The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-08-09

ON his bench In Madison Square
Soapy moved uneasily. When Wild
geese honk high of nights. and when
women without scalskin coats grow
kind TO their husbands. and when
Soapy moves uncasily on his bench
In the park. you may know that win
ter Is near at hand.
A dead leaf fell in Scapy's lap.
That was Jack Frost's card. Jack
Is Kind TO the regular denixens OF
Madison Square. and gives fair
warning OF his annual call. At the
corners OF four streets he hands his
!. .pasteboard 70 the North Wind. foot.
man of tho mansion OF All Outdoors.
20 tha, the inhabitants thereof may
make ready.
Soapy's snind became cognixant OF
the fact that the time had come for
him to resolve himself into a singu'
lar committee Of ways and means to
provide against the coming rigor.
And. therefore. he moved uneasiiy on
hls bench.
The hlbcrratoriai ambitions OF
Soapy were not Of the highest. In
them there were no considerations Of
Mediterranean cruises. OF soporific
southern skies or drifting in the
vesuyian bay. Three months on the
Isiaud was what his soul cravcd.
Three months Of assured board and
bed and congcnIai company. safe
from Borcas and .biuecoafs. seemed
- 46apy ths sassnca u things -.
nzrnbla-
Yor years tns nospliabls Black
welI's had BEEN his winter quarters
Just as his more fcrtunase fellow
New Workers had bought their tick
ets 20 Palm Beach and the Riviera
each winter. no Soapy had made his
humble arrangements for his annual
hegira 20 the Island And now the
time was come. on the previous
night three sabbath newspapers. dis
tributcd beneath his coat. about his
ankles and over his lap, had failed
ito repulse the cold as he slept on MS
bench near the squirting fountain IN
The ancient square. So the Island
Ioomed big and timely. In soapy's
mind. He scorncd the provisions
made in the name OF charity for the
eity,s dependents. In Soapy's opin-
ion the law was more benign than
philanthropy. There was an endless
round Of institutions. municipal and
eleemosynary. on which he might set
out and receive lodging and food ac-
cordant with the simple life. But TO
one OF Soapy's proud spirit the gifts
OF charity are cncumbered. II not In
coin. you must pay in humiliation OF
eplrit for every benefit received at
the hands of phila lanthropy. As Caesar
had his Brutus. every bed OF charity
must have its toll or a bath. every
loaf OF bread it's compensation Of a
private and personal inquisition.
wherefore - Is better to be a guest
of the law. which. though conducted
by rules. does not NEEDLE unduly
with a gentleman's private affairs.
soapy. having decided to go to the
Island, at once set about accomplish
ing his desire. There were many
easy ways Of doing this. The pleas
antcst was to dine luxuriously at
sorne expensive restaurant; and then.
after declaring insolvency. be hand.
ed over quietly and without uproar
10 a policeman. An accommodating
magistrate would do the rest.
soapy left his bench and strolled
out Of the square and across the
level sea OF asphalt. where Broad
way and Fifth Avenue flow together.
up Broadway he turned. and halted
at a glittering cafe. where are gath
cred together nightly the choicest
products Of the grape. the silkworm
and the protoplasm.
Soapy had confidence in himself
from the lowest button Of his vest.
upward. He was shhven, and his
coat was decent and his neat black,
ready.tied fourth hand had been pre-
sented to him by lady missionary
on Thanksgiving Day. II ne could
reach a table In the restaurant un-
inspected success would be his. The
portion Of him that would show
above the table would raise no doubt
in the walters mind A roasted NAL.
lard duck. thought soapy, would be
about the thing-with a bottle Of
anu ~
dernitasse and a cigar. One dollar
for the cigar would be enough. The
total would not be so high as TO call
forth any supreme manifestation Of
revenge from the cafe management;
and yet the meat would leave him
filled and happy for the journey to
his winter refuge.
But as Soapy set foot inside the
restaurant door the head walters
eye fell upon his frayed trousers and
decadent shoes. Strong and ready
hands turned him about and con.
veyed him in silence and haste TO
the sidewalk and averted the ignobIe
fate OF the menaced mallard
goapy turned of Broadway. II
SBeemed that his route to the coveted
island was not 10 be an epicurean
one. Some other way OF entering
limbo must be thought OF.
At a corner Of Sixth avenue cleo
trio lights and cunningly displayed