Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-26
II. (Continued)

eemed to Adam to fill the streets as
with a crimson light, whose center
was himself. Would people stop? How
would he feel II they did? Oh. bosh!
Wasn't he a beggar? Then why try to
be a chooser? Confound the thing,
what q racket 1t made!
Hold out gel hail" yelled the
butchers boy above. the din. Gee, you
look swell doing that" q
And Adam obeyed, holding out his
silk hat, a little rumpled from the
hats for all Of that. From on high
came a little wad Of paper which fell
upon the sidewalk with a jingling
sound. The butchers boy seized upon
it and dropped the coins it contained
into the white satin lining of Adams
hat. "A passing man, who looked as
though he were q prosperous burglar,
dropped in a nickel, with an amused
twinkle in his eyes, and a woman with
a shawl over her head and a baby
in her arms stopped by the nearest
area rail to listen, her wan face, light
ing up as though she found pleasure
in the brazen tune. The janitor. a
surly NJ dressed like an, engine driv-
er, in soiled jeans. came out and grim
ned approximately over the broom
handle on which he leaned with q
grace and langour that appeared ha-
bitual. High on the granite cliff Of the
apartment house a window opened
and a second wad Of paper sped down
ward. spreading a. little shower Of
them up and gave them over to
Adam, who suddenly found the game
immensely amusing, and started a
second tune with. renewed vigor. The
butchers boy raised his voice above
the strident waltz.
$50 long ole SPORT" he shouted.
Give me regards to the collidge fell
lers! I gotta be goin'."
And true to his word he hastened
off, having stayed for just one tune.
Evidently he was a lad of character
and determination, and bound there
fore to succeed in life. Already Adam
pictured him surrounded by marble
fce-chests and rQseate strings of the
best sausage: the presiding genius in
a sort of super-butcher. shop. He
watched him go with regret. He was
a nice boy and had given him some
ideas. Then he turned his attention
to the music again and played IN,
holding the hat out SUCCESSFULLY. A
fat and slatternly woman gave him a
nickel, and then Is there seemed to be
no more money coming from this sit
the money, some twenty-five cents in
all-and put on his hat. Then he look
ed over at the bake-shop, shifted
hungrily, and gathering up the han
dies of the gan crossed the street,
leaving the little group which had
played audience to discuss him de-
lightedly.
The bakery was small and hot, and
at this hour filled with an humble sort
Of folk who consumed porridge and
coffee and doughnuts from the thick
earthen-ware dishes. They were none
too fastidious in their manners, and
the tables were of bare enamel; but
Adam ate his frugal meal with a gusto
hitherto quite unknown at breakfast
time. and thought ne had never tast-
ed food so delicious. And when he had
finished and strolled out into the u
once more, much Of the depression
and all Of the bitter h~opelessness
which he had felt toward life, had
left him. And so Adam. lounghg
coat tight about his evening regalia
and casting a speculative y about
him, began to feel, that, SO far. at
any rate, poverty was not such a ter
rible thing, and, indeed might
be considered an amusing game. A
feeling of recklessness came over him.
Why not keep on in this way, for to-
knows what might come tomorrow ?
A job, perhaps, or an idea as to how
to reinstate himself, though the latter
seemed unlikely. For, though Adam
had often enough lent a helping hand
among his acquaintances, a sort Of
fierce pride, stung into being by Mon
roe's gibes and his own sudden recog-
ing any favor. II he could get hold of
something and make good. we'll
enough. If not, there was the hand
organ beneath his elbow, and, after
all, why not use it.? He would keep
uptown, where he would be unlikely
to meet anyone he knew, and after a
while he could leave the organ in some
go back to his world in the end and
humble himself to Monroe, what a
lark this would be to recount! He
had had adventures before, but MOTH
ing to compare with this for original
ity! So he lifted the shafts once more
and proceeded northward, delighted
with the sensation his progress made
in the now fully awakened streets.
On and on he pushed, ever north
ward, swinging across presently to
Riverside Drive, where, the palaces of
the Doges, the terraces Of the Borgias,
colonial villas and Spanish haciendas
rise above the shelving gardens
stretching to the river and the walls
Of the Palisades, standing opposite
like some endless Gibraltar. Here the
way was smooth and pulling easy, but
when Grants Tomb rose like a bub-
BILE against the sky, he turned east
again, where Columbia College loom
ed in sight.
Many street orners had promised
we'll as profitable ground for an timer
ant musician. but he ignored them all,
till now, choosing one well surround
ed by flats and shops Of the domestic
brand, and, resuming the pose Of the
first performances, he began to play.
y I'll get enough money to take me
DOWNTOWN" he reflected. This Is be-
ginning to be a little boring. My feet
pumps, I guess. I wonder II I want to
be an organ-grinder after all? Yes, ]
guess I do. Till I get money enough
to buy some lunch, anyway. It's near
ly noon now. Oh we'll! Organ-grindine
isn't SO bad. I'd exchange$it for scc1e-
thing less conspicuous. though. if
had the chance"
And 50 forth, in a fluent stream OF
rather aimless thought, while a con-
siderable crowd gathered about him,
one or two contributing. From where
the Columbia. library rose in its classic
beauty, came a little knot Of students
lowering o the edge of things. I'm
mediately they assumed the same pre-
mise al the butcher boy: that Adam
was undergoing an initiation. Among
them was the usual smart Alec who
informs the credulous.
TITS Risky. the half-back," he ex.
planned to the two ignorant freshmen
who accompanied him. "Bein' hazed
for Delta Psi. v know
The freshmen were duly impressed,
and told all their friends about It that
noon at commons.
Presently q lady pushed her way
through the little circle with Its linine