The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1922-10-11
Befogged in
New York
By JUSTIN wENTWooD

anu n0O almost given up trying.
He had experienced all the various
stages of descending poverty, and had
come to face the lowest-the pos
sibility Of abandoning the effort to re-
establish himself and becoming
vagrant. His touch on the realities of
life had grown almost imperceptible.
He began thinking about the wide
spaces of the "open." That is bad
sign in an ambitious young man of
twenty-five.
Then the fog came in from the At
lantic. New York might have been
London for all one could see of what
was happening. Taxis crawled past,
and pedestrians apologized to one an
other and asked where the buildings
had gone to. And then
Jim saw girls face, pure, spiritual,
sweet, almost against his own. And
he heard the most melodious voice in
the world say:
"Oh, please excuse me! Is-isn't
that the Sharp building over there?"
I'll don't know" Jim stammered;
and the next instant she was gone-lr-
retrievubly gone, and something
dropped softly at his feet.
Jim picked it up and carried it into
the entrance Of a large building. It
was not the Sharp buildng-that was
long way distant. He looked at the
little bag in his hand, opened 1t and
found tiny empty purse in it. There
was nothing in the purse except the
name, Miss Alice Richards, and the
address, 80 Swayle avenue, Jamaica.
The fog was clearing away, and the
fog cleared away from Jim's brain
too. The "wide spaces sank down
into that region of dreams that must
remain dreams If man is to live and
work in the world of men. jim tackled
his problem again, but with convic-
ton that brought conviction to those
whom he interviewed
Three days later he was employed
at decent salary in the one place
that he had never dared to tackle. A
month later he was beginning to be
rehahilitated. In three months he had
opened savings bank account
All the while the little bag, his mas
cot, rested in drawer in his room.
Some day he meant to find the owner
and restore it. Then-would he dare
to explain, if those sweet gray eyes
offered encouragement
Sometimes he thought he would and
sometimes he thought he wouldn't.
But six months afterward he entered
train at the Pennsylvania terminal
and went out to Jamaica.
Swayle avenue was depressing. 1t
consisted Of a double row Of cheap
wooden houses inhabited by foreign
population. Negro children swarmed
in the street, slatternly negresses Cos
siped at their doors.
And 81 was tie worst house in the
row. A pleasant-faced young negress
came to the door and grinned at hi1n.
"Sure, I'm Miss Alice Richards" ahe
smirked. "What can dc fob your
With leaden heart Jim produced
the bag. Miss Richards had never
seen it before.
mo, dom know nothing about that
there bag, Mistah,' she answered. II
done never seen il befoh nohow."
"But look. there's your name and
address inside it," protested Jim.
The girl took the paper and looked
at 1t upside down.
"Mebbe.' she adnitted, "but, yo' see,
I CANT read very well, Mistah."
'Then I guess I'd better CO." said
Jim.
Il guess you had" admitted Miss
Alice frankly
Jim had reached an impasse. His
inquiries had led him nowhere. 1t was
absurd to ask Miss Alice whether she
had white friend with pure, spir-
itual face and gray eyes who might
have borrowed her bag.
And he turned-to see the girl of
his dreams confronting him upon the
step. And the girls face turned from
blush-pink to rose-red under his eager
scrutiny.
"Why, that's my bag she ex-
claimed in wonder as Jim handed it to
her. Didn't Haven't I seen you
somewhere beforeY"
Jim was just able to find the words
Of explanation, and the girl broke into
happy laughter.
"Why, Alice is MY laundress !" she
said. "A friend gave me her address
and I was going out to see her on the
day we met in the Cog"
Somehow they found themselves
walking down Swayie avenue together,
chatting as if they had been old
friends.
Its fortunate for me that you hap
pened to be coming here just at the
same time did," said Jim, otherwise
we might never have met"
Suppose we hadnt?"
"Well," said Jim, "1'd like to tell
you about that when I've told you the
rest. Will you give me the chance
some day."
"I'll give it to you almost any time,r
she answered softly.