The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-05

avenue whose distant the rising red
rapidly burning the lingering mist
NJ pungent mingled with the acrid
soide-ng the noss with wreath
At short intervals the sweet silence that should
rudey broken crashing pistol the
crack of orpeos OF the rnueous note OF TN norm TOT the Gay
the Fourth of July in a great American city
b Counter in his little laundry smoking and thinking His
pgeOnhoes utterly empty
windows of his nearest rival
beyond the blue blouse and brown
serawny pushing the faron the squat
figure Of Wing Lee the proprietor paeay ong ane neg
daily growing richer while Sam Lee grew poorer
ana poorer week y IKE nine in his teeth and sent M cloud
Of smoke in which his thoughts seemed to
toll? Must he back empty handed to the
hills and the little village where rested the bones OF many
ancestors and abide the wagng of tongues and
As he smoked and thought eyes watching
Wing the bell above the door of his own shop changed
invisible After moment
anu FTa called to the dmnutiye dark but bis voice
revolver from the sidewalk and
whole boxfu of China crackers discharged
simultaneously in the street in front of the laundry opposite
thought the trouble which the urchns
the shirt which
the parcel contained and them throwing It upon neap OF IN
clothing under the counter sought the interior of his
But Sam Lees most vivid imagination
of the little episode At that
blocks in hall bedroom of board
the quiet respectable side street sat another young
smoking thinking of home Like SAM he also was
Lee smoked pantaloons
shirt OF course there was no Improperly IN scn azure IN tne
gentIemans bedroom hot July morning but
intrnsted to the child of the cook whom he had
ayIad only his
the in his wardrobe
like all his other worldly possessions dress
spring high hatn Culpeper and therefore
unavailable iHerate authors manuscript
the of his brief existence
himself such predcament To be prisoner hide
a waiting a
1arn 70 do mn his solitary shirt was bv far the least of
his tronIes for s was an optimst The real woe was the
the fear that after all he might fail to find
seden Van Ardens lawn party.
felt independent The dime reserved to
prudential motives
promised of his murky Mercury carefully in
ucted bring the indispensable garment back at O'Clock
I+ b m d betS onn and strong dtsnense With a con-
and walk the requisite distance into the without
Fourth of July to wilt his newly
AS for the future that could the past had
itself His board paid for nearly
the had teegraphed for would
some time though he could hardly nope Tor 1t on honday
But Letice! Would she surely be at the swell function he
listen TO him With obstinate coolness or dismiss him with playful
mockery the timethe regrettable
made that unucy stupid speech? Or would
battle him moreeude him again as she had done that
June night but five daysor it five wekssinee
jumped aboard the midnight train to follow her to the nhos
pitabIe
could not make Tece his own before midnight she Would sail
high water in the morning for Europe artistic career
The long hot, forenoon crawed Gusts
revoved these thoughts Noon brought redoubled
bu OF bells and artillery Then after an hour or So the heat
steadily augmenng and the small boy having indoors
SabbatcaI
due hosty and the long walk 70 Ieice and
what:
But che quarter no
black urchin appeared.
a captive
ia hall He his havn
hastily b1oned his to chin
The foosep skirts
short black boy Cust1s
gil
satc Involuntary drawing
thought of hts unconventional attire
li.fle boy"
why" Maggie OF a work.
with his I'm gonx
Briefly Custis rendering
the maid 20 bring mis- laundry
Certainly.
q Where's the checkf
givepr'
on exclaimed Maggie ne must
don't give checks"
minutes = parcel brown
question to such a finely