Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-14
Tobacco Pouch Tales
Stories for Children

otOiiCS SHluicu
"7NELL US story for cold night" said
l. the children, as Daddy picked up the
storytelling pipe.
Well" said Daddy, Il don't believe there's
much magic in the tobacco this evening. It's
too chilly. But did you ever hear the story
of Bryant Six Four Hundred?"
0NCE upon a time there was little boy
" called Bryant, who lived in an apartment
house. 1t very tall apartment house
such as you sometimes see, with great Dig
stone entrance opposite a lovely square, ana
glass revolving doors. There was beautiful
elevator, with man in green uniform to run
il up and down. And in the hallway was a
queer little desk called telephone switch
board where n young lady sat all day push
ing green wires into little holes and shout
ing out numbers. At one time Bryant had
bocn puzzled by this lady, for just as he
was going by she called out his name with
number after it, like this Bryant Six
-Four Hundred And when he said 'ies?
very politely. she laughed, and after that
she always called him six Four Hundred"
Sometimes he heard her call out other num-
hers to him as he went past her desk but as
he did not quite understand lUe JoNe nc oHlS
smiled and said nothing.
DRYANT was what YOU might call for
ID tunate little boy. The apartment where
he lived was bright and sunny; it was high
up in the air like birds nest; from his bed
room window he could look out and see peo-
ple walking in the park. The apartment
was always warm and comfortable. There
were some golden pipes called radiators in
ovarv room These interested him very
much ever since the day he had put a plato
of butter on top of one Of them and found
that it turned into soup.
The only thing that bothered Bryant was
,hot his nurse so particular about his
nlaymates When he went out to play in the
mark dressed in his snug little ovcrcoat and
iepgings with his corduroy hat with ear
tabs and his warm mittens with fur around
tho wrists he often very interesting
children, dressed very differently, TO whom
| he made shy advances. But his nurse, who
had stupid ideas about these things, would
| sometimes grab him and hurry MN away
| lust as the fun was beginning.
| DRYANT was especially interested in the
| d janito.'s children. sbecause he had
learned that they lived in a mysterious
| region called the DdSelIlSHt' iie uSeu " HopS
! that the elevator on its way down would go
so fast that it would drop past the hallway
| and reach that strange place; but Fitz, the
| elevator man. a, ays disappointed him by
| ,urning the handle too soon and bringing
| IN. car to a stop sometimes, peering
| Loyn through the side of the car. he could
| hear the voices of the janitors children
| con,inp up the shaft. AS he mad no brothers
| or sisters he used to wish very much that
| ,hev would come up and play with him. He
| asked Fitz about II, but Fitz said they were
| forbidden to come upstairs.
| NNE afternoon great thing happened
~ BRYANT and his nurse were just going
ou, 20 the park to play snowballs, for 1t was
| n hitter cold winter day Just as they got
% the front door his nurse found she had
sorpotten her handkerchief She told him 10
vail In the hall while she went up again I'm
| ,he elevator to get It. Now Bryant did not
mean 10 be disobedent, but he had found
that at one end OF the hall was a little stair
way that led down to the basement. He
could not resist the temptation to run down
and explore. particularly as he could hear the
sound of voices down below. The telephone
lady was busy calling out numbers. so down
| he went.
II was a very fascinating place down
| there. In the distance he saw the GLOW oi