The Washington herald., 1920-06-30

vor of life until he has known
poyerty, love and war. The just
ness Of this reflection commends
Il to the lover OF condensed phi
losophy. The three conditions
embrace about all there is in life
worth knowing. A surface think
er might deem that wealth should
be added, to the list Not so.
When q poor man nnds long
hidden quarter dollar that has
slipped through q rip into his
vest lining, he sounds the pleas
ure OF life with a deeper plum
met than any millionaire can
hope to cast
II seems that the wise execu-
tive power that rules life has
thought best to drill man in
these three conditions, and none
may escape all three. In rural
places the terms do not mean so
much. Poverty Is less pinchins;
love is temperate; war shrinks to
contests about boundary lines
and the neighbors' hens. 1t is in
the cities that our epigram gains
in truth and vigor. and it has
remained for one John Hopkins to
crowd the experience into a rather
small space of time
The Hopkins flat was like a
thousand others. There was a
rubber plant in one window; a
fea-bitten terrier sat in the other
wondering when he was to have
his day.
John Hopkins was like a thou
sand others. He worked at $40
per week in a nine-story, red
brick building at either insur-
ance. Buckles hosting engines.
ehiropody. loans, pulleys, boas
renovated. waltz guaranteed in
hve lessons, or artificial limbs.
Il is not for US to wiring Mr..
Hopkins avocstion from these
outward signs that be.
Mrs. Hopkins was like a thou
sand others. The auriferous tooth,
the sedentary disposition. the
Sunday afternoon wanderlust, the
draught upon the delicatessen
store for homemade comforts,
the furor for department store
marked-down sales, the feeling
Of superiority to the lady in the
third floor front who wore gen.
uine ostrich tips and had two
names over her bell, the mucDag-
inous hours during which she re-
mained glued to the window sill
the vigilant avoidance of the in
stalment man, the tireless pa
tronage of the acoustics Of the
dumb-waiter shaft-all the at
tributes of the Gotham fiat
dweller were hers.
John Hopkins sat. after a COM
pressed dinner, in his glove-fit-
ting straight-front fat. He sal
upon q horn-blende couch and
gazed. with satiated eyes. at Art
Brought Home to the People in
the shape of THE Storm tackled
against the wall. Mrs. Hopkins
discoursed droningly OF the din
ner, smells from the flat across
the hall. The hea-bitten tsrriol
gave Hopkins a look of disgust
and showed a man-hating tooth
Here was neither poverty. love
nor war; but upon such barrer
stems may be grated those es
sentials of a complete life.
John Hopkins sought to injec
q few raisins of conve rsation in
to the tasteless dough of exist
ence. Putting a new elevator II
the nominative noun. "and tn,
boss has turned out his whis
hers"
you don't mean it," commented
Mrs. Hopkins.
''Mr. Whipples," continued John
''wore his new spring suit dowI
today. I liked it fine. It's a gre!
with" He stopped. suddenly
stricken by a need that made it
self known to him. II believe II
walk down to the corner and ge
q Ave cent cigar" he concluded.
John Hopkins took his hat anC
picked his way down the must!
halls and stairs of the fiat-house
The evening air was mild, ant
the streets shrill with the care
less cries of children playint
games controlled by mysterious
rhythms and phrases. Their ei
ders held the doorways and step
with leisurely pipe and gossip
Paradoxically. the fire escape
supported couples who made n
attempt to fly the mounting con
fagration they were there to fan
The corner cigar store aimed a
by John Hopkins was kept by /;
man named Freshmayer, VIII,
looked upon the earth as a steril,
promontory.
Hopkins. unknown in the store
entered and called genialIy for hi
bunch OF spinach. car far,
grade" This imputation deepen
ed the pessimism of -Freshmayer
but he set out a brand that cam
perilously near to filing the or
d-r. Hopkins hit cff the roots o
his purchase. and lighted up a
the swinging gas jet. Feeling II
his pockets to make payment, h.
found not a penny there.
say. my friend" he explaine,
tsankly. I've come out withou
say change. Hand you that nick
sl 1rst time / pass"
joy surged in Freshmayer'
fssrt. Here was corroboration o
bis belief that the world was rot
ten and man a peripatetic evil
Without a word he rounded tn,