Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-04

.. .,
ai,,rarant ae 'oI,,n t L; tne eeniplins
ca,a.,rnnhe y, q a.us.c nan, OF some oi.e
No ,ts .i perpe'rateo oS caring ioot-
pa ..Ttt Iii ;. O..
III, VIZ w; Saiu MI strung, iiSihs.
H. i,strot; noa nus . ta' anu cane. Denvef
he addad "ana " ~ INC unone.a PC, soiiany,
aar,- OH" ' 'io ono We uo"h
..CouIan.t ho dow, l ,. t., :,
said TanI,n .It.s io,,a 49, 80, ca. ne, 81
live and so"-g,a nc,nn % ~ I.a ar
might as well s1av here Tban I'll he snra
nor 70 oversJaen rnvseIfC,hs. is a. ," Lii
be so good as to sand tho dri,1ar p;th this
note to NV sister feline her whers am
He can Just push it under the front door
IL you please. SIR,
VERY WE'LL, said Mr.. Strong. taking the
note: good night He strode down sfa i,s
out into the hall. and thence to the street
The thoroughfare was deserted; as still
and quiet and isolated from throbbing hui
mainly as If 1t were no longer the great
artery of ffnance-the mart the exchange
the bourse of the new world-but had re-
lapsed to that period when tangle of I'M
derbrush marked its course and a palisade
of posts and rails was its most conspicu-
GUS feature. Tins employer promptly re-
fused to tarry for the master of the hack
as that worthy had tarried for him. and
turning he quickly walked down the street.
AS he proceeded, however, his pace In
voluntarily Jagged. Now that the business
OF the night was over anG the absorbing
spirit assailed him.
For the hrst time in all his experience,
the unreaity or the struggle called life
smote him. What did 1t all mean? Whence
uiu ~ teho' ne "ouia nave sworn 10
positVehesS OF seeming 1act yes
,eraay; To-Day IL was existent. 1t
nao peen unSupstantlai, the hgment OF
cream! He. Richard Strong, dreamer!
Looking up, from that narrow street the
stars now seemed TO him very far! Were
they chimerfcal, too? He dropped his head
toward the ground; he listened to his
echoins teotsteps-as II his shadow were
walking on the other side or the street!
His shadow; his second-self? Would it go
tramping along by his side for ever; re-
mlnding him that he, too, was but phan-
tom briefly passing through some mystert-
Gus intermedium, a transitional strife?
He was aroused by the sound of a vehicle
rapidly approaching from behind. Urged
by the whip of the driver the equipage drew
quickly near, when the horses were pulled
up with no gentle hand, and the carriage
stopped in front of Richard Strong just
he was turning into Broadway.
Sorry, sir, began the driver, but /
thought I'd have time just to step"
Never mind" returned Mr.. Strong, in
terrupting this explanation, he entered
the hack. Drive back to the hotelr'
Lower Broadway, that erstwhile busting
part of the stirring thoroughfare, was as
abandoned as Wall street had been, but
along the upper regions Of that highway
signs of life and activity were still not
wanting. The city was socially in a transit
tional condition; the provincial chrysalis
had slowly worked out of its tough, hbrous
cocoon, and the cosmopolitan butterfly had
begun to spread its wings Bachelors now
began TO live Parish-fashion, renting fur
nished rooms and eating al the restaurants
Bohemia hourished; in the small hours the
C1rcean cup went round; conviviality and
good fellowship threw its roseate hues over
deep rotations.
The occupant of the carriage, soothed by
the sound of the wheels and sheer weari-
ness, had sunk into half-slumber on the
cushions and drove by the chosen resorts
of the elect oblivious of the strains of
music waited from within, of the spectacle
of bibulous Damon and Pythias holding
amicable converse beneath a Pickering
street lamp. He was recalled to himself by
the abrupt stopping of the vehicle and the
voice of the driver: "All right, sir! Here
you aren'
Richard Strong paid the man, sought his
rooms. and soon the hPlf-sIurnber was sue
ceeded by that brief blivlon with which
sleep temporiZes with care.
The next morning, returning from the
breakfast room to his apartments after a
hurried and scanty repast, during which he
had but hastily glanced over the news COL
umns of Mr.. Greeleys paper and even
ignored that great mans editorial for the
day. he encountered his wife Though she
held herself proudly, her manner was con-
strained; when he spoke to her her color
deepened.
I'VE shall be obliged to stay here a few
days until the house is ready" he said in
a matter-of-fact tone THE decorators
had not planned upon our being back so
SOON" And then as he turned to Ieaye-.I
shall not be back to the hotel until night"
he added.
After he had gone Elinor, still with height
ened color, made pretense of adjusting a
flower In her hair. For a few moments She
went on with her task, but the flower APP
parently did not suit her ard she ended by
tossing 1t aside. Then she went to the win
dow and stood there. tapping the floor with
her foot. She saw Richard Strong emerge
from the hotel, cross the walk and pave
ment and enter street car without looking
back. She followed the car with her glance
as It joined the down-f1owing stream of We
hicles. until an intervening building hid It
from sight. Even when it had disappeared
she continued to look upon that busy world
from that busy corner.
At o'clock Richard Strong was in sight
Of his office. AS he walked along the street
upon which the building stood sundry signs
Of a coming storm doomed OH the horizon Of
the narrow way. Several Hebrews from the
wholesale clothing district had wandered
out of the beaten path of commerce and
found themselves on the enticing thorough
fare of speculation. They appeared nervous.
anxious, keen-scented The anticipation of
quick profits that would di scount all ordi
nary buying and selling of merchandise
shone from their features