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in the third…floor front who wore genuine ostrich tips and had two names
over her bell； the mucilaginous hours during which she remained glued to
the window sill； the vigi… lant avoidance of the instalment man； the tireless
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The Voice of the City
patronage of the acoustics of the dumb…waiter shaft … all the attributes of
the Gotham flat…dweller were hers。
One moment yet of sententiousness and the story moves。
In the Big City large and sudden things happen。 You round a corner
and thrust the rib of your um… brella into the eye of your old friend from
Kootenai Falls。 You stroll out to pluck a Sweet William in the park … and lo！
bandits attack you … you are am… bulanced to the hospital … you marry your
nurse； are divorced … get squeezed while short on U。 P。 S。 and D。 0。 W。 N。
S。 … stand in the bread line … marry an heiress； take out your laundry and
pay your club dues … seemingly all in the wink of an eye。 You travel the
streets； and a finger beckons to you； a handkerchief is dropped for you； a
brick is dropped upon you； the elevator cable or your bank breaks； a table
d'hote or your wife disagrees with you； and Fate tosses you about like cork
crumbs in wine opened by an un…feed waiter。 The City is a sprightly
young… ster； and you are red paint upon its toy； and you get licked off。
John Hopkins sat； after a compressed dinner； in his glove…fitting
straight…front flat。 He sat upon a hornblende couch and gazed； with
satiated eyes； at Art Brought Home to the People in the shape of 〃The
Storm 〃 tacked against the wall。 Mrs。 Hop… kins discoursed droningly of
the dinner smells from the flat across the ball。 The flea…bitten terrier gave
Hopkins a look of disgust； and showed a man…hating tooth。
Here was neither poverty； love； nor war； but upon such barren stems
may be grafted those essentials of a complete life。
John Hopkins sought to inject a few raisins of conversation into the
tasteless dough of existence。
〃Putting a new elevator in at the office；〃 he said； discarding the
nominative noun； 〃and the boss has turned out his whiskers。〃
〃You don't mean it！ commented Mrs。 Hopkins。
〃Mr。 Whipples；〃 continued John； 〃wore his new spring suit down to…
day。 I liked it fine It's a gray with … 〃 He stopped； suddenly stricken by a
need that made itself known to him。 〃I believe I'll walk down to the corner
and get a five…cent cigar；〃he concluded。
John Hopkins took his bat aid picked his way down the musty halls
and stairs of the flat…house
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The Voice of the City
The evening air was mild； and the streets shrill with the careless cries
of children playing games con… trolled by mysterious rhythms and phrases。
Their elders held the doorways and steps with leisurely pipe and gossip。
Paradoxically； the fire…escapes sup… ported lovers in couples who made no
attempt to fly the mounting conflagration they were there to fan。 The
corner cigar store aimed at by John Hopkins was kept by a man named
Freshmayer； who looked upon the earth as a sterile promontory。
Hopkins； unknown in the store； entered and called genially for his
〃bunch of spinach； car…fare grade。〃 This imputation deepened the
pessimism of Fresh… mayer； but be set out a brand that came perilously
near to filling the order。 Hopkins bit off the roots of his purchase； and
lighted up at the swinging gas jet。 Feeling in his pockets to make payment；
he found not a penny there。
〃Say； my friend；〃 he explained； frankly； 〃I've come out without any
change。 Hand you that nickel first time I pass。〃
Joy surged in Freshmayer's heart。 Here was cor… roboration of his
belief that the world was rotten and man a peripatetic evil。 Without a word
he rounded the end of his counter and made earnest onslaught upon his
customer。 Hopkins was no man to serve as a punching…bag for a
pessimistic tobacconist。 He quickly bestowed upon Freshmayer a
Colorado… maduro eye in return for the ardent kick that be received from
that dealer in goods for cash only。
The impetus of the enemy's attack forced the Hopkins line back to the
sidewalk。 There the con… flict raged； the pacific wooden Indian； with his
carven smile； was overturned； and those of the street who delighted in
carnage pressed round to view the zealous joust。
But then came the inevitable cop and imminent convenience for both
the attacker and attacked。 John Hopkins was a peaceful citizen； who
worked at rebuses of nights in a flat； but be was not without the
fundamental spirit of resistance that comes with the battle…rage。 He
knocked the policeman into a gro… cer's sidewalk display of goods and
gave Freshmayer a punch that caused him temporarily to regret that he had
not made it a rule to extend a five…cent line of credit to certain customers。
Then Hopkins took spiritedly to his heels down the sidewalk； closely fol…
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The Voice of the City
lowed by the cigar…dealer and the policeman； whose uniform testified to
the reason in the grocer's sign that read： 〃Eggs cheaper than anywhere else
in the city。〃
As Hopkins ran he became aware of a big； low； red； racing automobile
that kept abreast of him in the street。 This auto steered in to the side of the
sidewalk； and the man guiding it motioned to Hopkins to jump into it。 He
did so without slackening his speed； and fell into the turkey…red
upholstered seat beside the chauffeur。 The big machine； with a dimin…
uendo cough； flew away like an albatross down the avenue into which the
street emptied。
The driver of the auto sped his machine without a word。 He was
masked beyond guess in the goggles and diabolic garb of the chauffeur。
〃Much obliged； old man；〃 called Hopkins； grate… fully。 〃I guess you've
got sporting blood in you； all right； and don't admire the sight of two men
trying to soak one。 Little more and I'd have been pinched。〃
The chauffeur made no sign that he had heard。 Hopkins shrugged a
shoulder and chewed a