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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？
〃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。〃
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 mucilaginous hours during
which she remained glued to the window sill； the vigi…
lant avoidance of the instalment man； the tireless
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 d