The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-07
Mrs. Pinta
Goes Stunning

3 Goes Stunning 3
c.o.>.G.0.C.Oo.<>.o.0.O.-o.5
NH, how nice it would be to go
| Summing. I've always just
longed to- said Mrs. Pinta. a
pretty widow. I'D just dote
on seeing how the lower classes really
act in their own ELEMENT
We'll, I'm sure your wish can be
gratifed," replied Tummy De Byrde
calamity 'I'll get a guide who knows
all the ms and outs of the slums, and
We'll start out at 10 o'clock at night
and take in Chinatown and then some
Of the places even the college settle
Enents people cannot get into"
oh, how delightful cried Mrs. Pin
Ia, clapping her hands. And maybe
III get an inspiration and see a way to
do these poor, ignorant people good
Womanly sympathy often reforms a
wicked person when nothing else can
10 it I'd like to spend the rest of my
life reforming the lower classes and
The wfckeder they are the more 1 should
enjoy reforming Them
How sympathetic you are!" said
Tunmy, looking at her admiringly
! Can you go tonight?
She clapped her hands again and
again exclaimed: How delightful"
She was ready at the time set. She
wore some of her good clothes so as to
impress the lower classes with a vision
of bright, cheerful rrettiness that they
might see how nice it is to be good and
respectable Tummy De Byrde was in
the evening dress of a gentleman They
did Chinatown under the wing of the
guide.
Down here underground there's a
reper.'' said the guide. ITS real lepro-
| sy- but it's not contagious. You pay
him what you like. That's the way he
makes his living"
The leper was a very bad looking
! Chinaman indeed and Mrs. Pinta shud-
dered and shivered and held her train
very carefully away from contact with
| the ground. Next they went to an OPT
UNI zen which the guide told them no
/ white lady had ever seen before except
he lady opium victims who went there.
It was only by special agreement with
the proprietor and by paying him a
-ound fee that the guide was able him
self to get into the joint, so he said
| he looked as if he ought to know what
he was talking of, the guide did, for he
lad a beak like hawk and eyes that
eould see lady's face through three
Teils, one black one white, one green.
IN the opium den bleary creatures
their particular dope" to put into
pipes; other miserables lay like logs in
| the hunks that lined the walls.
Sore O. them people in there's mil
f4ionaires.P said the guide.
How wonderful" said the lady.
THE next place take you to is one
even the police don't know about" con-
tinued the guide. You must order
some refreshment just so nobody will
i'll
then.''
They went along dismal hallway to
a smoky, bad smelling rear room. but
Mrs. Pinta did not mind, for the more
bad smelling the place was the more
certain the lady was that she was
really Summing. Some men and wo-
men sat at tables drinking and over in
a corner were some card players. On
a cracked piano young man played
Amt it shame. a measly shame p
The tobacco smoke was of a quality
that half strangled Mrs. Pinta and
made the tears come to her eyes,
though she herself had protested many
4 time to Tummy that she rather liked
he odor of a good cigar. She, Tummy
and the guide sat down by a table and
ordered drinks Mrs Pinta took lem
onade. She watched the jewellers ca
gerly.
"Oh. those poor. ignorant. wicked
peopleI" she murmured to herself y
must do something to elevate those wo-
aen who sit there and drink that nasty
seer. 1 think I'll dress in gray, like a
7eaconess. and make visits among them
and tell them of the higher life. al
Ways looked we'll in gray No woman
; ever wholly bad There is always a
park Of
The back door was burst rudely open
Lock the front door and don't let q
man or woman outl Arrest every one
Of these here persons," reared a hoarse
voice. 1t came from a horrid. coarse
creature who wore a blue uniform. Al
the other rude men who had burst the
! door open wore blue uniforms too
The guide found mis- mind and tongue
This is real lady" ne said to tn
rude blue creatures. she and the gen
Don't you see she's a real lady? DON
; you
"All hands march to the police sta
{ toni" roared the hoarse voice.
Tummy protested frantcally, tn.
guide protested angrily. Mrs. Pinta. to.
! scared to speak word or understand
protested dumbly. but all was no good
Not till they reached the station housr
: was the mistake explained and the tri'
0 permitted to go free. Even the hars
hearted policemen grinned unbeliev
I ingly. A deeply interested rabbie gath
= cred at the door and made hurnoscss
1 comment on the fact that ''one of then
: swell Summing parties had been ar
rested. In next mornings newspa e
I the gentlemaniy reporter as in dut.
/ bound appended the remark:
.'4.nd the lady became nysterical-'
KATHARINE BLADES.