The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-08

A men where to md what lies
nearest your heart and you
will win an answer. The scientist
viii tell you how to unlock the
magic of nature. the miner where
To eunearth gold and silver. the
Astronomer just when certain
comet will pass across our little
Stretch of heavens. but which OF
them can tell you where to look
fDr genius?
: Certainly the most learned stu
dent of the human face would never
have picked Leon Kantor as
musical prodigy II he had happened
70 see him on his seventh birthday
en- the smelly, crowded sidewalks
Of Allen street
And yet Leon was distinctly bet
ter dressed than his companions,
ewing to this very birthday. He
wore a cheap suit of cotton with q
little round hat. and his face ana
hands were spotless as he sauntered
from the portal OF his fathers brass
6hop to flash his grandeur on the
peiRhborhood.
Abraham Kantor paid no attention
to him; he was too busy converting
newly bought candlesticks and jars
into antiques. The RUSSIAN exile
ngarded his work with the eye or
IN artist. 1t was worth while to
buy a factory product for dollar
and with the aid OF a blowpipe and
little acid. to remove it's freshness,
fmpart to il an air of ancient re-
sbecta bility and sea- 1t at 600 per
CENT profit.
-Abraham's little subterfuge. in
the language of the day, was only
q means to give - public what 1t
wanted. And be.:des the worker
had a family, and rearing up
family in New York was vastly
more expensive than bringing one
w In Kiev.
Leon Stalks On.
.Kantor labored on while Leon
With both hands in his pockets
stalked forth enjoying the COM
rAents on his new suit and wonder
ing how long 1t would be before
some jealous acquaintance trans
lated envy into words,
His mother, who attended to all
the domestic arrangements of the
family thrust her head from the
window behind the fire-escape and
peered out into the ghetto for
sight of her son. He was nowhere
Visible. and she resorted to the time
honored method of mothers and
called to him. Leon heard her, but
paid no attention; such an opportun-
ity as he now enjoyed would prob
ably never come again. Mrs. Kantor
made a trumpet of her hands, but
Leon walked on secretly proud,
eating To he challenged.
ON the corner of the next street
A-group of boys of his own age was
playing craps undisturbed: further
along a little girl with wide appeal
ing eyes and one thin leg supported
by a brace, was leaning against the
aide of tenement gazing with
something of awe into a garbage
can Rather fearfully she bent over
and drew forth a cat, understood,
underfed and too weak to resist
even her small fingers. Around her
shoulders was an apology for a
shawl such as the small girls of the
ghetto often wear, and the child
with a swift motion huddled the
famished kitten close to her breast
with a maternal motion of tender
ness, pathetic and unconscious.
She stood there rocking back and
forth while the boys shouted at
their game, and bundle-iaden men
and women crowded in front of the
pushcarts that lined the curb.
Curiosity is one of the perquis1tes
Of childhood; Leon kantor, hands
still in his pockets, watched the
game until II ceased to amuse him
and then his glance wandered to
the figure swaying back and forth
and hugging something under the
bit OF shawl.
He walked over and grinned and
the little girl smiled back.
watcher got?"
A New Angle.
She unfolded one end of her shawl
and displayed her treasure.
Gee, a kitten-I know a Teller
that's got a dog"
She covered the kitten and gazed
at him without making any remark.
He silence seemed disconcerting; he
ndgeted and then with abruptness
enlisted her attention.
~ can wiggle my ears, can your"
She tried and failed, whereupon
he gave a specimen of his ability.
Her lips relaxed into smile. The
unusual is always appreciated, and
here was a boy with unique gifts.
Her smile encouraged him to other
facial contortions, and he was en-
gagged in thus showing off when the
crap game came to an abrupt end
and he found himself the center of
a gaping group.
The girl Rugged the kitten with
the hope that her possession would
pass unobserved. Vain delusion.
Her vain anxiety was her undoing.
."Whatcha got hid?" one of the
larger boys challenged her.
-"Nothin'." She shifted from one
foot to another.
-'Sure you have, ! seen 1t wrig-
gle--betcher it's a pup"
"'Tain't pup, it's a kitten, and
it's mine"
Half dozen hands stretched
forth to seize the prize, and the
girl, with a despairing look at Leon,
frightened the shawl, prepared to
night to the last.
Might makes right is one OF the
laws of child life in the slums as
elsewhere, and Leon Kantor forget
ting his new suit and seeing only
the smile and the look In the eyes
~ 81 har MI oil