davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1924-06-29

I'D like it, awfully il you'd go to
dinner with me some night" he said.
Miss Robinson smiled. Her smile
was an acc eptance.
Gould YOU by any chance go to-
night" hel asked.
'Why--' she hesitated-
Well go to Cyrano's." he finished.
Why yes" Miss Robinson said.
I'd like, to-
Shall I call for you at $780,"
Yes she said. And again the de-
licious curve of her cheek cut off her
smile as she turned to go home.
X X x
Joe rushed back to 44th street to
IEt on his new dinner clothes. No
need to insure the meeting of these
toussers and that waistcoat with
safety pins. The new trousers were
reassuringE long-waisted. Joe sur
found satisfaction. He was impec-
cable.
She came down this time in a little
dress Of black silk, with a big, black
fsat that framed her face, and ear
rings of coral. She was perfect Joe
entered Cyrano's that night as il it
was his habit to dine there.
Gold consomme, sir?" asked the
waiter. 1t was the same waiter who
had served Joe two weeks earlier.
Joe glanced at Miss Robinson.
"Oh, quite" said Miss Robinson.
Joe studied the menu.
How would You like the supreme
of guinea hen?'' he asked. "They do
that rather we'll here"
Miss Robinson acquiesced. And
after the supreme she acquiesced in
a watercress salad. And then she ac-
Quiesced In a demi-tasse.
Il can recommend the cheese a la
Cyrano." Joe said, with great ease.
IT'S a speciality Of the house"
Again Miss Robinson accepted his
suggestion. She was polite, even
agreeable. But she wasn't-well, she
was almost too calm, as if she were a
bit bored. Somehow he just didn't
get any further with her.
Joe lit a cigarette slowly while he
gathered himself for speech.
You know" he said. I'D like to
Evening star., 1924-06-29

grims comes to Handy, they buy
gold-dust from priests and rub It
all over that giantiferous tooth-cov-
erinE for keep him bright This holy
activity do no harm to Buddha &
do much more good to Hon. Priests,
which charge 1 rupee extra for each
rub. Some very naughty people
says that these poor persons is de-
ludded in what they does because
that dome merely hold the False
Tooth Of Buddha. But this do not
make some difference It are a very
holy place which gives millions Of
fiat-brained persons that Coney ISL
and feeling which they require while
wushipping Gotama Buddha, who
came to this world for to teach peo-
pie not to be foolish.
Outside that temple are a row Of
painted portraits, showing H-ll in
July. One OF those portraits describe
blue devils sticking forks into Tax
Collectors what have gone to Infer
nal Revenue Dept. after death. I are
willing to pay los for get that paint
ing put on Treausry Bldg, Wash,
D. c. 1t might do some good, but
would it?
Near to top-roof Of this Temple are
dolling little summer house where
the last King of Handy used to set
with his Kween & all his Handy
Kids watching 40 royal elephants
march by to show strength. But
this happen no more; for over 100 yrs
Of yore Hon. Handy King lost his
krown because Of korruption, kruelty
& kranky behavior. In 1916 Hon
Kongress Of Vienna permit England
to trade Java for Ceylon. This were
quite natural, because every patriot
ick Englishman are anxious to trade
coffee for tea when pussible.
Handy are famous for it's semi
precious jewelry. Most of it are very
semi. Hence the name. When first
Englishman come there & bought 2
gallons rubies. moonstones, sanires &
zircans for a annas (ssc) he look at
them and say distinctually. Randy"
This Miss Spelling are due to Arrak,
the national drunk, which he just
tried. Arrak are hooched out of the
cookoonut flower. When q native
inhale one ID glass of this Bever-
idge he start q revolution; but when
he partake two ca he forget about
1t and go to sleep under his sacred
COW. This keep Ceylon in state of
happy peace.
That King Of Handy, Mr.. Editor,
got one nephew now residing in Cey-
lon, and that gentleman very nice to
ask me & Nogi & Miss Tishi-san & o
Binnf-san for come take tea-drunk
at his palace. I got my stummick all
ready to bend up in royal bow-down;
but when I got there, what nnd? On
front porch there stand slightly
brown gentleman appearing Just like
Yale or Harvard or any other Ameri-
can business college. His name were
Mr.. Ratti Watti and were all
swollen from Joy to make his friend
ship. His home resemble any coun-
try club In Detroit. but while thsrs
ma sone di6ersnoA
"You wish play with my elephants,
Evening star., 1924-06-29

inson added. II mean. in the New
York manneE'"
WELL" Joe said. I'm not going to
pretend that I don't rather fancy 1t
myself"
They walked on a block in silence
and then Joe asked her what she
was working on.
FURNITURE" Miss Robinson replied,
with a touch Of bitterness. ITS an
impossible job. The client wants
sketches of rooms with his period
furniture. BUT he insists that every
detail OF his product must be drawn
to scale. And that throws the whole
drawing out"
That started them or talking shop.
Which was good for many blocks.
Joe didn't realize he had passed 44th
street, which was where he lived,
until they were opposite Hicks, half
a mile north on the avenue. Miss
Robinson called his attention to the
Hicks window.
Isn't that gorgeous?" she asked.
Hicks window was full of fruit
every known kind Of fruit. Yellows
and reds and green's.
"They have marvellous fresh fruit
sodas," Miss Robinson remarked as
they walked on.
It was all Joe could do to keep
from saying, "Shan't We try oneT'
But he did keep from saying it.
At 60th street she paused.
IT go east here" she said.
Joe decided instantly that he would
let her assume that he went farther
north. He didn't want her to know
that he had walked a mile past his
street. He raised his hat.
Good night" he said.
Good might" she answered. and
was gone.
He would have to ask her to dinner.
he decided, as he rode down the ave-
nue. on a bus. And in the meantime
he would look up places.
LIE went home and tried on the
- new waistcoat 1t fitted. But
it was short-waisted and so were his
trousers. Tho two met, but by a
dangerously small margin He hunt
ed up two small safety pins, and
al Ter HuCn pluuuS dIlu IcpiuuluS,
he secured tho waistcoat to the
trousers. Then 1t occurred to him
that he'd better go out and try a
restaurant-Cyrano' of course. He
would dress and go there
Dressing involved unpinning the
union between his waistcoat and
trousers, in order to put on a dress
shirt, and then repinning. In half an
hour he was In q taxi. In forty
minutes the waiter was suggesting a
cold consomme. and Joe was accept
ing the suggestion
And after that" he said, I'D like
the supreme Of guinea hen jean
nette."
He had no idea what 1t would be
like but he intended to find out.
VERY good. sir" said tho waiter.
and departed
Joe affected . slightly bored smile
while he studied the room. It was
he decided. quietly exotic The tables
Evening star., 1924-06-29
In the New York Manner
They Were Trying Adjust Themselves to the Metropolis

were small. the lights were carefully
shaded. the carpets wore thick
There was no music. At least a third
of the patrons were not in evening
dress. Joe wondered II the crowd al
Delmonico's was any more distin-
.guished.
The cold consomme was refreshing
but not exciting. He awaited the
supreme Of guinea hen with interest
1t proved to be cold also-it was
in fact cold jellied chicken. While
he ate 1t Joe wondered what kind
of salad a habitue of such a restau.
rant as this would order. He con-
sfdered endive. which he had always
thought unnecessarily bitter. He con
stdered watercress, which he hap
pened to like very much. He decided
in favor of the endive.
Sir" said the waiter. IT regre,
to say we have no endive."
"Hmmm." said Joe, and frowned
reproachfully.
4 Have you-by any chance-some
watercress." he asked.
, The waiter bowed
/. Yes, sir"
. When he had eaten the water
cress. Joe ordered a demitasse but
continued to study the menu. The
truth was he was still hungry. But
he didn't want a sweet. He con-
sidered cheese. He found cheese a
Ia Cyrano.
"wlrat" he asked. fs that-cheese
a la Cyrano?
That. sir. Is a specially of the
house." the waiter said. VERY good,
sir"
Bring me some." Joe said.
The cheese was very good. II
seemed to be 4 mixture Of cheeses
made into little balls. like butter
balls. 1t had distinction. Cyrano's
would do. Tho check was seven dol
lars.
Joe reflected that there was one
advantage in staying at homo nights
and working for six months. He had
money in the bank-enough SO he
could easily spend some on a pair
Of dress trousers designed for q
~d1SlCOd& "OulQ Oboef
them the next day.
He got the trousers. by insisting, in
a. week. But the moment he tried
them on he perceived that they de-
manded a new jacket That took
another week. So 1t was two weeks
before he waited for Miss Robinson
in the lobby again
This time he said. Hello. there
most informally when he raised his
hat And she responded as infor-
mally with a Hello"
She was wearing a new dress. with
cape and q hat to match-a cape
that rppled as she walked. His
elbow accidentally touched hers. And
for two blocks he couldn't think of
anything to say. What II he said
the wrong thing? And how could
he ask her to dinner?
But coming to Sixtfeth street she
happened to say something about the
Evening star., 1924-06-29

dance. Why don't we stroll down to
the Biltmore or the Astor?"
why don't we?" Miss Robinson
asked. So they did-that is. they took
taxi.
The music was good and she was a
beautiful dancer, after the entirely
restrained fashion recommended by
Miss Ponsonby-Smith. But somehow
Joe felt that she didn't specially en-
joy dancing with him. 1t was as il
some pail OF formality hung over the
occasion. That was the trouble with
the New York manner 1t was i'm
palpable, but it was also a little i'm
penetrable. It was smooth and
CLASSY surface.
And yet he knew she wasn't just a
surface. She was a keen workman,
drawing every day from 9 to 5
in fashion to satisfy one of the
most exacting advertising firms in
the world. And she was human, too.
She was capable Of warmth and
friendliness and laughter He knew
it Only somehow he failed to stir
all that in her.
Joe made a desperate effort to find
a subject that would arouse her in
terest But he couldn't. There was
just nothing to do but go home.
X \
TOE had the impulse every after
noon at O'Clock to wait for her
in the lobby. He repressed that. But
he found himself taking long walks
after dinner. Twice he walked all
the way up 5th avenue to 10th
street He found himself wishing
she wasn't SO perfect. II she were
only little more ordinary he'd feel
more at home with her. But, of
course. she never would be ordinary.
Anything she did or said or wore
would have distinction.
He had reached this point in his
reflections about her for the third
or fourth time when he realized that
he was actually walking across
60th street. He was almost exactly
opposite her house. He hurried on.
ner-he could get the subway at
59th street. And then it began to
rain hard all of a sudden without the
slightest warning-at least without
any warning he had observed Joe
instinctively ran. He reached seth
street but the subway was a
block east, at Lexington avenue. He
kept on running The rain came
faster. He lodged into the doorway
of the drug store on the corner
Evening star., 1924-06-29

knew exactly how to proceed from
tho stage OF 'Good-morning. MISS
Robinson" to the stage Of kissing
her goodnight just before you left
her at her own front door. Suppose
you could do all this quite perfectly
in Indiana What would you do in
New York?
But supposing he did get up his
nerve to wait for her and ask II he
might walk up the avenue with her
and that she acquiesced. What would
you do then? You couldn't very well
ask her to step in and have a soda.
That would be small-town stun. You
could ask her out to lunch. But you
didn't do that kind OF thing at Shot
we'll & Orme's- What he really
wanted to do was to ask her out to
dinner. But he could hardly do that
right OF. And. besides, what kind of
a place would he ask her to? The
truth was he didn't know enough
about restaurants to choose. He had
been SO busy holding his job since
he'd got down to New York that he
hadn't been around. Now he recalled
the story somebody had told him of
the young man from the middle west
who had met the perfect girl and
wanted to do the perfect thing. and
so he had taken her to dinner at the
Pennsylvania station.
Joe considered that he might ask
her to go to the theater. He could
casually mention the fact that he had
complimentary tickets to something,
and II she expressed interest he could
xNAlx Nd hA
manage to ask her to the theater.
what would he wear? His dinner
jacket, Of course. That reminded
him Of something he had written
about dinner Jackets In the booklet
entitled TN the New York Manner"
He had called especial attention to
the backless white waistcoat, cut In
the new short-waisted fashion. He'd
have to get one himself right away
It had been designed in London-for
dancing-cooler.
TOE went out at lunch time and
bought the white waistcoat and
had it sent home. At quarter to
he put on his hat and said good
night to his secretary and went down
TO the lODDy Oh Tie dho
waited for Miss Robinson. When she
came out Of the elevator he followed
her. When she reached the door he
was beside her. He lifted his hat
and said, why, good-afternon, Miss
Robinson" Just like that.
why, how do you do, Mr.. ThayerT
she said, and smiled.
II hope" Joe said, Il hope you're
walking up the avenue"
YES" she said. II am"
He fell into step with her.
He couldn't think OF exactly the
right thing to say next But he was
glad he was carrying a stick and that
he carried it as II he were used to
carrying it
Il heard today" Miss Robinson said.
that your booklet on mems furnish
ings has made a hit with the client"
Il had a lot Of fun doing It," Joe
said modestly.
That's a good slogan" Miss Rob-
Evening star., 1924-06-29

voE THAYER came down 5th
avenue swinging his stick a. II
he owned the street It was
~ that morning in April when
spring boldly announces herself: that
morning when the myriads OF buds
on the trees in Madison square actu-
ally burst into myriads Of tiny leaves.
On such a morning 1t occurs simulta-
neously to thousands Of young men
that New York is full OF pretty girls.
Joe arrived at the Offices OF Shot
well & Orme just in time to see Miss
Robinson disappear through the door
that led to the art department She
hadn't seen him. Joe walked into his
Office, frowning thoughtfully. and
merely nodded to his secretary.
On his desk was a booklet. entitled
"In the New York Manner" Joe
picked up the booklet and read 1t
through from cover to cover. Then
he walked over to the window and
looked down on Madison square.
1t was six months since he had
come on from Indiana to make a
place for himself in the offices Of
Shotwell & Orme. In that six months
he had succeeded-that Is, he had
succeeded with Shotwell & Orme. But
no was exactly where he was in the
first place with Miss Robinson.
Joe had never said anything to her
but "Good-morning. Miss Robinson
Not even isn't it a nice day?" And
especially not where are you going
to lunch?" Why hadn't he?
1t was because she was so extraor-
Ill IN. fo-
tinguished way, and because Of the
aid with which she carried her
self, of the way she wore her clothes.
She was simply dressed always But
her clothes so exactly suited her 1t
was because she had the New York
manner.
Joe sat down at his desk and idly
turned the leaves of the booklet 1t
had been printed to advertise the
wares of a dealer in mems furnish
ings. 1t raised and answered in de-
tail the question Of how a young
citizen Of the metropolis ought to
dress in order to say quietly but un-
mistakably that he belonged. 1t
spoke of simplicity and distinction
and ease.
What is it that gives a man that
assured ease, that secure self-confi-
dence?' the booklet asked. And 1t
proceeded to answer: above every
thing else, it is the knowledge that
he is appropriately dressed for the
occasion"
1t distinctly implied that If you
were appropriately dressed you would
have assured ease, secure self-confi-
dence. Indeed, he had intended to
Imply that when he had written it.
He had believed 1t was SO. When he
had invented that slogan, I'm the
New York Manner" he had been con-
vinced that the right clothes were a
sure way to achieve the New York
manner. But there seemed to be
more to 1T than just clothes.
Suppose you were from a small city
in Indiana Suppose you knew the
ways Of that town backward and
forward, so you were never in doubt
as to what was what. Suppose you
Evening star., 1924-06-29
CEYLON AS CELESTIAL ISLE
In With Moamnedan Idea Described by Wallace n the Letters Of
Jabanese Schooboy-B;rthblace Of Adam and Eve.

perhapsly" he require with educa-
tional London voice.
T IMAGINE. Mr.. Editor, Imagine
~ Hon. Henry Ford requiring such
a question from visitors in Detroit!
Yet we was pleased to meet his ele-
plants. Therefore he fetch out u
doz medium size one and trott them
around lawn for our convenience.
They was quito boyish elephants.
Oldest one were only SO yrs old, yet
he show considerable manhood. He
could pick up his keeper & place
him in his mouth like a cigar. This
show fearlessness Of elephants. Also
he could climb a cookoonut tree with
his big front hands while picking
fruit with his wormy & talented noze
1 were gently riding Hon. Elephant
while he do that. but did not remain
so pretty long. II you have ever fall
of a elephant. Mr.. Editor, you know
how it feel to slide down q Rocky Mt.
This Mr.. Ratti watti offer give me
a baby elephant When I report too
much baggage already he say, do
not mention it. This child elephant
carry his own trunk" Howeverly, I
thank that kindly gentleman. whu
show me a ton of crown jewelry y
what his grandfather wore all Al
once. King Of Handy were powerful
potentate, by golly. to stand up &
rule his people while carrying such
heavy diamonds!
Afterwards we took ottomobile ride
to top-high mts Of Ceylon, which are
not so high as Darjeeling but Zee as
steep. I have fell OFF some Of the
grandest scenery in America, YET
never anythink SO crooked as the ur,-
stairs Of Ceylon. There are no snakes
up there, because they break their
backs attempting to folla that road
which turn itself inside out at every
corner of the scenario. And OF!
(print some exclamations) If could
carry the top of Ceylon back to
Broadway I bait I could obtain
10000000$ by showing it to David
Belasco.
Waterfalls spout vegetables sprout,
lemon, vanilla, pineapple & every
flavor Of soda water fill up the air
without costing 1c extra. miles
low-down in groggy gulches was 70
or 96 jungles where wild elephants
could be caught. IL required. But I
do not need any that morning. Then
in some emancipated looking orchards
we could see rubber trees stretching
miles & miles. Also tea-farms grow
ing up side of Grand Canyon.
On betop Of Island we see Adams
Peek where learn something differ
ent Hon. Adam & wife was not
borned there. They merely move
there in yr 3 to save paying rent
Pussibly this arc slightly true.
You cannot get q god-sise though,
into a boy-size brain. When god
speaks human persons is disabled : 4
understand This are because VIII 4
tho gods say Is too simpul & dire e
for human persons to digest proper ~
Hoping you are the same,
Yours truly.
:, AASHLNURA TO0<I
IL .lcopynEht. lsc4.)
Evening star., 1924-06-29
TO Editor The Star.

II o Editor me StdI.
~ EAREST SIR:-If this letter
arrive to you slightly late,
please do not blame Hon.
- Postoffice, as usual, but re-
member that me & Nogi has been to
Heaven, where we wrote it from.
Axually! If you do not believe this
ask any Mohammedan who works in
your printing room. From early date
of Creation Mohammedan has believed
that Heaven were situated on Island
OF Ceylon & thought that all Moham-
edans goes there when they die.
observed several Mohammedans on
Ceylon, but they were only y dead
Perhaps this are dew to the climate,
which are too kind to kill anything.
But I shall tell you about Ceylon,
which will be my p. 0. address as
soonly as I can scrap together los a
month to live there in stile.
This island make me SO happy that
I think in circles. SO excuse a few
bedsprings in my literature when
writing about 1t.
Ceylon are now situated u deg N.
of Equator, which are a hot wire run
ming around Earth's swollen stum-
mick like a tailor trying to find the
waist-line Of Hon. Irwin S. Cobb. In
spite of this, Hon. Ceylon got Zee as
much climate as Santa Barbara, Cal.
habitants has never learned to speak
Californian.
OM! (ask yr Printer to put in sew
eraI excited punctuation here) Umag-
inc all the greenhouses in the world
poured together on a bundle of noun
tins that look like they was made of
sweet jelly, favored with soothing
syrup. In midst of all this umagine
every sort Of vegetables, to include
bread-fruit, pie-fruit, cake-fruit & a
sort OF flying water melon called a
Jak. which grow on 100 # trees and
taste pretty dandy, II you like 1t,
which I don't. Trim this scenario
with waterfalls, temples & elephants
taIl Of them wild) and maybe you will
get a photo Of Ceylon in your dense
head.
Some Mohammedans merely believe
that Ceylon are the Earthly Paradise.
To prove this they got a tall mt at
top of island called Adams Peek. To
make insurance doubly insured they
can show you plenty of snakes. After
that how dares you 30 away from
Ceylon thinking. that Adam & Eve
was born in Boston?
+ \ X X
RUT let me tell you about those in
II habitents OF that island. They
are called Sinhalese, to make it hard
er to pronounce. BY relidgeon they
are quite Buddhist. I must admire
them for that because my Hon.
Grandfather were q deacon in First
Buddhist Church until kikked out for
drinking ginrisksha cocktails on Fri
day. BY custom those Sinhalese is
awfully neat & clean, which make
Hindo so afraid of them that they
call them Devils and rum away rap
idly for fear OF catching something
new.
But I are confused about those Sin
shalese.
FOR instancely, whsn drstiy axT4v-
ing on island me 4 Nogi were await