The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-14
THE EVENING STORY
A Peripathetic vyooing.
By Rita Kelley.)

| E1lOlSS was having thoughts.
| they were not pleasant thoughts was
| proved by the hurry with which she
| donned her tan ulster and close brown
walking hat and slipped out of the
house. She hurried down brilliantly
| lighted Broadway hoping that the new
experience of being alone. unchaperon-
ed. unprotected, amid the rush of life
/ on all sides, might divert her mind. She
was halted at last by man with
| megaphone. He was shouting All
| aboard for Chinatown. Right this way.
Tickets two dollars. All aboard for
Chinatown
She looked up at the huge. ugly Rub
berneck Wagon" now fairly transform
| ed into bower of beauty by red, white
| and blue electric lights and Chinese
lanterns bobbing in the chill breeze. 1t
| seemed to offer SurceaSe from the in
| sistent, uncomfortable thoughts at the
| back Of her brain. The old wagon in
its brave array held some of the al
| lurements Of fairyland, and it's happy
! rresponsibflity-and on the spur of the
moment she whipped out her purse
| from her ulster pocket, bought her
| ticket and climbed in among the Ian
| terms well toward the front.
| George had dared to insinuate that
| she could not get along without him.
He had acted as if he were as much a
| part of her life as her daily ride in the
Park, her nights at the opera, her CO.
| tillon favors. Worse still, there had
been, too, the suggestion that he was so
much a part of her existence that she
could not get along without him. Other
| girls were wooed and hard won. She
was taken for granted. And she want
| ed romance, heart interest she had
heard 1t called when the drama was I'M
| der consideration. All her life had the
conventional been wrapped around her
| like a dun-colored cloak. She would
have freedom from conventionality-
and George.
A thrill of anticipation ran through
her as the big clumsy vehicle wheeled
cautiously and threaded its way down
| the crowded streets. Through the
Tenderloin, the Ghetto, the Bowery-
| all those localities of which she had
| heard but never scent went. When
| 1t halted at last she was in the front
| of the party, still determinedly eager
to get outside of herself The con
| ductor had taken her under his wing
and she felt very safe and sure.
They had climbed up and up and
| up many winding, creaking, unsafe
stairs to the Joss house, heathenish,
| garish place filed with mixture of
rare carvings, embroideries, worries
and apparently worthless junk. The
conductor of the party waited to give
his explanation until the loiterers had
gone.
Ladies and gentlemen" he said,
| "wait a few minutes and I will ex-
plain this interesting place. There are
with the party and who are waiting
in the hope that they will get the
benefit of what l am about to tell you "
A little woman in blue tailored
suit edged her way with asperity into
the crowd.
do you mean me?" she demanded.
81 guess we have as good a right TO
be here as anyone. And Wen stay
here till we are ready to CO..
The conductor turned to Eloise for
appreciation.
each paid two dollars for this valua-
them to allow you to hear this for
nothing. / know your kind. You nave
been following us around just to get
this information free. Not a night
passes but 1 have trouble of this kind
and it's got to STOP
The little woman fought off her
friends who strove to lead her away.
"And who are you that you should
talk to me that way?" she said. DO
you know who 1 am? I'll have you
arrested for insulting a lady. My
brother is down now looking for a po-
liceman. Do you hear?' she shrieked.
maddened by her inability to impress
the cool conductor.
There was a commotion in the door
way and two men pushed through and
thrust their fists under the conductors
nose.
"In report you!' they yelled. "for
insulting a lady"
Eloise turned sick She pushed out
of the excited crowd, past the two
maciated, imperturbable old China
men behind their little trinket counter
and fed to the balcony overlooking
the main street of the Chinese quar-
ter.
1t was horribly low. She shuddered
at the thought of where she was and
under what protection as she gazed
down from the lantern-hung balcony
Inf OF wifi
in native dress-their pig faces, long
queues and long-nailed fingers holding
paper bags filled with vegetables.
"Eloise!"
name and a mans step on the balcony,
and pressed back against the wall of
the house staring with wild eyes at
the man before her.
what are you doing here?" he de-
manded. why, you have never been
out like this. What does it mean
She gathered her forces suddenly
for retaliation.
what breathlcssly. "I am old enough
to do as I choose-and-it is not in
the least your affair what 1 do
She pushed past him into the in
cense-laden interior to have the con-
ductor present her with a package of
joss sticks and a slip of paper covered
with Chinese characters.
IA fortune" he said, gallantly "Ask
your Chinese laundryman to read 1t
for you
"I haven't a Chinese laundryman,"
she exclaimed passionately. And 1
never will have one!"
She ran almost blindly down the
stairs and into the street, trusting to
her instinct for locality to guide her
to the nearest subway station. The
Orientals fell back in Wild astonish-
ment at sight of her fleeing figure, and
few fat old fellows said unintelligi-
Ill, i,l,
of laughter.
Her cheeks were burning, her breath
was coming in gasps as she came in the
little square marking the one-time