Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-24

now. l walk the streets looking like
nothing human and l feed on offal
and l cry 'Wallababy'-'Wa ababy'
and when | cry it a hundred times. or
maybe it's thousand, / get a penny.
And when I get pennies by the thou
sands the steamer, that won't take me
for a fireman because I'm not strong.
Will carry ME to New York. And she
will be there. And | shall see her.
But before that l shall see her here
For she is in the paper. 1t is her pic
ture that is in your paper. Right on
your knees | saw her picture in the
paper. That is what | was trying to
ask you for. That is why | came into
your rooms when you went away, al
though they'd have put me in prison
again if they had caught me. caught
me just looking at the paper. I've
got to see the paper. I've go to see
her face-her face that is in the pa
per"
He sat painting and wiping at his
forehead with his rags. Through the
window came the heat and the faint
jargon of the High street My own
brow was beaded. | looked at the
poor broken thing before me and |
think | marveled at its greatness
from the secretary and laid it before
him. | am glad that then l had the
decencv to turn away
Standing at the window | heard INN
behind me breathing heavily. FOR
long time that was all: the ripple OF
the High street and the breathing VI
this creature in the rags. 1hen there
was sigh, long trembling sign
that seemed to come from Whatever
in him was vital: that seemed TO oe
carrying out with it his lite ana per
haps his soul. ! faced about he was
moving to the door.
stop" I said sharply. y" mere NJ
you goirg?'
AS he turned I saw his face. l DO
not like to remember his face
II am going back he said with
dead calmness Il am going back TO
Cayenne.
"Nonsense." I cried and tried to
grasp him But he picked up the
rotogravure section and handed IT TO
me Eleanor Valants eyes OF deplhs
unfathomable looked into mine. Be
low danced the few lines OF text
- Romance -" Greatest actress A.,
.Wonderful stage career abandoned
|-"Morganstern. multi-milionaire OF
the zinc trust'-''Married"- Bride
declares she has gained idylc nap
piness.'
I sat down SUDDENLY. In silence the
Wallababy slipped through the door.
A moment later I heard him passing
the conStables on the High street.
"Walla. baby, Walla. baby.
He was saying the last of his thou
sands.
7 rushed out after him. He had
| disappeared. The sergeant at the
| police station said he could be found
easily enough. But he couldn't. Jud-
| son. who knows about everything.
! spoke next morning extensively OF
| this. 49,
! "Devilish queer" said Judson: the
| Parma doesn't sail until Monday and
! there's been nothing else clearing.
Perhaps he played out and died.
Perhaps" l said.
y X !:
I'M New York | saw Eleanor Valiant.
She had enjoyed her tea and she
was giving the waiter a ten dollar tip.
He looked at her with doglike deVo-
ton. And Eleanor Valiant was in an
aura of tender. still graciousness. In
her eyes were depths unfathomable;
such depths as are in some womens
souls.
Don't look so CHASTITY" said the
man who was with me. And what's
that you're muttering?'
"Walla baby" l said.
Copyright 1920. Printed by arrangement with
the Metropolitan Newspaper service and
The Washington Star.