Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-15


 her long-train black rig for all the world like a Cruelty girl who had stolen the matron's skirt to "play lady" in got behind little Mrs. Bishop, and looking out over her head tapped my forehead significantly.
 The saleswoman tumbled That was all right. But so did the bishops wife; for she turned and caught me at It.
 You shall not save me from myself and what deserve" she cried. "I am perfectly sane and you know 1t. and you are doing me no favor in trying to create the contrary impression. I de- mand an"
 "An interview with the manager" I interrupted 'T'm sure Mrs Van Wagenen can see the manager Just go with the lady. Mrs. Van Wagenen, and I'll follow with the goods"
 She did it meek as lamb, talking all the time, but never beginning at che beginning for me- So that had time to slip from one dressing room to the next. with the lace up my sleeve, out to the elevator, and down into the street
 Dye know what Heaven must be, Mag? A place where you always get away with the swag, and where it's always just the minute after you've made a killing.
 Cocky? Well. I should say l was. I was drunk enough with success to take big chances. And just while was wishing for something really big to tackle, it came along in the shape of that big fioor-walker!
 He was without hat. and his eyes looked 50 ways at once But you've | got to look 51 if you want to catch l Nance Olden. | ran up the stairs of the first flat-house and rang the bell l And as I sailed up in the elevator saw the big fioor-walker hurry past; he'd lost the scent. i The boy let me off at the top floor, 1 and after the elevator had gone down 1 I walked up to the roof It was fine way up there, so still and high. with i the lights coming, out down in the l town. And took out my pretty lace 1 collar and put it around my neck. ] wishing could keep it and wishing that I had. at least. glass to see my ] self in it just once. when my eye ] caught the window of the next house.
 It would do for mirror all right, ! for the dark green shade was down. 1 But at sight of the shade blowing in the wind forgot all about the collar
 It's this way. Mag. when they press i you too far: and that little rat of a lawyer had got me most to the wall. ! l looked at the window, measuring the little climb it would be for me to i get to it-the house next door was 1 just one story higher than the one where was. so it's top story was on a ! level with the roof nearly where stood. And I made up my mind to get what would let Tom of easy, or break into jail myself
 And so didn't care much what I might fall into through that win dow. And perhaps because didn't care, I slipped into dark hall, and not a thing stirred; not footstep creaked. I felt like the princess Princess Nancy Olden-come to wake the Sleeping Beauty: some dude it'd be that would have curly hair like Tom Dorgan's, and would wear clothes like my friend Latimer's, over fin Brooklyn.
 Can you see me there. standing on one leg like stork ready to lie or to fly at the first sound?
 We'll. the first sound didn't come Neither did the second. Tn fact. none of 'em came unless made 'em myself
 Softly as Molly goes when the baby $ just dropped of to sleep. 1 walked toward an open door. It was a par Tor. smelly with tobacco. and with lots of papers and books around. And nary he-beauty-nor any other kind
 tried the door of room next to it. A bedroom But no beauty. Silly! Don't you tumble yet? II was bachelors apartment. and the Bachelor Beauty was out. and Princess Nancy had the place all to herself suppose really ought to have left my card-or he wouldn't know who had walked him-but hadn't intended to go calling when I left home. So I thought I'd look for one of his as a souvenir-and anything else of his could make use of.
 There were shirts I'd liked for Tom dandy colored ones. and suits with checks in 'em and without But wanted something easy and small and
 fiat. made of crackly printed yellow or green paper. with numbers on Ii.
 How did know he had anything like that? Why. Mag. Mag Monahan one would think you belonged to tho bishops set. you're so simple,
 had to turn on the electric light after a bit-it got so dark. And don't like light in other people, houses when they're not at home, and neither am [. But there vas nothine in the bedroom except some pear studs. got those and then went bacl to the parlor
 The desk caught my eve. Oh. Mag it had the loveliest pictures on it. nirtures of swell actresses and dancers