Life — July 27, 1911 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“EVP 'E Elaine Uplifted LAINE stepped into the cle tor. laine was a distinetly modern girl. She neat, but wore a expensive, suit of gray cloth, fitting tightly around the svelte lines of her somewhat attenuated fig ure. A ay hat, shaped like an in- verted wound about the dark hair piled artistically on the back of her head. A y chamois bag hung nonchalantly from her gray-gloved hand, satisfac- bucket, was Altogether, Elaine was a very tory type of correct femininity. She had spent nineteen happy and eventful years, chiefly in attending teas, recep- tions, luncheons, dinner-parties, theatre parties, supper-parties, and dances. Her mother was proud of her. Yet Elaine still possessed a few emotions of her own; chief among these was the inde finable longing, the incoherent ething bigger and striving, the vague need of s better, which is the essence of modern romanticism, One look at the elevator vinced Elaine that he was her One look at Elaine convinced the cle- Vator man that she was his affinity, This is called telepathy by some, coincidence man con- affinity. by others, and by still others the fruitless reaching out of thought process for simi lar and sympathetic thought in the re- gions of pure mentality The elevator man was obviously a hero. In his dark blue uniform and brass buttons he looked unutterably hand His hair was a crisp auburn. His features bespoke a Celtic origin. His complexion was ruddy. This, indeed, was a man of blood and iron, a leader of men, bound to suceced. Power lay ‘ong and well-knit some. in every line of his figure Elaine watched him furtively. As the clevator began its ascent she had an It rolled “ Going clothed majesty when uttered by such a the silence was opportunity to hear his voice. forth in sonorous splendor, vp!" The simple words were with voice. In a broken again. First nounced, nt’s furnishings, photographs, shcet music, carpets, rugs, moment floor!" he an- Zs pianos, curtains and linen goods.” Elaine gazed upon him silent reverence. Stepping timidly nearer, she ventured to ask him “On with question: A Romance of the Elevator BY SIGMUND SPAETIL which floor is the manicure depart ment?” she hazarded, Twenty-three,” was his abrupt reply. It was clear that the struggle of emo- tions within him was intense. He turned his gaze her clear orbs, and his filled with tears. In that moment she knew that he loved her. The thought filled her with a range exhilaration, Or was it the otion of the Before they had risen many floors further, their eyes away from own eyes. elevator? met again, This time there was no turning away, no avoiding of the gaze, nd steadfast look their souls met and love triumphed. What mattered all else? What cared they now for the petty world about them, for the rush of mere men and women? For Lut in one long the time being these two had been trans Isted into rt from material flight of the soaring elevator their souls ascend- ed to a higher and nobler union, To the clevator possessed a floor!" he lorified state, ap things, and at each man | meaning. cried, exultantl: crockery, paints and wes, harness and leather goods.” new varnishes, Many people were leaving the elevator. most Elaine softly to his side. “1 am she whispered. John,” he The two alone. Elaine, “My simply. A long silence followed. It was broken again by the call of duty. “ Thir- teenth floor! Perfumery, cigars, cigar- were name is answered, ettes and smokers’ articles, confection- cry, tearoom and restaurant!" The mind of Elaine was brought back with startling suddenness to things of actical_ import There is a great gulf between us; He looked at her shoes her made his she added, by way she suggested. end said nothing money in salt pork, of explanation A. slight Lrawny over his terrific him. shudder passed frame. Evidently a struggle was taking place within The features of the girl, drawn for a moment as with a spasm of pain, showed that she, too, had passed through 2 spiritual conflict, But the contest was brief, and again their souls emerged tri- umphant. “It can never be," she whispered, and smiled through her tears. He bowed his head in assent humble The clevator was now emptied of all other They were alone \nd with their solitude the hopelessness of the situation swept over them. For a moment he seemed tempted to stop the car and descend once more to the carth, Why should he now strive for higher things? What was left for him in life? With all ideals suddenly fled, why should he longer mount upward and ever upward? But a glance at the fair transfigured face of the girl beside him overcame his irresolution. He would live on for her sake. He would pursue his humble path in the glorious knowl- edge of what ight have been, And she—she would also live on, for the sake of her family respectable conventions. They had now almost reached their destination. The inevitable moment of parting was approaching. A. lifetime had passed for cach, since the eventful inning of their journey. Yet how short it had seemed! She fumbled in the depths of her gray c nois bag. At least she would leave with him a memento, some slight souve- nir, to bridge the awful gap between the ideal universe of their thoughts, and the world of reality. With nervous s she took a ten-cent piece from her purse and pressed it into his strong hand, Mutely, reverentially he removed his cap, dropped the dime into it, and placed it once more upon his auburn locks, There was an instinctive courtesy in the simple and unaffected action. They had reached the twenty-third floor. For the last time the door slid open with a jarring sound and a clank of metal. “Twenty-three!” — he “Manicuring department, _acroplanes, and observation tower.” But his voice shook in spite of his effort to control it. For a moment he gazed, irresolute, af- ter the retreating figure in gray. Then all his latent manhood asserted itself, and in one supreme effort he won the victory. There was no quiver in his voice as he faced the world once more, and uttered his triumphant call: “G down!” sengers. and her social duties, and grim finge announced. comicbooks)