Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-08-09
AVISION OF A
METROPOLIS
By MADCE ELLSWORTH
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

There is In New York what is called
the Riverside drive. on which stands
General Grants tomb. A long strip
Of park overloOks the Hudson river
and the heights. or Palisades, on the
opposite side.
One summer night young man In
evening dress sat on a bench In this
Riverside park. He had been during
the evening-well, perhaps 1t is better
not to say where he had been. New
York is an artificial city and possess
es many attractions for those inclined
to gayety and at night is an illuminat-
ed pleasure ground. In its streets. some
Of them bright almost as day with
electric lights, one may see a mixture
Of every degree, from the highest to
the lowest.
This young man, n student in Colum-
bia college, had been spending the
evening to suit himself and before
going to his room near by wished to
get the air in the park. 1t was desert
ed except by himself, and he found
luc CudHkt IIOm Tue
crowds in the streets refreshing He
sat some time without a single per-
son passing.
Extremely drowsy, he was falling
into doze when he suddenly became
conscious that there was some one sit
ting on the other end OF the bench.
Rubbing his eyes. he looked and saw
young girl. her head resting on the
back of the bench, her face, which
was very pale, turned upward toward
the stars. She was fiashily dressed,
and the student had but little doubt
as to the class to which she belonged.
He was about TO rise and leave the
park when the girl said In a faint
voice:
Take me- to my room"
"Are you ILL.," he asked.
unto death"
'Where is your roOm?"
mot far. Come. will show you"
She put out her hand for him to help
her TO rise. and he noticed that 1t was
cold. III assisting her he did not need
10 exert any strength. for she was
light as n feather. Indeed, II did not
seem TO him that there was any weight
Mt all in her. She put her arm through
bis and leaned on him, but still there
was no weight.
Have you no homer" he asked.
! She shuddered Don't speak to me
OF home. When a girl comes from the
country to New York home is a thing
| OF the past"
Not all girls"
They walked on in silence. The arm
resting on his was not only cold, like
her hand, but there was a dampness
about 1t that seemed to chill him to
/ the very marrow. Moreover he fan
/ cied he heard n faint gurgling, like
/ running water. The route to her room
/ lay through lonely streets. and the
student would have been glad TO be
free from her. But he feared that If
he dlsengaged himself she would fall.
SO he walked on. constantly yielding
TO the chill Of her presence as II a
woman OF ice were walking beside
him.
There IL a park on the other side OF
the heights from the Riverside drive,
and into this the two descended. Pass
ing n bench. the girl sank down into
it. saying:
II can't go any farther"
Seeing that she was falling from the
bench, he held her up. and. believing
she had lost consciousness, he laid her
out upon IL. He chafed her hands and
famed her with his hat. striving tC
revive her. Finding that she still re
manned unconscious. he put his fac,
down 10 hers to learn II he could de
tect warm breath. He could not
Placing his hand on her heart, ht
could not feel its beating.
The student felt troubled. He wa:
too chivalsous to desert the girl. Wher
she came to consciousness finding
herself alone might turn the scale
against her And yet he was no
sure that she was dead. Suppose b,
were found In such situation with ,
dead girl. His whole life would b,
, blighted. He knew not what TO do
He tried once more to revive his com
, panion and. failing, resolved to go 70
assistance. 1t would be far better 70
I him to go, find some one TO help ant
tell straight story than to be foun'
! at dead of night with a dead woman.
. The park is narrow, and the student
= crossing #. entered one OF the street
near by. Catching sight of police
g man, he called to him and told hir
: there was woman In the park VIII
needed assistance. But few minute
: were required to go to her. and on tn
] way the student gave the cop a bar
: outline of what had happened. a
they approached their destination tn
4 atudent was SURPRISED TO find th