New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-08

III have a letter Of introduction to
you, ma'am," he said, and he laid
down his hat, got out his glasses
put them on, took them OFF to polish
them, put them on again, and began
to search through his many pockets
and the many papers in them-for
the letter.
Meanwhile he did not interrupt
his explanations. His son, he con-
fided, was deaf and dumb, and they
had come to New York to have him
taught lip-reading at the Deaf and
Dumb Institute. He had transferred
his business from Chicago and
opened Offices in the Cranmer Build
ing, but he had found it impossible
to leave the boy alone in hotel,
even though he had engaged a young
woman from the institute to come to
their rooms every morning to give
him instruction in reading. The
boy, to tell the truth, was backward
Of course. Naturally.
Barney looked it. He was regard
ing the poses Of Lincoln's Cabinet
in an old steel engraving over the
piano with dull endurance.
Still in pursuit Of the letter. Bah
bling had taken out his pocketbook
and in searching through it he
spilled out number of hundred dol
lar bills on the floor. She instantly
unbent at sight of them and helped
him pick them up, in spite of his
polite circumstances. He was very
fussily annoyed by his own clumsl-
ness, and he crammed, the bills into
his trousers pocket with no appear
ance Of respect for their value.
She asked: won't you sit down
Mr.. Cook? You say you have let.
ter Of introduction to me?"
II have, ma'am, if I can find it. ,
"From whom?"
From your friend Mr.. Wall
bridge. He was going through the
envelopes from his breast pocket, for
the second time"
"Wallbridge?"
"Of Chicago. Charles J. Wall
bridge. Yes, 'em."
She seemed puzzled. IT don't
recall the name"
Here! / have it," He handed the
letter to her with an air Of triumph
She read it. She re-read it. Anc
it was evident, during the second
reading, that she was making up hel
mind what to do. Babbing watched
her over his benevolent spectacles
When she raised her eyes to his she
smiled in the way that is called
"fctcning''-when it succeeds.
my name is Mrs. Dart" she said
"This is for a Mrs. Andrews who
has lodging house across the
street. And her tone in reference
to Mrs. Andrews and the lodging
house" was sighting.
Babbing stammered: cam I
Have L Across the street a'am?'
CAT one-twenty-fve."
"But"-
She pointed to the street number
in the supcrscription Of the letter
cts the fault CT the typewriter, yor
see. There's both a five and a six
One glance satisfied Babbing that il
was even SO. He plucked off his
spcctacles, distressed and apollo
getic. II beg your pardon
Dart"
"Mrs. Dart, l beg your pardon
I've been wasting your time. I've
intruded on''--
"Not at ALL" she interrupted, with
formal politeness. "I'm glad to have
met you. I don't rent rooms, OF
course. This is a private residence
My son and his wife live here witt
me, and we rent our top floor t.
some young men--business men
who are friends Of my sons
Butt
Babbing was not listening. HI
looked around him as if he were
rather lost. "Across the But
that's the north side, isn't it? Anc
I particularly wanted a back room
that would be sunny" He appealed
to her in a manner of bewilderee
helplessness.
"Mr. Cook" hesitated--
Il don't know who the gentleman i.
who has referred you to that house
but do know
He broke in, uneasily: "Wall
bridge? He's a stock broker, man
don't know him very we'll, excepr
in a business way"
She nodded several times, com