The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-07-23
NADIA NJ F.
BARBETTE
BY WAYNE b. CARLOCk
tcspyrtght, 1905, by Daily Story Pub. Coz

| 1T was about 10 a. IN. was out get
i ting little fresh air, strolling idly
and aimlessly up Broadway, almost
wishing something exciting would
happen to puncture the mornings tire
some serenity and instill little high
life into my apathetic state.
Arriving near Thirty-fifth street my
attention was attracted across the way
to rumpus on the front steps of the
Herald building. A man, apparently
in the throes of great excitement, was
directing the eyes of several others
toward an open car headed down
Broadway. He was making violent
gestures with his hands and evidently
had discovered something about the
vehicle which amounted to grave fear
or Importance.
/ no sooner turned them in its direc-
ton than a gentleman ran awkwardly
against me, nearly sprawling me head
long into the street. CHANGING around
as quickly as / could balance myself
noticed him point with sweeping
movement toward the fleeing car, his
eyes glaring wildly with the fire of
discovery.
1 whirled and caught sight of the
departing vehicle, all the time strain
ing my ears to overhear what my
neighbors were saying, but they were
conversing so rapidly that 1t came to
me as the merest iargon.
l scarcely knew what to do; in fact
! ] had nothing to do, wanted something
to do, so ! made up my mind that
would run down this mystery If it took
me all the way to Battery Place.
Just at this moment second car
rolled by me. and seeing my oppor-
tunity, made wild climb for it. My
morning lethargy was fast disappear
ing Strolling rapidly to the front I
noticed the preceding car just opposite
Smith, Gray & Co., where mob of men
who had been inspecting the windows
were making various kinds of frantic
gesticulations. They, too, had discov-
cred something and were imparting
the news to each other in the most nom
! plussing manner.
now turned my attention to details.
That car was moving along as smooth
/ ly as possibly could be, so there could
not have been anything wrong with
the machinery or rolling stock. Both
motorman and, conductor were calm
and collected, as likewise seemed the
passengers. One thing, however, ap-
peared quite singular as to the differ
ent passengers positions.
There were aboard just five men and
one woman. These five men were
punched together ON the two rear
seats. AS they were not smoking I
! could hardly believe this incidental
/ The woman sat in the second seat from
the front, was large and attractively
dressed; that is, if you call a full suit
of sable in the summertime attractive
and wore a black chapeau adorned
across the front with single large
plume Of brilliant green.
That she was the cynosure in ques-
ton had no further doubt. We were
keeping within an average Of about 30
yards of the leading car, so could cas-
lily see everything that transpired
ahead.
As we emerged into Madison Square
I detected the woman glancing side
wise toward the Hoffman house. At
the entrance stood G roup Of men,
whom her advent had thrown into a
fuster, and as they were apparently
gentlemen of time and money, the per-
plexity of the situation became more
and more puzzling. What could there
be about this woman which gave birth
to such commotion among both class
and commoner?
Then something else happened. The
group of men sitting on the rear seats
had placed their heads together, and
l could tell they were consulting each
other in a strange, enigmatical style.
One gentleman in particular was as
suming an explanatory attitude of the
most startling and conspicuous nature.
The car came to halt at Twenty-third
street and the entire party sneaked
fearfully from the car, never looking
once behind them.
Ny anxiety and curiosity az this turn
of affairs simply became unbearable.
Something had TO be found out quick
or ! would probably fall in an uncon-
scious, sweltering fit.
The fated car was now rolling into
Union Square. From in front of Tiff
fany's crowd of window inspectors
had caught on, and II the hubbub they
displayed could have been seen by a
party at a distance, they would have
believed someone was going through
one of the plate glass windows in quest
of sunbursts.
A thought now came whirling
through my fevercd brain which great