Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-26

trail terminal. Outside, at the curb. he
paused, his eyes and ears bewildered. 1t
was the first time he had ever seen New
York at night, during the theater hour.
Thousands of vehicles twisting in and out,
surface cars changing g passage through the
streams of hur.ying humans, dazzling.
changing lights. His brain was prepared;
he had often visualzed New York, London.
Paris; but for all that, the actual fairly
stunned him.; there was a glory to it and a
menace.
Here was this world outside he had always
longed so keenly to see. \
Across the way was a giant hosiery, bril-
liant with lamps. Bancroft eyed this with
humorous speculation. That vast rookcry
had many a queer nest in it: there would
be the crow, the peacock, the sparrow and
the hawk; and somewhere a bird by the
name Of George Bellman. Surprising he
put up there for the might and get the lay
Of the land? Providing he could pass the
censor at the desk. II they baked at his
suitcase and his derby there was always
Aladdin's lamp in his pocket-$10,000. Com.
forting thought! ,..
Behind him stood The Shadow, smiling
tolerantly. The poor boob didn't known
what to do, eh, or which way to turn?. 1t
was a great temptation to offer the hick
SoLllO. III oSAN VIC 1icN
banned any such Samaritanism
Seeing an opening, Bancroft, strobe for.
ward resolutely, The Shadow at his shout.
der, ready to give him a friendly shove if
he hesitated. The worst thing that could
happen to the Great Adventure Company
would be the accidental humping off of Col
lingswood jeremiah Bancroft. Lord, what
a monicker! Sounded like one Of those
~oofty-goofs that got into the Sunday sup.
plements for nothing. And jeremiah his
middle name, too! The passage was 4
in safety, however. But as Bancroft started
to mount the hotel steps; The Shadow
slapped his hand to his forehead.
Holy smoke! I'll have to witness this,
whether he pipes me or not. They'll give
him the air with a s~pringboard. Q, the
poor hick!' -.
"A room with bath, please" said Ban.
croft, adding a smile to his pleasantly modu.
lated voice. 1T
One glance was enough for the clerk. The
intelligent face, brown and clean, the clear
gray eyes, meant nothing, carried no mes
sage. In the great hostelries of New York,
clothes alone make the man. That derby!
Sorry"
"Just a moment" interrupted Bancroft,
still smiling. MY hat and clothes are the
fortunes of war. I cannot 60 rowing about
the streets in this attire; Chaplin is too
well known. / want a room and bath; IL
you haven't that, a whole floor"
There was a simple and dignifed way out
for the clerk. He could have asked IL rese..
walton had been made, and, on being in
formed to the contrary. announced that
there was no hope. Instead, he believed
he might very well have a little joke. to
recount later, to Tighten the tedium. !,
There is nothing left but the ambassa-
doris suite, sir. I can give you that"
Every WE'LL" said Bancroft, who hadn't
the least idea what the ambassadors suite
signified, socially or financially. He, ex.
tracted his packet of bills, so respectable in
thickness and so formidable. in numerals
that the clerk was rendered speechIess.
How much will it be-" asked the victim.
The clerk, finding himsel hoist on his own
petard, named the extortion. Bancroft
counted off the sum, then signed the register.
He had come through; but he never realizet
that the victory had been due not to his
personal magnetism but to the strength of
his wallet. Ny \
The change on the clerks face-from han.
teur to Observation-Disclosures carefully noted
by the bell.boy. who darted toward the
recent object of his contempt. When he
took the key, which he recognized, his ewes
popped. He knew instantly that here was
a British duke who had either gone into
the movies or was the victim of a hold.up.
IN !" This way to the lift, sir!"
The suite appalled, Bancroft. Mirrors and
gilt and plush and mahogany; oriental rugs
and tapestries, paintings-and bedroom after
oearoom. bath after bath, comparing favor
ably with some palace he had seen in tho
home picture-books. Tom CAVITY. Bancroft
had always wondered about that bows sen.
sations where the ermine had been thrown
across his shoulders; he had some plimmar
now. p 1l
HIS ready laughter broke out: His sense
OF humor was we'll developed. and had in
fact, served to keep him on the. optimistic
side OF the fence. despite the periods. Of de.
pressing unhappiness.g A good start:,rto
storm New York in this fashion, and to
squeeze a laugh out Of it. The Great Ad.
venture company couldn't have done any.
tn1ng peter than this. That bed there. with
It's sultanic splendor, was almost immoral.
Having satisfied his curiosity, he searched
the walls for the bells and rang for the
valet. - III -"
want evening clothes, with short coat.
a nfteen collar. shoes six and a half, and a
brown or gray fedora, size seven; also a
dark gray business suit for morning."
:" Yes. sir. You'll be wanting q top.coat
too. sir" said the valet respectfully. A man
wearing the habilments Of the iragpicker
would have. been treated respectfully-in4
these hallowed confines.
At half after eight he regntered the lobby
and went to the desk. with the intention Of
depositine the bull; Of his money. His an.
pearance-the ease with which he wore hie
borrowed plumes-cornpleted the 1,moral.
zation OF the clerk. -
Having deposited his money and received
his receipt. Bancroft sailed forth for his
first lecture In the University Of Streets. He
wandered west, peered into shop.windows..
glanced curiously at the men and women
who passed him. stared at the automobiles
and philosophical upon the evolution OF the
wheel; crossed Fifth Avenue and paused to
admir the colossal beauty Of the Public
library. Hero would be q great place to
browse IN. once he became domiciied. He
came; presently to the most famous, inter.
section Of streets In the western hemisphere
Forty; second and Broadway-where the
8 animated electric signs flashed into Ills
a8tOniShed ewes. A