Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19

attractive, anyhow, and found a room
In an old section of the city, inhabited
by persons who pursued the arts. Irene,
though she desired acquaintance above
the level OF starving artists and writer's,
thought 1t was good place to get
started. They'd be careful whom they
met there.
Their new room showed a gallant at
tempt at decoration. Their landlady,
who explained that, If her grandfather
had been cleverer, she would be the
owner of the whole lower portion of
Metropolis, and who frizzed and dyed
her hair more than was necessary for
beauty, had rebuilt" an old house
into small apartments" Their apart
cubicle, full Of an odd assortment of
rocking chairs, divans and tables. You
slept on the divans that were revealed
as single beds when their Turkish COW
ers were removed. There was tiny
kitchenette and bath without outside
ventilation.
Irene and Laurence ate most of their
meals in the nearby restaurants. 1t was
cheaper to eat there, and, besides, you
could learn about the city. They visit
ed the High Hat, the Green Mouse, the
Red Umbrella, the Lamp-Chimney and
a dozen other such places. They would
nudge each other when interesting look
ing individuals came in. They lust
knew" that the people they saw were
writer's or artists or musicians. Maybe
some one they had heard Of! The peo-
pie were rather poorly dressed-they
admitted that. Oh, they wouldn't be
satisfied to live in this section after
they got settled. AS an experiment it
was awfully nice.
They heard a man say something
about an article he had written, and
were bit thrilled over it. A real
writer! Another man and a woman
discussed masked ball they had at
tended, and the man said: Eyes, I
went-Spanish. An awful crowd there
I didn't get home until o'clock" Not
people they wanted to go with, GER
tainly-but then
DURING the first few weeks no one
spoke to them-though they felt
they didn't care about meeting people.
Then man got into conversation with
them. He worked in book store, it
seemed, and wrote poems at night. One
Of the poems had been published
few months before, and their new ac-
quaintance-his name was Hollis
took yellowed copy of it out of a
note book and read it to them. Irene
didn't know what it was about A
piece Of free verse Hollis had written
had been printed, too, and this, even
more yellowed, torn, and mended across
the back, was produced and read aloud,
too.
Then they met girl who said her
name was Dell Drimmer-"She had
hard time making that up" Laurence
commented. later. Miss Drummer hur-
ried toward them if they entered
restaurant where she was, and. though
she spoke great deal of her career
and her freedom. she seemed bit for
getful of her independence when the
time came to pay her dinner check.
Oh. well. they weren't so poor they
couldn't buy cheap dinner for an in
teresting acquaintance.
But Laurence didn't find anything to
do and their money started to run
low. They didn't want to write home
for 1t. No, there had been too much
talk about money before they came to
Metropolis. So they began to prepare
meals in their rooms, instead of eat
ing in restaurants-bringing home little
| paper bags from neighboring delicatcs-
sen stores and heating can of beans
on the single burner in the kitchenettc.
| They were surprised, sometimes, when
Hollis or Dell Drummer appeared. They
tried to discourage them, but they both
| seemed perpetually hard up, and free
meal was a free meal.
Don't worry" Laurence would say,
after delicatessen dinner, and after
| their unlimited guests had departed.
I'll get something before long. I'm a
college man-young-there are thou
sand opportunities here. Well get away
from this hole and drop these leecnes.
Wen get nice place to live-get in
with nice people"
X
7 AURENCE went again and again to
the business acquaintance of his
friends in Camden. There we're no
openings He looked up an old college
friend who had moved to Metropolis.
The college friend was busy and I'M
interested. Laurance started reading
the want ads, and on Sundays the
floor of their one room was Uttered
with newspapers. Then Laurence, at
the unsteady desk, wrote npumerable