Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-16
ELLEN ADAIR GETS
HER FIRST PEEP AT
REAL LONDON LIFE
On Way to America After
Her Mothers Death, Sad
English Girl Is Amazed by
Sights.

I think the common places OF COM
mon life are more romantic than any
fiction. But no trumpet heralds the tell
ing of a common tale. no glaring foot
lights illumine the vital happiness of
life For the human soul shrlnks from the
limelight, and even to itself will scarce
admit its inmost secrets And yet this
story of my life will show the very heart
OF me
\ week after mothers death. the kind
ly little lawyer who was negotiating af-
fairs for me- had obtained my passage
to America and accompanied me up to
London to complete the final winding UP
OF business matters. With a sad heart
I bade long farewell to the humble
folks in the little English village, and
to the cottage on the dear Sussex Downs!
In two hours time we were in London,
and on the morrow I was to sail for
America. It had all been arranged so
swiftly. so suddenly. but in that crowded
week ! was glad that l had to work so
hard-giad that l had had but little
breathing space for thought and remem-
brnnce' The hurry and the hustle dulled
tho first sharp pain of my loss, and took
the first keen sting of bitterness away,
INVITED TO DRIVE.
Come come. Miss Adair," said the
little old lawyer fussily as together we
stood at the edge of the pavement at
oxford Circus, that great corner, where
in roar and a very whirlpool of traffic
the great Regent street and oxford street
unite: Come. come; YOU must he hungry.
Since our business Is concluded | wish
to take you 20 dine" and he beamed
aftahly upon me.
But above the roar OF the traffic his
thin ana reedy voice quavered uncertain
ly. and nv thoughts were with the crowds
around. | stared transfXed and fas-
cnatcd a veritable country cousin. A
young, tall. hemeted policeman stood
alone amidst that seething mob. and with
one upiifted hand kept back n hundred
flying taEis. wagons and motorbuses.
Alone he stood there as with the divine
right of kings; for rich and poor,
co-cnetcd carriage and careering lorry
obevcd his slightest sign. And then at
last the upllfted hand was lowered, and
the traffic like some wild Gagged thing
that can i'll brook restraint, leapt forward
with a great, dull roar again.
ELLEN Adair," said the little lawyer
testify. II am not young. and ! never
was patient. We have stood her for ten
minutes exactly Behind us are the win
dows CT Jays establishment. just cram
med with hats, and gowns and women's
fal-de-ras And If you will turn around
and gaze right there can excuse you
being a woman and necessarily foolishi
But We cannot continue right here gaz-
Ing in space and obstructing the Kings
highway"
could not but smile, ana come to earth
again. Across that awful street we must
Co." said the little man, '"f we are to get
to Plccadillv tonight by Tube bus or
taNi-or any way at all. And to trust my
life to the whms of that lanky Irish
boy in the policemans uniform is a poor
legal proposition But need must" and
selling my arm he plunged us recklessly
into the traffic. What might have hap
pened I do not know, but I cast one de-
spalring glance on the young policeman,
and gallantly he responded to the oc-
casion. At a wave Of his hand the traffic
halted TO let us cross.
AMAZED AT CROWDS.
We reached the entrance 10 the oxford
street tube. and paused once more. II
was clock on fine July evening, and
the tall-hatted, froCk-coated London bust
ness men We're hUrrying to their trains
The passages to the Underground. these
strange subterranean passages which
wind far below the London streets, were
full Of hurrying men-to me they seemed
like so many frightened rabbits scurrying
IN their warren
1T would be a pity to go down there
this glorious summer evening"" said J.
even for n short time. It is only 6
o'clock and we have still more than three
hours Of daylight. l would love to ride
on a London motorbus."
The little lawyer waved a frantic cane
10 the first of long line OF great flying
motorbuses, which. like huge Jugger-
nauts, we're careering down Regent
street. The red-faced driver wheeled
sharply into tho pavement and without
even stopping the vehicle. the conductor
at the rear leaned out and fished us both
up while they were still moving.
thought II amusing. but my companion-
alarms was more at arms than ever
"Preposterous behavior!" he stormed
aloud. IT have never yet known London
notorious 10 really stop for man or
beast! One Is literally picked up by The
scruff Of the neck, heaved in. and later
on gently deposited in the same manner
upon the pavement, while the bus keeps
up the theory OF perpetual motion.
shall report this to the London County
Council. Just see n don't, sir!'
ENJOYS SIGHTS.
We scrambled on top, clinglns tightly
20 the railing of the narrow winding
staircase But once Rloft the view was
glorious and the pace exhilarating. For
we went as fast as any taxi or private
car, we darted in and out OF tiny spaces
in The traffic with eel-like energy: we
wheeled ahead OF many smaller car
with hair-raising rapidity The roof vas
packed with people, and projected far
out over the main body of the big yeh.-
cle-and as we lodged and twisted, in
and out, curvetting and wheeling gaily
in the crowd. / felt that we vera des-
perately top-heavy, and must certainly
overturn. But nothing OF the sort oc-
Cured. and we turned sharply into Pic
cadilly.
Around the great fountain IN the centre
Of the circus were bright splashes of
nrtrnsnn rnll nlnE and hEllntr1lna For