the voice of the city-第17章

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in　her　window　for　him　to　see！　　She　must　have

a　sweet；　poetic　soul。　　And　now　to　contrive　the

meeting。



A　whistling　and　slamming　of　doors　preluded　the

coming　of　Sammy　Brown。



Ravenel　smiled　again。　　Even　Sammy　Brown　was

shone　upon　by　the　far…flung　rays　of　the　renaissance。

Sammy；　with　his　ultra　clothes；　his　horseshoe　pin；　his

plump　face；　his　trite　slang；　his　uncomprehending

admiration　of　Ravenel　　the　broker's　clerk　made　an

excellent　foil　to　the　new；　bright　unseen　visitor　to　the

poet's　sombre　apartment。



Sammy　went　to　his　old　seat　by　the　window；　and

looked　out　over　the　dusty　green　foliage　in　the

garden。　　Then　he　looked　at　his　watch；　and　rose

hastily。



〃By　grabs！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Twenty　after　four！

I　can't　stay；　old　man；　I've　got　a　date　at　4：30。〃



〃Why　did　you　come；　then？〃　asked　Ravenel；　with

sarcastic　jocularity；　〃if　you　had　an　engagement　at

that　time。　　I　thought　you　business　men　kept　better

account　of　your　minutes　and　seconds　than　that。〃



Sammy　hesitated　in　the　doorway　and　turned

pinker。



〃Fact　is；　Ravvy；〃　be　explained；　as　to　a　customer

whose　margin　is　exhausted；　〃I　didn't　know　I　had　it

till　I　came。　　I'll　tell　you；　old　man　…　there's　a　dandy

girl　in　that　old　house　next　door　that　I'm　dead　gone

on。　I　put　it　straight　　we're　engaged。　　The　old

man　says　'nit'　but　that　don't　go。　　He　keeps　her

pretty　close。　　I　can　see　Edith's　window　from　yours

here。　　She　gives　me　a　tip　when　she's　going　shopping；

and　I　meet　her。　　It's　4：30　to…day。　　Maybe　I　ought

to　have　explained　sooner；　but　I　know　it's　all　right

with　you　　so　long。〃



〃How　do　you　get　your　'tip；'　as　you　call　it？〃　asked

Ravenel；　losing　a　little　spontaneity　from　his　smile。



〃Roses；〃　said　Sammy；　briefly。　Four　of　'em　to…

day。　　Means　four　o'clock　at　the　corner　of　Broadway

and　Twenty…third。〃



〃But　the　geranium？〃　persisted　Ravenel；　clutch…

ing　at　the　end　of　flying　Romance's　trailing　robe。



〃Means　half…past　5；〃　shouted　Sammy　from　the　hall。

〃See　you　to…morrow。〃









THE　CITY　OF　DREADFUL　NIGHT





〃During　the　recent　warmed…over　spell；〃　said　my

friend　Carney；　driver　of　express　wagon　No。　8；606；

〃a　good　many　opportunities　was　had　of　observing

human　nature　through　peekaboo　waists。



〃The　Park　Commissioner　and　the　Commissioner

of　Polis　and　the　Forestry　Commission　gets　together

and　agrees　to　let　the　people　sleep　in　the　parks　until

the　Weather　Bureau　gets　the　thermometer　down　again

to　a　living　basis。　　So　they　draws　up　open…air　resolu…

tions　and　has　them　0。　K。'd　by　the　Secretary　of　Agri…

culture；　Mr。　Comstock　and　the　Village　Improvement

Mosquito　Exterminating　Society　of　South　Orange；

N。　J。



〃When　the　proclamation　was　made　opening　up　to

the　people　by　special　grant　the　public　parks　that　be…

long　to　'em；　there　was　a　general　exodus　into　Central

Park　by　the　communities　existing　along　its　borders。

In　ten　minutes　after　sundown　you'd　have　thought

that　there　was　an　undress　rehearsal　of　a　potato

famine　in　Ireland　and　a　Kishineff　massacre。　　They

come　by　families；　gangs；　clambake　societies；　clans；

clubs　and　tribes　from　all　sides　to　enjoy　a　cool　sleep　on

the　grass。　　Them　that　didn't　have　oil　stoves　brought

along　plenty　of　blankets；　so　as　not　to　be　upset　with

the　cold　and　discomforts　of　sleeping　outdoors。　　By

building　fires　of　the　shade　trees　and　huddling　together

in　the　bridle　paths；　and　burrowing　under　the　grass

where　the　ground　was　soft　enough；　the　likes　of　5；000

head　of　people　successfully　battled　against　the　night

air　in　Central　Park　alone。



〃Ye　know　I　live　in　the　elegant　furnished　apart…

ment　house　called　the　Beersheba　Flats；　over　against

the　elevated　portion　of　the　New　York　Central　Rail…

road。



〃When　the　order　come　to　the　flats　that　all　hands

must　turn　out　and　sleep　in　the　park；　according　to　the

instructions　of　the　consulting　committee　of　the　City

Club　and　the　Murphy　Draying；　Returfing　and　Sod…

ding　Company；　there　was　a　look　of　a　couple　of　fires

and　an　eviction　all　over　the　place。



〃The　tenants　began　to　pack　up　feather　beds；　rub…

ber　boots；　strings　of　garlic；　hot…water　bags；　porta…

ble　canoes　and　scuttles　of　coal　to　take　along　for　the

sake　of　comfort。　　The　sidewalk　looked　like　a　Russian

camp　in　Oyama's　line　of　mareb。　　There　was　waiting

and　lamenting　up　and　down　stairs　from　Danny　Geog…

hegan's　flat　on　the　top　floor　to　the　apartments　of

Missis　Goldsteinupski　on　the　first。



〃'For　why；〃　says　Danny；　coming　down　and　raging

in　his　blue　yarn　socks　to　the　janitor；　'should　I　be

turned　out　of　me　comfortable　apartments　to　lay　in

the　dirty　grass　like　a　rabbit？　　'Tis　like　Jerome　to

stir　up　trouble　wid　small　matters　like　this　instead

of　　〃



〃'Whist！'　says　Officer　Reagan　on　the　sidewalk；

rapping　with　his　club。　　''Tis　not　Jerome。　　'Tis　by

order　of　the　Polis　Commissioner。　　Turn　out　every

one　of　yez　and　hike　yerselves　to　the　park。'



〃Now；　'twas　a　peaceful　and　happy　home　that　all

of　us　had　in　them　same　Beersheba　Flats。　　The

O'Dowds　and　the　Steinowitzes　and　the　Callahans　and

the　Cohens　and　the　Spizzinellis　and　the　McManuses

and　the　Spiegelmayers　and　the　Joneses　　all　nations

of　us；　we　lived　like　one　big　family　together。　　And

when　the　hot　nights　come　along　we　kept　a　line　of

children　reaching　from　the　front　door　to　Kelly's　on　the

corner　passing　along　the　cans　of　beer　from　one　to

another　without　the　trouble　of　running　after　it。　　And

with　no　more　clothing　on　than　is　provided　for　in　the

statutes；　sitting　in　all　the　windies；　with　a　cool　growler

in　every　one；　and　your　feet　out　in　the　air；　and　the

Rosenstein　girls　singing　on　the　fire…escape　of　the　sixth

floor；　and　Patsy　Rourke's　flute　going　in　the　eighth；

and　the　ladies　calling　each　other　synonyms　out　the　win…

dies；　and　now　and　then　a　breeze　sailing　in　over　Mister

Depew's　Central　　I　tell　you　the　Beersheba　Flats　was

a　summer　resort　that　made　the　Catskills　look　like

a　bole　in　the　ground。　　With　his　person　full　of　beer

and　his　feet　out　the　windy　and　his　old　woman　frying

pork　chops　over　a　charcoal　furnace　and　the　children

dancing　in　cotton　slips　on　the　sidewalk　around　the

organ…grinder　and　the　rent　paid　for　a　week　　what

does　a　man　want　better　on　a　hot　night　than　that？

And　then　comes　this　ruling　of　the　polis　driving　people

out　o'　their　comfortable　homes　to　sleep　in　parks　

'twas　for　all　the　world　like　a　ukase　of　them　Rus…

sians　　'twill　be　heard　from　again　at　next　election

time。



〃Well；　then；　Officer　Reagan　drives　the　whole　lot

of　us　to　the　park　and　turns　us　in　by　the　nearest

gate。　　'Tis　dark　under　the　trees；　and　all　the　children

sets　up　to　howling　that　they　want　to　go　home。



〃'Ye'll　pass　the　night　in　this　stretch　of　woods

and　scenery；'　says　Officer　Reagan。　　''Twill　be　fine

and　imprisonment　for　insoolting　the　Park　Commis…

sioner　and　the　Chief　of　the　Weather　Bureau　if　ye　re…

fuse。　　I'm　in　charge　of　thirty　acres　between　here　and

the　Agyptian　Monument；　and　I　advise　ye　to　give　no

trouble。　　'Tis　sleeping　on　the　grass　yez　all　have　been

condemned　to　by　the　authorities。　　Yez'll　be　permitted

to　leave　in　the　morning；　but　ye　must　retoorn　be　night。

Me　orders　was　silent　on　the　subject　of　bail；　but　I'11

find　out　if　'tis　required　and　there'll　be　bondsmen　at

the　gate。'



〃There　being　no　lights　except　along　the　automo…

bile　drives；　us　179　tenants　of　the　Beersheba　Flats

prepared　to　spend　the　night　as　best　we　could　in　the

raging　forest。　　Them　that　brought　blankets　and　kin…

dling　wood　was　best　off。　　They　got　fires　started　and

wrapped　the　blankets　round　their　heads　and　laid

down；　cursing；　in　the　grass。　　There　was　nothing　to

see；　nothing　to　drink；　nothing　to　do。　　In　the　dark　we

had　no　way　of　telling　friend　or　foe　except　by　feeling

the　noses　of　'em。　　I　brought　along　me　last　winter

overcoat；　me　toothbrush；　some　quinine　pills　and　the

red　quilt　off　the　bed　in　me　flat。　　Three　times　during

the　night　somebody　rolled　on　me　quilt　and　stuck　his

knees　against　the　Adam's　apple　of　me。　　And　three

times　I　judged　his　character　by　running　me　hand　over

his　face；　and　three　times　I　rose　up　and　kicked　the　in…

truder　down　the　hill　to　the　gravelly　walk　below。　　And

then　some　one　with　a　flavor　of　Kelly's　whiskey　snug…

gled　up　to　me；　and　I　found　his　nose　turned　up　the

right　way；　and　I　says：　'　Is　that　you；　then；　Patsey？

and　he　says；　'It　is；　Carney。　　How　long　do　you　think

it'll　last？'



〃'　I'm　no　weather…prophet；'　says　I；　'but　if　they

bring　out　a　strong　anti…Tammany　ticket　next　fall　it

ought　to　get　us　home　in　time　to　sleep　on　a　bed　once

or　twice　before　they　line　us　up　at　the　polls。'

〃A…playing　of　my　flute　into　the　airshaft；　I　says

Patsey　Rourke；　'and　a…perspiring　in　me　own　windy

to　the　joyful　noise　of　the　passing　trains　and　the　smell

of　liver　and　onions　and　a…reading　of　the　latest　mur…

der　in　the　smoke　of　the　cooking　is　well　enough　for

me；'　says　he。　　'What　is　this　herding　us　in　grass　for；

not　to　mention　the　crawling　things　with　legs　that　walk

up　the　trousers　of　us；　and　the　Jersey　snipes　that

peck　at　us；　masquerading　under　the　name　and　denom…

ination　of　mosquitoes。　　What　is　it　all　for　Carney；　and

the　rint　going　on　just　the　same　over　at　the　flats？'



〃Tis　the　great　annual　Municipal　Free　Night

Outing　Lawn　Party；'　says　I；　'given　by　the　polis；

Hetty　Green　and　the　Drug　Trust。　　During　the　heated

season　they　hold　a　week　of　it　in　the　principal　parks。

'Tis　a　scheme　to　reach　that　portion　of　the　people

that's　not　worth　taking　up　to　North　Beach　for　a

fish　fry。'



〃'　I　can't　sleep　on　the　ground；'　says　Patsey；　'wid

any　benefit。　　I　have　the　hay　fever　and　the　rheuma…

tism；　and　me　car　is　full　of　ants。'



〃Well；　the　night　goes　on；　and　the　ex…tenants　of

the　Flats　groans　and　stumbles　around　in　the　dark；

trying　to　find　rest　and　recreation　in　the　forest。　　The

children　is　screaming　with　the　coldness；　and　the　jan…

itor　makes　hot　tea　for　'em　and　keeps　the　fires　going

with　the　signboards　that　point　to　the　Tavern　and　the

Casino。　　The　tenants　try　to　lay　down　on　the　grass　by

families　in　the　dark；　but　you're　lucky　if　you　can　sleep

next　to　a　man　from　the　same　floor　or　believing　in

the　same　religion。　　Now　and　then　a　Murpby；　acci…

dental；　rolls　over　on　the　grass　of　a　Rosenstein；　or

a　Cohen　tries　to　crawl　under　the　O'Grady　bush；　and

then　there's　a　feeling　of　noses　and　somebody　is　rolled

down　the　hill　to　the　driveway　and　stays　there。　　There

is　some　hair…pulling　among　the　women　folks；　and

everybody　spanks　the　nearest　howling　kid　to　him　by

the　sense　of　feeling　only；　regardless　of　its　parentage

and　ownership。　　'Tis　hard　to　keep　up　the　social　dis…

tinctions　in　the　dark　that　flourish　by　daylight　in　the

Beersheba　Flats。　　Mrs。　Rafferty；　that　despises　the

asphalt　that　a　Dago　treads　on；　wakes　up　in　the　morn…

ing　with　her　feet　in　the　bosom　of　Antonio　Spizzinelli。

And　Mike　O'Dowd；　that　always　threw　peddlers　down…

stairs　as　fast　as　he　came　upon　'em；　has　to　unwind　old

Isaacstein's　whisk