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generally manage to be there。 Say； what was it you asked me a bit ago …
what's doing in the city？ Oh； there's a roof…garden or two just opened；
twelve blocks up。〃
I crossed a crow's…foot of street…car tracks； and skirted the edge of an
umbrageous park。 An artificial Diana； gilded； heroic； poised； wind…ruled；
on the tower； shimmered in the clear light of her namesake in the sky。
Along came my poet； hurry… ing； hatted； haired； emitting dactyls； spondees
and dactylis。 I seized him。 〃Bill；〃 said I （in the magazine he is Cleon）；
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The Voice of the City
〃give me a lift。 I am on an assignment to find out the Voice of the city。 You
see； it's a special order。 Ordi… narily a symposium comprising the views of
Henry Clews； John L。 Sullivan； Edwin Markham； May Ir… win and Charles
Schwab would be about all。 But this is a different matter。 We want a broad；
poetic； mystic vocalization of the city's soul and meaning。 You are the very
chap to give me a hint。 Some years ago a man got at the Niagara Falls and
gave us its pitch。 The note was about two feet below the lowest G on the
piano。 Now； you can't put New York into a note unless it's better indorsed
than that。 But give me an idea of what it would say if it should speak。 It is
bound to be a mighty and far…reaching utterance。 To arrive at it we must
take the tremendous crash of the chords of the day's traffic； the laughter
and music of the night； the solemn tones of Dr。 Parkhurst； the rag…time； the
weeping； the stealthy bum of cab…wbeels； the shout of the press agent； the
tinkle of fountains on the roof gardens； the hullabaloo of the strawberry
vender and the covers of Everybody's Magazine； the whispers of the
lovers in the parks … all these sounds； must go into your Voice … not
combined； but mixed； and of the mixture an essence made； and of the es…
sence an extract … an audible extract； of which one drop shall form the
thing we seek。〃
〃Do you remember；〃 asked the poet； with a chuckle； 〃that California
girl we met at Stiver's studio last week？ Well； I'm on my way to see her。
She repeated that poem of mine； ' The Tribute of Spring；' word for word。
She's the smartest proposi… tion in this town just at present。 Say； how does
this confounded tie look？ I spoiled four before I got one to set right。〃
〃And the Voice that I asked you about？〃 I in… quired。
〃Oh； she doesn't sing；〃 said Cleon。 〃But you ought to bear her recite
my 'Angel of the Inshore Wind。'〃
I passed on。 I cornered a newsboy and be flashed at me prophetic pink
papers that outstripped the news by two revolutions of the clock's longest
hand。
〃Son；〃 I said； while I pretended to chase coins in my penny pocket；
〃doesn't it sometimes seem to you as if the city ought to be able to talk？
All these ups and downs and funny business and queer things hap… pening
every daywhat would it say； do you think； if it could speak？
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The Voice of the City
〃Quit yer kiddin'；〃 said the boy。 〃Wot paper yer want？ I got no time to
waste。 It's Mag's birthday； and I want thirty cents to git her a present。〃
Here was no interpreter of the city's mouthpiece。 I bought a paper； and
consigned its undeclared treaties； its premeditated murders and unfought
bat… tles to an ash can。
Again I repaired to the park and sat in the moon shade。 I thought and
thought； and wondered why none could tell me what I asked for。
And then； as swift as light from a fixed star； the answer came to me。 I
arose and hurried … hurried as so many reasoners must； back around my
circle。 I knew the answer and I bugged it in my breast as I flew； fearing
lest some one would stop me and demand my secret。
Aurelia was still on the stoop。 The moon was higher and the ivy
shadows were deeper。 I sat at her side and we watched a little cloud tilt at
the drifting moon and go asunder； quite pale and discomfited。
And then； wonder of wonders and delight of de… lights！ our hands
somehow touched； and our fingers closed together and did not part。
After half an hour Aurelia said； with that smile of hers：
〃Do you know； you haven't spoken a word since you came back！ 〃
〃That；〃 said I； nodding wisely； 〃is the Voice of the City。〃
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The Voice of the City
THE COMPLETE LIFE OF JOHN
HOPKINS
There is a saying that no man has tasted the full flavor of life until he
has known poverty； love and war。 The justness of this reflection
commends it to the lover of condensed philosophy。 The three condi… tions
embrace about all there is in life worth knowing。 A surface thinker might
deem that wealth should be added to the list。 Not so。 When a poor man
finds a long…bidden quarter…dollar that has slipped through a rip into his
vest lining； be sounds the pleasure of life with a deeper plummet than any
millionaire can hope to cast。
It seems that the wise executive power that rules life has thought best
to drill man in these three con… ditions； and none may escape all three。 In
rural places the terms do not mean so much。 Poverty is less pinching； love
is temperate； war shrinks to con… tests about boundary lines and the
neighbors' hens。 It is in the cities that our epigram gains in truth and vigor；
and it has remained for one John Hopkins to crowd the experience into a
rather small space of time。
The Hopkins flat was like a thousand others。 There was a rubber plant
in one window； a flea… bitten terrier sat in the other； wondering when he
was to have his day。
John Hopkins was like a thousand others。 He worked at 20 per week
in a nine…story； red…brick building at either Insurance； Buckle's Hoisting
En… gines； Chiropody； Loans； Pulleys； Boas Renovated； Waltz Guaranteed
in Five Lessons； or Artificial Limbs。 It is not for us to wring Mr。 Hopkins's
avo… cation from these outward signs that be。
Mrs。 Hopkins was like a thousand others。 The auriferous tooth； the
sedentary disposition； the Sun… day afternoon wanderlust； the draught
upon the delicatessen store for home…made comforts； the furor for
department store marked…down sales； the feeling of superiority to the lady
in the third…floor front who wore genuine ostrich tips and had two names
over her bell； the m