The San Francisco call., 1910-11-20

Deen lIlumlned.
Through the sunny morning tide OF
Kearny street at 10 O'Clock, Arnold
came to Portsmouth square near the
golden galleon OF the Robert Louis
stevenson fountain. He was gently
drunk and the air was cool after the
night When he reached Fish alley
among the squawking Chinese venders,
he debated for time-ana Went on
up the hill: he had forgotten some
thing, or wanted something-he could
not remember which.
Miss Cranberry was sweeping down
the front stairs of her lodgings between
the family liquor store front and the
lace curtained door Of Sedainfs; she
paused a moment in the fresh morning
to evade the dust skurry she had raised
and looked about The street was still,
save for the children at play in Happy
alley The old woman went to the
lamppost to beat the dust from the
mat and now discovered her ehler
lodger half way up the outside stairs
to the balcony.
why, good morning. Mr.. Hammy,
she cried "And so you slipped away
and were married on the sly We
waited for you the whole evening
Mary and Sammy and that big man
from the woods. He was disappointed
for he must go north today. How
the bride?"
"Wen." said Arnold. in the illogic
of liquor ''Everythings all right,
Granny-and I want to get in-fnd
handkerchief"
why your rooms are open," she
answered. astonished, and came nearer
"Of course" retorted he, and re-
treated upward. She came to sweep the
porch. He was fumbling in the litter
on his dresser She blinked at the mud
on his patent feathers and on his trou-
sers, much perplexed and wishing TO
question him, but his mood did not
invite
THE dear heart-the dear heart"
began Miss Granny. II suppose you
kept her at the Palace? You are think
ing of a trip Mr.. Hammy?"
''Trip?-Oh. yes-trip" He was
plungfng about among tentative de-
ceits his dulled brain hopeless of eX-
planation. ITS all right, and don't
you worry. And maybe we-won't re-
turn tonight, Granny"
And he backed away, warily watch
Ing her as she gaped in wonder at him,
unguessing his plight All night he
had been about numberless resorts. now
staring vacantly at his companions
now arguing brilliantly on multitude
of matters. With mutter to the old
womans perplexity he gained the
street and then Portsmouth square.
where he paused to see a group or
pudgy Chinese infants playing with an
abject dog under the acacias. IL was
the lavender pup from the country up
in back. and to him IT skunk. dragging
a length Of ragged rope by which the
woodsman had tied it to Grannys pal
cony.
The drunken man lifted the clumsy
brute; he gave dime to a squat chi
nese boy I'm a head dress of gilt ana
pink and with dirty lowered trousers
and another to Yet Kai. the opium pipe
cfa IN
by. as a reward for some sort OF con-
structive rescue of the country dog.
and then went on, gravely wiping It's
muddy feet with the. clean handkerchief
he had found at his rooms.
"Old lad" he murmured. stick by
me. 1 want you. pup need you.
Just be square with me. lad, ana you II
wear diamonds"
The pup cringed; he was forlorn,
frfendless, and that was not right THIS
pleasing morning in Hams eyes. he
paid 10 cents for some meat scraps at
Coffee Johns. and then. after the pup
hurried. furtive eyed mastication. the
adventurers went on. Arnold spent
rowing hour on Kearny street Being
hungry he ate and remembrance re-
asserting he drank deep and orten-
BY noon he had driven the little stlngs
from his brain, the qualms from ms
stomach the WEAKNESS from his legs.
a
out among such rushing people in the
sun with no care, and the pup 10 amuse
him At bar after bar he took the en-
purpled pun from under his coat and
set 1t on the wood and drew laugh
ing coterie with his recital OF the
woodman's story-the dog that
wouldn't be boiled. But ever, when the
crowds had grown and the laughing s
was at It's best, the jester withdrew.
mordant and alone fought his way
through the streets alone, fed as one
haunted from the revelry he evoked.
From the last foray he crossed Lotta
fountain to the Chronicle corner and
came on Angelo Polaechi oenlnG
clothes basket of violets and hanked
with chrysanthemums. so that Angelo
Italian eyes shone from a flower bank.
for all the world like a manikin in the
centerpieee of a rich mans table
Angelo sold flowers for Pietro Scifoni'
whose wagon rumbled in every morn
ing from the San Mateo road; he was
always delighted when Arnold ap-
peared for the young man never failed
to hail him fraternally, buy violets,
give treble the price and display to
all the curb vendors that Angelo was
the protege of a most great man, a
"politico'-yes. surely great man,
and rich. for did not Angelo get two
bits for himself, as well as selling
9leITO pOSlco
Angelo was so buffeted about by
sweetness that Arnold could not tw1g
his ear as was customary, but he
bought a whole armful of yellow chryS-
anthemums. rewarded : the boys on
either side of the favored one as Wen.
hailed Pietro, Giuseppe. Old Soldi. each
/, by name and with inelegant merri-
, ment. and then suddenly discovered
! that laughing group was about him
and that he had hung a chrysanthemum
wreath about his own neck. That was
. funny and yet-wen it was all right
, and he laughed with the joyous morn
ing people,
So Mr. Arnold gained Market street
with distinct self approval-it was
right and logical enough 10 disturb the
! flower market; the sun was fine, the
day young He drifted on with his
| chrysanthemums, and at noon was IN
the Maplewood cafe, where he made the
PUP lunch dismally on terrapin. while
, he went behind the bar to instruct
5 Fergy in compounding a granite
face
r And presently he had a group OF
5 cronies about him, Mamie Murasky
: and Louis Ferreri and a prize fight
2 promoter with a SonoTeno bun fighter