The Washington times., 1905-01-01

number of inches around the heart, was
as those specimens of rafment, self
measured. that are railroaded to you by
transcontinentaI tailors with a suit
case, suspenders, silk handkerchief,
pearl studs, all the back numbers OF
F'renzied Finance in the pockets as
d bonus. Without money-as d poet
should be-but with the ardor of an
astronomer discovering a new star in
the chorus of the milky way, or a man
who has seen ink suddenly flow from
the fountain pen, Raggies wandered
into the great city.
Late in the afternoon he drew out of
the road and commotion with look of
dumb terror on his countenance. He
was defeated, puzzled. discomfited
frightened. Other cities had been to him
as long primer 20 read; as country
maidens quickly to fathom; as
d-price-of-subs with answer
REFUSES to solve; as oyster cocktails to
a swallow; but here was one as cold
glittering, serene, impossible as a
four-carat diamond in a window to a
lover outside lingering damply in his
pocket his ribbon-counter salary.
The greetings of the other cities he
had known-their homespun kindliness,
their human gamut of rough charity.
friendly curses. garrulous curiosity, and
easily estimated credulity or indiffer-
ence. This city of Manhattan gave him
no clue; it was walled against him. Like
a river of adamant it flowed past him
in the streets. Never an eye was
turned upon him; no voice spoke to him.
His heart yearned for the clap of Pitts
burg's sooty hand on his shoulder; for
Chicago's menacing but social yawp in
his ear; for the pale and eIeemosynary
stare through the Bostonian eyeglass-
even for the precipitate but malicious
boot-toe of Louisville or st. Louis.
On Fifth Avenue Raggles,, successful
suitor of many cities, stood, bashful,
like any country swain. For the first
time he experienced the poignant hu-
initiation OF being ignored. And when
he tried to reduce this brilliant. swiftly
changing, fce-cold city to a formula he
failed utterly. Poet though he was. it
offered him no color, no amfles, no
points Of comparison, no flaw in its pol
ished facets, no handle by which he
could hold it up and view Its shape
and structure, as he familiarly and Of
ten contemptuously had done with other
towns The houses were interminable
ramparts loopholed for defense; the peo-
pie were bright but bloodless specters
passing in sinister and selfish array.
The thing that weighed heaviest on
Raggles' soul and cIogged his poet 8
fancy was the spirit of absolute egoism
that seemed to saturate the people as
toys are saturated with paint Each
one that he considered appeared a mon
ster OF abominable and insolent conceit.
Humanity was gone from them: they
were toddling idols of stone and var
nish. worshiping themselves and greedy
for, though oblivious of, worship from
their fellow craven images Frozen.
cruel, impIacable, irnpervious, cut to an
identical pattern. they hurried on their
ways like statues brought by some
miracle to motion, while soul and feel
ing lay unaroused in the reluctant mar
| bic.
Gradually RaegIes became conscious
! Of certain. types. One was an elderly
! gentleman with snow-white, short
/ beard, pink, unwrinkled face and stony
| sharp blue eyes, attired in the fashion
| cf gilded youth. who seemed to per
| sonify the city's wealth, ripeness and
| frigid unconcern. Another type was a
! woman, tall, beautiful clear as a Astee
engraving, goddess-lfke. calm, clothed
/ like the princess of old, with eyes as
| coldiy blue as the reflection of sunlight
on a glacier. And another was a By.
product Of this town of marionettes-a
/ broad, staggering, grim, threatenfngly
! sedate fellow. with jowl as large as
a harvested wheat field, the complexion
| of a baptized infant and the knuckles
/ Of i prize fighter. This type leaned
against cigar signs and viewed the worId
with trapped contumely.
/ a poet is sensitive creature. and
Raggles soon shriveIed in the bleak
embrace Of the undecipherable. The
| chill. sphynx-like, ironical. iIIegibile, un.
natural, ruthless expression Of the city
| left him downcast and bewiIdered. Had
/ IL no heart? Better the woodpiIe. the
scolding Of vinegar-faced housewives al
| back doors, the kindly spleen of bar
tenders behind provincial free-Iuncf
| counters. The amiable turbulence of rII.
raj constabies, the kicks, arrests an6
happy-go-Iucky chances of the other
vulgar, loud. crude cities than this freez
| ing heartlessness.
Raggles summoned his courage and
sought aims from the populace I'm.
| needing, regardless, they passed or
without the wink Of an eyelash to testify