Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-11
IRA AVELS IN PHILADELPHIA
Bv Christopher Morley

faint lilac haze of interminged gentle hues,
sifting through the ring of stained windows.
Ihe eastern window over the high altar
shows one brilliant note of rich blue in the
rolds OF the Madonnas gown. over the
cleaning terrace Of white marble steps hangs
great golden lamp with small ruby spark
glowing through the twilight. Below these
steps a plainly dressed little man knelt in
prayer all the time I was In the church
The air was family fragrant with incense,
having almost the aroma of burning cedar
wood. A constant patter of hushed footballs
on the marble floor was due to the entrance
and exit of stealthy worshpers coming in
Tor few minutes of silence in the noon
recess
JUST around the corner from the Cathe-
= dral one looks across the broad playground
OF the Friends Select School on to the bright
cheerful face of Race street. In that 1900
block Race Is typical Philadelphia street
OF the old sort-plan brick houses with
slanted roofs and dormer windows, white and
green shutters and secured marble steps.
was surprised to notice the number of signs
displayed calling attention to "Apartmen ents," +"
Vacancies" and Furnished Rooms" Ger
tainly / can imagine no pleasanter place to
lodge. with the sunny windows looking over
the school ground to the soaring figure of
Penn and the high cliffs behind him. Romance
seems to lnger along that sun-warmed
brick pavement. and peered curiousiy
at the windows 80 discreetly curtained with
lace and muslin. wondering what quaint tales
the lnndadles Of Race street might have to
impart II one could muster up courage
enough to question them. In the news stand
and cigar store at the corner of Sixteenth
I made a notable discovery copy of Henry
Ford's new Sunday school paper, the Dear
born Independent-the Ford International
Weekly he proudly subtitles it. bought a
copy and took II to lunch with me. / cannot
say II left me much richer nor L fear will
II leave Henry that way. Much can be for
given Henry for the honest simplicity of his
soul, but the lad who's palming off those
editorial page notices on him, In blacl-face
type, ought to face firing squad. This Is
the way they run:
"where buy we sieeps" inquired the royal
The sweetest rest ON earth is bought with
work.
And this:
The truth Of equal opportunity is this,
Life. deathi love. hope and strife. no man
may miss.
Or again:
when profit 10 won mt the cost Of "A princi,,s
The winner has lost-this law is invIneibie.
Henry. Henry--didnt that cruise on the
OslIar teach you anything? 1t seems too bad
that Henry should go to the expense of
founding a new humorous journal when Life
IL doing we'll He would have found II far
cheaper to subscribe to the Chatting Dish
NOMING back along Arch street l fell in
" with Billy the Bean Man. You may have
seen Billy on the afternoon OF the marines
parade. selling necklaces Of white and scar
let beans on Broad street. clad in his we'll
known sombrero. magenta shirt and canvas
trousers Billy IL n first-class medicine man.
and he hits this town about once a year
He wore the cleanest shave ever saw. but
his dark William J. Bryan eyes were mourn
full He tried to lure me into buying a neck
lace by showing me how you can walk on the
beans without breaking them. picked and
strung by the aboriginal Indians of the
Staked Plain" he assured me ''and brought
by me to this home Of eastern culture A
sovereign remedy for seasickness and gout"
Billy" said. you amaze me- Last year
those same necklaces were curing mumps
and metaphysical error"
He looked at me keenly. "Oh, IT'S you, is
IL? Say. this is a bum town. Business is
rotten. I'm going on to Washington to-
morrow.
.'sell one to Senator Sherman" I said !;
and passing by the allurements OF Dumont's
matinee--"The Devil m Jersey; He Terrified
woodbury.. but He Couldn't Scare Us'-I
raln11 the safety Of the once