Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-12

eu IL. IL was CtOCk anu tne StTSe'
was crowded. Shabby men, shabby
women and shabby miniature men and
women-they were hardly to be called
children, with their care-branded faces
and worried eyes.
A wagonload of old bottles passed,
cleaning and flashing greenly in the
bars of light from the shops. Then a
sluggish flow of inconspicuous traffic.
Baum tilted his hat to the back of his
shiny black head and looked up at
the narrow strip of sky.
ut looks like rain" he thought.
Then he started up the street, going
against the crowd.
He was rather a handsome man, with
a little too much fat about the chin.
very brilliant eyes, and a nose which
was we'll built in it's own style Of
architecture. His long, carefully
trained mustache completely hid his
mouth. Several women turned and
looked at him as he passed. He walked
slowly, his head thrown back, his
BLUSH chin thrust slightly forward,
with a rhythmic swing of the shoulders
which only men who are considered at
tractive ever attn. 1t is the music to
an inward hymn of satisfaction.
Presently a girl met him. "Oh,
Uncle Leo!" she said, clasping her
hands on the velvet cuff of his light
coat, "what do you want to be so late
for? I've waited ever so long"
She was pretty girl-as yet Pretty
with that glowing, curving, dimpling
beauty of very young Jewesses. Her
curly hair was combed down over her
forehead in fringe, there was red
rose under the brim of her hat, and
her Jacket was of a bright green.
heavily braided.
Baum laughed. "F'raid we'll be late,
are you, Rosie? Is the new dress all
ready?"
"You bet, Uncle Leo; it's beauty"
"say, Rosie, you like glass of
beer? 1 got thirst on me.P
Rosie laughed. Course L do Uncle
Leo. did you notice what lovely eyes
the young man has that pours the
beer?"
Baum looked at her sharply. "Say,
Rosalie you don't want to look at no
young man yet; you're too young"
I'm IT," answered the girl. "Rebec-
ca Hirsch was married when she was
as young as me-"
"Yes; and she came home to live
xrrIn
because he kicked her"
Rosalie hesitated. mo, it wasn't,
Uncle Leo; not really-she told me
herself"
They had entered the public house
and stood waiting for the beer, which
the young man was pumping very de-
liberately, his eyes fixed on the girl.
well. what was it she told you?"
"Why. Luddy, he spent all his money
on another woman. He gave her a
bracelet and a satin dress. Becka
couldn't stand that"
Baum took up his glass. What he
want to do that for? Who was it,
Roster"
She's awful pretty. Her names
Kate Welch. She washes her hair in
champagne to make it yellow. Rebec-
ca thinks Luddy used to give her whole
cases. She's awful pretty"
Baum set down his empty glass and
wiped the froth from his mustache
with a strongly scented handkerchief.
And Rebecca!' went on the girl. II
n
He laughed.
How do you know who you could
love, Miss Strauss ?" he said. you only
got to love your Aunt Clara and me-"
And 1 do, too, Uncle Leo! 1 love
you bettern I do Aunt Clara, even if
she is my real aunt"
He took her elbow as they turned up
the street and gave it a little squeeze.
4, That's right, Rosie"
1t had begun to rain and they hur-
ried on in silence, lodging umbrellas
and the deliberate. Presently they
came to a door wedged in between a
butchers shop and haberdasher' s.
When they had reached the top of the
dark stairs Baum turned. "Say, Ro-
sale, you amt kissed me today"
She gripped his sleeves with her
plump hands and held up her mouth.
"Ouch! Your mustache tickles! And
l. smells good, too, Uncle Leo. What
you put on it?'
He kissed her again, this time under
the ear and then, opening the door
with his latchkey, they went in.
Clara Baum was sitting in low
chair by the lamp, her back turned
to the door.
She was leaning over, her fat should
ers bent, broad strip of yellow neck
showing between the collar of her red
flannel jacket and her greasy black
hair.
This hair had been cut in a fringe
on the neck, and was now coiled uT
tightly in little rolls Of kid.
Her husband bent down and kissed
her. "Well, old lady, what are you
doing?" he said.
She turned, her little, deep-embed-
ded eyes glowing as she looked up at
I,i,,, GTiUa inst dniahad tba loco IN