The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-19
Roofs

II you have dwelt upon the house
tops: if you have gone to spend the
night with your dear friend whose
apartment is high over head; II you
have ever folded your arms upon your
typewriter and gazed athwart the
glooming Hats. in other words. II you
observe. you have observed that there
exists Il most delightful and charming
state OF eccontricity about roofs They
slope or lie fiat or yambol across ones
vision like great pillows Of tin and
slatc. some encrusted with wire and
all punctured with chimneys and
dotted with little frlngy things with
which mankind liz wont to adorn the
sopinost parts of his dwelling place.
a roof Is. Of all inanimate objects,
thing most human. It's cracking and
tainted red and green arms wave at
you IN most grotesquely humorous
'nshion. and It's very edges and corif-
ers turn piquant noses and eyebrows
up In spite to sedate chmneys and
ancient and honorable gratings You
come to yourself with a terrible ,ump
at the startling familiarity of a mere
tiled roof: you have lived next door TO
that house and gone happily in and
out or Its front door. and even planted
seed with the owner in the backyard,
but when you have looked down upon
lis SNUG shortness from many stories
you are surprised that tho life of it's
inmates has not boon an open book to
you all this time. There are wide. fat
roofs that you arc perfectly positive
have the warmest and latest OF hearts
reaching out to shelter all humanity
They have come-my- children at
titude. and thither you have rushed
with NIL speed and all pleasure for the
IN nyner 1,4.
stretched out to you. Some are like
low-browed and stern men, whose ter
rible and thunderous no" is only ex-
ceeded in ferocity by the black ana
Intense yes" that they utter There
are wicked little spikes upon the tops
OF these roofs for the unwary, and
no birds play about It's sullen chirnneys.
Many stretch in arid plains of nothing
at-all and have about the average in
teiliBence OF the stupid woman who
would not understand a simple OK
planation for all the bobbinl of her
great diamond earrinKs
roof is practically unexplored
region. Once. you remember, YOU
climbed up after the man who was to
clean chimneys and danced in sheer
unalloyed pleasure about the rideeo
and red painted height until old UncIe
Lazarus turned upon his periIous perch
OF boxed and bricks. and, all covered
with SCOT as he was carried YOU pro
testing from the new found paradise
you gaze from a window at n bit Of
roof and you are entirely conscIous
mat there is one over your head thar
Is. unles you have adopted the heather
ish and healthy custom of sleeninp
out under the stars, but Won nave
get a real good idea OF the extent ana
dominion of your own stretch OF Tin
until you have once glimpsed II and
hunted II out from among all the other
prosy bits OF construction on yonr
square. 1t Is shock
You never knew 1t was ~ ho,
before: In your innermost soul YOU ha.
SIN NJ once 10 make excuse for a.,
shainbiinB and awkward appearance. y.
thouBh IL We're some dear heart abusad
IN your hearing. and you read from vour
1907 the hidden secrets of your house
hold. From the very twist Of III.
pipes coming up from your open IRE ~
steam heat, may one read at once ~
there is n shrew below baking cake.
TOT Il saint or gentle Jane. WARMING
II Sadding husbands slippers against
Fis return. anon. Broad and wise old
qtretches of tin and slate, hiding ca
Niuch, revealing and concealinc thu
gerry thoughts of the dwellers and go.
lxourners beneath their shelter, II vou
would read characteristics. IL vo,,
would search youg neighbours life.
throw wide your window gaze unon
MS roof: but should you desire to know
thyself-go next door, climb to your
heighbor's window and look down
upon your own chimney pots and note
whether the birds have sought their
ir'ehoy sheiter BRENT WITT.