The Washington times., 1937-11-03

On the Steamlng SUBWAY IIdIII
her thoughts became even more
dismal. Discharged. To lose her
small job at the end of another
two weeks. The hard, ruthless city
seemed at once a dreadful prison
.. yet she had come to it seeking
romance.
Back in her apartment the
bright little prayer rug smiled up
at her, full of gay color from an
other and gayer world. So many
changes had taken place since
Uncle Steve had sent it to her from
Constantinople ten years before. A
rug of her very own for her
tiny room at home. It had made
her feel so proud -.
How many times during those
ten years had she sat Turkish
fashion upon her magic carpet, as
she called it, dreaming of distant
lands.
She glanced at the rug, now,
shook her head. The inexorable
city, the long hours over her type
writer, the loneliness of crowds :.
such things stripped one OF
dreams.
DIFFERENT DAYS
It had been different in those
days before dad died. He had been
q dreamer, too. Such a gay, hope
full dreamer. Together they had
built countless air castles, had
flown on the wings of imagination
to many far-off lands, to the East,
where the skies were domes of tur-
uuoise, the deserts, sweeps Of gold
g. dust, the cities, dream places, noisy
with the tinkle of camel bells,
sweet with spicy perfumes of the
bazaars.
But that had been before dads
death, before the days Of her i'm
prisoning. Now she could only
watch from her twentieth story
cage the great liners, the tramp
steamers, as they sailed for distant
ports.
Even that she would be unable
to do, after two more weeks
at least until she could find an
other job. Rotten, to discharge a
girl just to make room for the
office managers college-brec
niece.
Nancy lifted the little rug from
the floor, ran her hand lovingly
over its worn surface. If only il
were a real magic carpet, to carry
her away! Suddenly she straight
ened up, her eyes brilliant.
Perhaps. perhaps it might dc
Just that! Rare old rugs, even sucl
small ones, were often worth larg'
sums. Tomorrow, after the Office
closed She knew Of an importer
on Fifth Avenue.
The place was quiet, cloaked ir
mellow dignity. Rugs of every de
scription hung from the walls. Blue
and red Oushaks, intricately de.
signed Mosuls, delicate Chinese.
Nancy dropped her bulky package
upon a chair, gazed helpless about.
"Yes, Miss?" A tall, dark-haired
young man moved toward her,
smiling. A friendly, understand
ing smile, Nancy thought.
I've a rug here" She motioned
toward the tightly rolled package
"a prayer rug from Constantine
pie. 1 wondered if you could give
me some idea of its value"
~ VIVID INTEREST
-. Were always glad to be of serv'
:. ice." The young man watched
Nancy with vivid interest as she
fumbled awkwardly with the wrap
pings. Here, let me help you" He
spread the carpet over the back
OF the chair, glanced at it casually
"A Ghiordes, I see. Interesting
Suppose you give me your name
and address. Leave the rug here
I'll have one of our experts look 1t
. over. Stop by tomorrow. There
will be small charge for the ap.
praisal."
Nancy nodded. Her hand trem
bled as she wrote the directions
upon slip Of paper. Travel, mys,
terry, romance!
The far land of her dreams
seemed all at once very near .
She could hear the temple bells
smell the spices. With smile fol
the young man, she turned away.
~, The space on the floor of hel
small room seemed bare thai
night without the magic carpe
to cover it. Nancy stood by th(
window, her shoulders dropping
1t had been a gruelling day; he
eyes ached and she was tired.
horribly tired.
Fierce heat. rising from tht
street below, choked her. Thu
dusty geraniums in the window
box shook their heads, as if il
defiance Of the gray walls tina
ringed them about.
Then. suddenly, the doorbel
was jangling, like her nerves
Nancy ran to answer it.
Standing in the doorway wa
the tall clerk from the rug store
He murmured polite good eve
ming; handed her a rolled pack
age.
Il happened to be in the neigh
borhood," he Stammered awk
wardly. land thought I'd bette
leave your rug on my way home.
GUAa11S IL; l.