Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-29

" ~
AX from Mularkey's tenements the
wv ing of May-day, uncrowned Queen
high up in the fourth story, front, press
ed her nose against the wndowpa and wept to
There was Lena Schwarzkind all in white with
aureole of faxen hairLena, the pebeian but victor
iOus-marChing ahead in sausage-legged soldity.
There were Mamie Sullivan and Rosa Salvatore,
ladies in waiting, proud bearers of royal Insignia
the gilt jagged crown, the wells hlmy lengths OF
mosquito netting. There followed James Dannaher,
first lord of the May-pole, appearing his own deft
device of flagstaff circled by bicycle rim, trcol
ored streamers dependent There filed the indis-
eliminate court boastng white shoes and stockings
or baseball caps, and regarded by fat Mama
Schwarzkind and her lunch basket, the whole pag-
cant, sweeping sumptuOusly yet Chastey around the
corner, to the strains of two mouth-Organs and
Then did 'Mela the uncrowned turn bravely
away and prepare for her mothers Grand, yet with
secret shameful glanCes in the mirror and with salt
tears yelling afresh at the sight of her cruel red
hair. For two weeks past, when the taking of
Queen first rumOred, Meia had TREMENDOUSLY
consulted that very mirror and found no rebuke
therein then sustained by the aristOCratc tradition
that her mother the widow of fireman, she had
risen in vexed conclave, and filed with divine
right had said:
If nobody else wants, III be Queen of the May"
There a moment of silence; then Mamie
Sullivan, who wore sPectacles and was therefore
ineligible, shried: "Sure She's tallest, an her
mother for ladies. Let Melia be queenl'
There followed the spontaneous acclaim of stimu-
lated imagination; but Lena the daughter of
delicatessen shop wedged into the group and eyed
'Melia with fine democratic scorn.
"Youse?" she cried, corruPting the tongue of
her fathers in excitement. Queens has black hair
or yellow hair and she shook her faxen braids,
but not red hair Queens amt red-headed. No,
sirl There couldn't be a red-headed Queenl"
Then followed a counter-acClaim of tickle vndic-
tiveness, and James Dannaher, himself ed-haired,
FASTENED to repudiate any suspicion of sympathy
by jerking Melias pigtal from behind, so that she
sat down suddenly.
So 'Melia the Pretender had stolen home to weep,
while Lena had repaired unto Mama Schwarzkind
with this tale of autocratc erontery and the upsho
of it that thereafter the mothers passed each
other with the look, Ny childs good yours"
and that than once in the next fortnight
Lena had shrilled across the street,
I'm goin' to have partee; but you're not
coming"
Therefore that bright May-day 'Melia fingered
within doors and looked and wept, and it not
until long after the procession had vanished that
she could find heart to set foot abroad upon her
mothers command.
You take this down to tn hotel an ask for Miss
Meara the chambermaid, an you just say: Here's
the skirt Mrs. Meigs promised for Friday; she
couldn't get it done before An here's FIVE cents
to spend"
At last 'Melia set falteringly forth, bearing the
bundle in wooden stiffness exactly as it had been
laid in her arms, her eyes peering it with the
serious concentration of whose instructions
You be careful now!" But 'Melia