The Washington herald., 1920-09-18
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.


antiologist, and is all posted up
on data and such Information.
From s p. m. to two in the
morning was the halberdier's
hours. He got two meals with US
help and a dollar a night. / eat
with him at the table. He liked
me. He never told his name. He
was travelling impromptu, like
kings, / guess. The first time at
supper I says to him: Have some
more OF the spuds, Mr.. Freling-
huysen.' oh, don't be so formal
and offish, Eighteen says he.
Call me Hal-thats short for
halberdier' oh, don't think I
wanted to pry for names says I.
I know all about the dizzy fall
from wealth and greatness. We've
got a count washing dishes in the
kitchen; and the third bartender
used to be a. Pullman conductor.
And they work, Sir Percival,' says
l. sarcastic.
Eighteen says he. as
friendly devil in cabbage
scented hell. would you mind cut
ting up this piece Of steak for
me? l don't say that it's got NOR
muscle than l have. but And
then he shows me the insides Of
his hands. They was blistered
and cut and Corned and swelled
up till they looked like a couple
of flank steaks criss-crOssed with
a knife-the kind the butchers
hide and take home, knowing
what is the best.
'ShOveling coal says he, and
piling bricks and loading drays.
But they gave out. and | had to
resign. l was born for a hal
berdier. and I've been educated
for tweRty-four years to fill the
position. Now quit knocking my
profession, and pass along a lot
more of that ham. I'm holding
the closing exercises. says he, OF
a forty -eight-hour fast
The second night he was on the
job he walks down from his cor
ner to the cigar-case and calls
for cigarettes. The customers at
the tables all snicker out loud to
show their acquaintance with
history. The boss is on.
'An-let's see-oh. yes, An
anaTchism.' says the boss. Gig
arettes was not made at the time
when halberdiers was invented
The ones you sell was, says Sir
Percival. 'CaporaI wins from
chronology by the length of
cork tip So he gets EN- and
lights one. and puts the box in
his brass helmet, and goes back
to patrolling the Rinslosh.
He made a big hit, specially
with the ladies'. Some of 'em
would poke him with their fingers
to see if he was real or only a
kind of stuffed figure like they
burn in elegy. And when he'd
move they'd squeak. and make
eyes at him as they went up to
the slosh. He looked fine in his
halberdashery. He slept at 81 a
week in ballroom on Third av-
enue. He invited me up there one
night. He had a little book on
the washstand that he read in
stead OF shopping in the saloons
after hours. I'm on to that"
says l, from reading about it in
novels. All the heroes on the
bum carry the little book. It's
elIneT i dHldluS OF Liver OF ftOr-
ace. and it's printed in Latin, and
you're a college man. And I
wouldn't be surprised. says l, If
you wasn't educated too But il
was only the batting averages of
the league for the last ten years.
One night, about half-past
eleven, there comes in n party of
these high-rollers that are al
ways hunting up new places TO
eat in and poke fun at. There
was a swell girl in a 4O-H.-P au-
to, tan coat and veil, and a fat old
man with white side whiskers,
and a young chap that couldn't
keep his feet off the tail of the
girls coat, and an oldish lady that
looked upon life as immoral and
unnecessary. How perfectly de-
lightful,' they says, to sup in a
slosh.' Up. the stairs they go:
and in half a minute back down
comes the girl, her skirts swish
ing like the waves on the beach.
She stops on the landing and
looks our halberdier in the eye.
"'You! she says, with a smile
that reminded me of lemon sher.
bet. l was waiting upstairs in
the slosh, then, and l was right
down here by the door. putting
some vinegar and cayenne into an
empty bottle of taBasco. and
heard all they said.
Tt says Sir Percival. without
moving. I'm only local color.