at home and
abroad, sent to him for information
which would solve the vexed questions
which occasionally came up in regard
to translations, the answers to which
problems could be found in no cycIo-
| pedias.
He had, Of course, vague ideas of
what he would have classified as tene-
ment living. But he was in no way
cognizant of the popularity of the mod
ern apartment house mode of life. He
lived in fine old house in Washington
| square, where the flat houses that had
| arisen were looked upon as impertf-
| nences by the old families living in the
square.
When he saw his lawyer regarding
the Pyramid, which he then considered
white elephant with which he was
unable to cope, he told the attorney
that he. would leave the apartment
house entirely in his care.
All Greek to you, I suppose ?' said
| the lawyer, jocularly.
The professor looked with somewhat
offended surprise over the tops Of his
gold-rimnled glasses Greek, he re-
marked, slowly, Il understand per-
| fectly.''
Oh, to be sure; to be sure" sput-
| tered the lawyer hastily, realizing his
blunder; Il shall continue the same
agents, then, and render you month
ly accounting of the rents"
Rents = questioned the professor.
1T is occupied, then?"
Occupied? Well, I should say SOL"
said the lawyer. you have valuable
piece of property there, Prof. Burrell!
sixteen stories-four apartments on
each floor!,'
Great heavens!" calculated the pro-
1essor, raising his hands in horror.
All paying rent monthly, you I'M
derstand, on monthly leases. Seventy
hve for the smaller flats; a hundred
FOR the big ones! Restaurant ON the
ground floor! Why, the advertisements
read like dream of Paradise! See
here"
He took newspaper clipping from
his pocketbook and handed it to the
professor. 1t was headed in great black
letters:
"The Pyramid
Look at these magnificent anart-
ments, the finest in the city. Every
known convenience and Improvement
Elevators, mail chutes-electric fans
iced air-automobile storage. Madison
+ Square, New York.
Bless my souri, said the professor
What are chutes?'
Inc newest thing" explained the
lawyer; you can send your letters
from your desk to the postoffice It's
a great age we live inf
Wonderfuf' admitted the professor.
although he had been known to ex-
press miSgiVingS in some of his pub-
lie utterances. He bowed the LAWYER
folios.
It was only very few DAYS after
| this that he received in his morning
mail violet-scented letter on crest
| ed paper, with a heavy wax seal. He
| opened it curiously and read in grace
| full, angular handwriting:
| Prof. Abelard Burrell, Washington
| Square North-My Dear Sir: HAVING
| learned that you have recently become
| the owner Of the Pyramid, of which
house am a tenant, write to ask
that you will be good enough to call
In some afternoon at your earliest
| convenience, as | wish to see you in
| regard to a matter that is causing me
! the most intense suffering Very faith
fully yours, -Hortense Toilette.
The Pyramid.
| The professor read this through with
Wonderment several times. 1t appealed
! to him strangely. It's mysterious ira
ceries, for he was unfamiliar with the
/ fashionable feminine hand, seemed tc
him interesting as an Egyptian in
/ Scription. Then, the wording Of the let
| ter was odd. "a matter that is causing
me the most intense suffering!" He
was actually interested for the mo-
ment to the exclusion of his studies.
| The Pyramid looked to the professor
like an overgrown pagoda when he
| approached 1T with trepidation as one
| entering q strange country. He could
not understand the fire escapes. They
| looked like an overornate Japanese
effect to him. His comparisons al
ways reached to som0| other country
4 and another tongue. He entered the
| Gothic doorway and inquired of the