Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-20
TRAVELS IN PHILADELPHIA
A Twenty. Minute Diary

/ tion Huu Deen Iate,' ana tine evening Hlr
on the platform had whetted my appetite
| to an amazing degree. Then when | was
safely on board and settling myself into the
warmth of the cushions, what must heart
| less young brat across the aisle do but take
| out bag Of peanuts and begin noisily TO
| MUNICH them and to exhale the delicious
doors Of his roasted food On such occa
sions a distinguished French author once
recommended sprinkling the car floor from
| flask of benzine to kill the scent of victuals,
but having no bensine on my person turned
| from this soulless creature and stared out
| of the window.
What I at first bchcld there enraged me
! still more, for the sky to the west beyond
the station was all glowing, quivering pink
| like a monstrous bowlful of jelly. islanded
| with dark little berries of purple cloud.
! Then the train gave n quick heave ana
| ground mercifuly off toward the south. inc
| tall black stacks and tho acres of fiaming
blasts at Midvalc rushed by me under the
| sunset the powerful hum of thousand
| huge machines roaring out heavily above the
| rattle Of the train; acre on acre ot bue ht
! windows below Jungle of stacks-the
! swift confused vision Of binding curls OF
orange flame. the white giows of hot flow
ing metal-and then suddenly the cool Hash
| Of snow. and the calm vision of lines ot
| long quiet yards behind low bright houses
| children sleds pulled up to the kitchen
doors, and within the little houses the app'-
| tiaing glimpse of plump housewives bearing
in the steaming plates of soup. GROUND
my teeth but in moment the vision was
gone. A moment later in quick rise and
rush the city clutchcd in about me, with Its
snow patched lousetops, its low smoking
chmneys and the slender crossbars OF
wireless antennae wherever there are hall
grown boys, in pairs hungry for TINS mys-
terious friendly intercourse through the ctner
across half dozen yards of tin roof II
took my hunger away to see tho thing spread
out there before me. already unnoticeaDlc
and commonplace. pulsing Invisible me-
setting in the humbcst places, its mark
of the dextbless romance of youth that now
ventures toward strange horizons where no
feet of youth have ever trod before.
DOWN below, iu the fash OF passing
- street saw boy helping a girl over
slide in the gutter Then far of rose q
Jagged line of church spires. sharp and
thorn ike over the trees, against the deepen
ing sky.
:Tiosa. Ny>t station Huntingdon
street.
ATOW the city's darkcniug sky line began
to loom closer above me two tall chin
4 ''As' 'nN' sla'N -Va'u ''Pr,u ny D
'ousn OF smoke ochu'ns no, 'nNdru Wv
erinS factory OF DiazlnE glass rcacp'us up
toward tho zenith-a structure four square
and unoycly of line. hut all one reach OF |
ClittcriuE window, a very Amicns of indus |
try that. with its banks Of mercury lamps, !
CLOVIS under the sunset Ilkc great O'ue
lantern r anu oeeo",eS tn,us nII pe
tapC! "''u'' ~ w '''' 's'''u ''"" "'' "
'N'auu'n P''''e'' ,,;
NO" came pluosc ir'" cutting
'aue. VI rretm''n :. ""'r' I''N e"o.i! Wa
u',lns U" a'' e'snt VI Wv SNS Wv"
,nv ""'h. io'I uerd' i"s UIv. o,Sn, I, VIZ it'
'a,',uS "'s''''eu iV''''e' o"'e "u' "''"'" WI"
gov,
huntingdon S''ee''
c,r>r-r,,- ,...,. ,,,r.ho,o,I ,,.;,h ..osb md |
lash barrels tuft'd with snow swift |
vista down cross street OF TWO 'ous Stra'ght /
steel lines. LIT by trolley neadisht. ana
then to the south far of glimpse OF two |
yelIo" oval clock faces on clty iau. over
against the sunset rise the tau twin towers
OF cur Lady OF Mercy on brona street. |
and the slender pencilpoint spire OF Bethlehem,
and further to the SOUTH over swamp. |
growth of low chlmueyS. the ta'l oriental
lanterned dome and square campanllc of |
Kenneth Israel. !
Then a bcwildcrinS fash Of shop lights |
swung into view-a long line of double arcs. |
the lines of shimmernS car tracks. the close |
crowds of moving men and women. and right |
at hand. little lonely boy, Sravcly Hopping |
down hill on cheese box
Columbia avenue
SN'"' "ease' anu era! V" '"' lons nat
ROOTS OF sneuS' pu' S'l" P'eu III hl''e |
Shr'nElhg cushiou" u" N'S 'i'uS auu wagon /