The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-02
VAN TAssEL sUrPHEN
cHAPTER l.
The GentIeman's Visiting Card

The GentIeman's Visiting Card
HE card that had been thrust into
my hand had perciled upon 1t
call at 1920 Madison avenue
at a quarter before 5 this even
ing Below. in copperplate, was en-
graved the name Mr.. Esper 1ndiman.
IT was one of those .abnormally
snrtnelike days that New York some
times experiences at the latter end OF
March. days when negligee shirts ana
last summers straw hats make spo-
radio appearance, and bucolle weather
nronhets write letters to the afternoon
papers abusing the sunspots. Really'
If was hot. and / was anxious to get
ont of the dust and glare: it would De
cool at the club, and 1 intended dining
there The time was 6:S0, the height
of the homeward rush hours, and, as
usual there was jam of Nehlcies anu
pedestrians at the Fourth avenue anu
Twenty-third street crossing. The SUP
way contractors were still at WORK
herey and the available street space
was choked with their staglngs anu
Temporary footWalks. The lneVllaple
CONSEQUENT was congestion; here were
two of the principal thoroughfares OIL
+ba citv crossing each other at right
angles and with hardly enough ROOM
at the point of intersection, for the
traffic of one. The confusion grew
worse as the policemen and slgnalmen
stationed at the crossing occasionally
lost their heads; every now and then d
new block would form, and several
minutes would elapse before ii coulo De
broken. In all directions long lines OIL
yellow electric cars stood stated the
in,natient passengers looking ahead 10
discover the cause of the trouble a
familiar enough experience to the MOD
ern New Yorker, yet it never fails to
exasperate him afresh.
The impasse looked hopeless when
reached the scene. A truck loaded with
bales of burlap was on the point Oh
breaking down at the crossing, ana 1t
was question of how to get 1t out OF
the Uay in the shortest possible tlIne
coneistent with the avoidance of the
threatened catastrophe. Meanwhile the
lam of cars and trucks kept pillng up
until there was hardly space Tor news
boy to worm his way from one curp TO
another, and the crowd on the streel
corners began to grow FESTIVE. Ihey
do these things so much better IN Lon
don.
Now, 1 detest being in the mob, and
7 was about to back my way out OF
The crowd and seek another route,
even if a roundabout one. But just
then the blockade was partially raised,
an opening presented itself lmmed'-
ately in front of me, and l was 1orced
willy-nilIy. Arrived at the other SIDE
of the street, I drew out Of the press
as quickly as possible, and II was
then that I discovered Mr.. lndlman
carte de avisite tightly clutched In my
left Inland Impossible to conjecture
how lit had come there, and my own
part In tie transaction had been pure
" Involuntary; the muscles of the
nalm had closed unconsciously upon
the object presented to it, just as does
baby's '.Mr Esper Indiman-and
who the deuce may he be?"
The club dining room was full, but
Teckley hailed me and offered me
and so explained politely that l was
waiting for friend and should not
dine until later.
well. then, have a cocktail while
1 ann finishing my coffee" persisted the
beast. and l was obliged to comply.
Il had to feed rather earlier than
usual" explained Jeckley.
Yes" | said, not caring in the least
about Mr.. Jockeys hours for meals.
You see I'm doing the opening at
the Globe tonight and I must get my
Wall street copy to the office before
the theater. And what do you think
of that by way of an extra assign
ment?" He took a card from his pock-
etbook and tossed it over. 1t was an
other enc of Mr.. Esper Indimans call
ing cards, and scrawled in pencil,