Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-23

The just swinging into South Thrd-st -
you know, that the lowest part of the dive quarter
At the first street the stopped, and in
swarmed fourteen rufians, fashiy dressed, laugh
ing drunkenly, splutterng oaths exuding the fumes
of bad liquor and most of them smoking AS they
tumbled and jostled past me- they hid from the
girl the other end. l half rose, regreting that
hadn't moved up beside her, when the roughs began
to enter.
"a burst of insulting, hooking laughter startled
l pushed my way through the crowd, the
conductor withdrew to the rear platform, closing
the door behind him The toughs were SPRAYING
themselves on the long seats One of them, pre-
tending to be jostled off his balance, had seated
himself in the girls lap, took his companions by
SURPRISE and they made way for l rushed
toward her. Without pausing to measure the odds
against to plan defense, | seized the big
rough He happened to be the biggest and the ug-
est of the bunch, the leader. | yanked him to his
feet and slammed him into vacant place between
two of his friends opposite The girl, very pale
and showing anger only and fear, rose and stood
beside me- Our eyes met, and in the comradeship
of danger was born feeling of intimacy which
long years of conventional friendship could have
produced
There a pause,-one of those Gains that are
heavy with forewarning The girl trained her
steady, courageous eyes on the roughs near us,
and they covered and showed their shame But
this did not last. The Jeers and curses of those
farther away reused the leader and his group.
Wild drunken yell, and the fight began,-one against
me helpless, unable even to struggle. With dozen
of them holding me- and with my brain Keeling
Grantley paused for self control
Good God!' muttered, and knew why the
beads of sweat were standing on his forehead.
Il saw them dragging her toward the rear of the
car" he went on. Il struggled like an insane man.
indeed, was quite insane. But what the
use? They bore me toward the front of the car,
if | had been a child in l was helpless
hepless The big brute who had started the trouble
now stood out from the crowd facing He was
mulatto very light, with wicked eyes, and long,
yellow white scar from his left temple across brow
nose and mouth to the right side of his chin. His
Scared lips were drawn back in SMILE and his
eyes laughed as they looked at me- helpless in the
clutches of his pals. They say that the mixture of
breeds is what makes mulattO vicious and so
terrible. But think it is because his white blood
makes him contemptuous of the black race, while
his black blood cruelty bars him from the rights of
the white race. In that mans eyes blazed the hate
of the halfbreed for the white.
:" Let's throw him in the street and kick his nut
off, yelled of his pals striking across the
face.
Hold on, boys!' said the mulatto, with mock
They released me 1 looked past the mulatto
and the face of the girl, her eyes strained and
agonized, her lips moving in prayer, guess And
those roughs were holding her To go toward her
was impossible,-the mulatto blocked the way,
if had had the strength. To get out of the and
call for help was impossbe,-there were at least
The mulatto threw back the lapel of his frock coat
and drew from upper pocket of his loud wastcoat
a razor.
l, listening ntently, shuddered and my flesh crept
"A razor!" Grantey repeated. He closed his
eyes: saw that he was slckly pale Then he
continued with eyes stu closed he tilted his
with great flourish threw open the razor and began
to sharpen 1t with the greatest dehberaton on the
palm of his left hand The girl gave terrible cry;
The men around me seized me again, those around
her held her fast. The mulatto wnked at his pals,
eered at me- and said L want fine edge for this
Job
The roughs roared at this jest, and released me:
Silence fell again, as the mulatto advanced toward
me with grOteSque cakewalk tread.