By　and　by　Rivington　stopped　and　said　we　were　in　the
  heart　of　the　Bowery。　　There　was　a　policeman　on　the
  corner　whom　Rivington　knew。
  〃Hallo；　Donahue！〃　　said　my　guide。　　〃How　goes　it？
  My　friend　and　I　are　down　this　way　looking　up　a　bit　of
  local　colour。　　He's　anxious　to　meet　one　of　the　Bowery
  types。　　Can't　you　put　us　on　to　something　genuine　in　that
  line　　something　that's　got　the　colour；　you　know？〃
  Policeman　Donahue　turned　himself　about　ponder…
  ously；　his　florid　face　full　of　good…nature。　　He　pointed　with
  his　club　down　the　street。
  〃Sure！〃　　he　said　huskily。　　〃Here　comes　a　lad　now
  that　was　born　on　the　Bowery　and　knows　every　inch　of
  it。　　If　he's　ever　been　above　Bleecker　street　he's　kept　it
  to　himself。〃
  A　man　about　twenty…eight　or　twenty…nine；　with　a　smooth
  face；　was　sauntering　toward　us　with　his　hands　in　his
  coat　pockets。　　Policeman　Donahue　stopped　him　with　a
  courteous　wave　of　his　club。
  〃Evening；　Kerry；〃　he　said。　　〃Here's　a　couple　of　gents；
  friends　of　mine；　that　want　to　hear　you　spiel　something
  about　the　Bowery。　　Can　you　reel　'em　off　a　few　yards？〃
  〃Certainly；　Donahue；〃　said　the　young　man；　pleas…
  antly。　　〃Good　evening；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　to　us；
  with　a　pleasant　smile。　　Donahue　walked　off　on　his　beat。
  〃This　is　the　goods；〃　whispered　Rivington；　nudging
  me　with　his　elbow。　　〃Look　at　his　jaw！〃
  〃Say；　cull；〃　said　Rivington；　pushing　back　his　hat；
  wot's　doin'？　　Me　and　my　friend's　taking　a　look　down
  de　old　line　　see？　　De　copper　tipped　us　off　dat　you　was
  wise　to　de　bowery。　　Is　dat　right？〃
  I　could　not　help　admiring　Rivington's　power　of　adapt…
  ing　himself　to　his　surroundings。
  〃Donahue　was　right；〃　said　the　young　man；　frankly；
  〃I　was　brought　up　on　the　Bowery。　　I　have　been　news…
  boy；　teamster；　pugilist；　member　of　an　organized　band
  of　'toughs；'　bartender；　and　a　'sport'　in　various　mean…
  ings　of　the　word。　　The　experience　certainly　warrants　the
  supposition　that　I　have　at　least　a　passing　acquaintance
  with　a　few　phases　of　Bowery　life。　　I　will　be　pleased　to
  place　whatever　knowledge　and　experience　I　have　at　the
  service　of　my　friend　Donahue's　friends。〃
  Rivington　seemed　ill　at　ease。
  〃I　say；〃　he　said　　somewhat　entreatingly；　〃I　thought
  you're　not　stringing　us；　are　you？　　It　isn't　just　the　kind
  of　talk　we　expected。　　You　haven't　even　said　'Hully　gee！'
  once。　　Do　you　really　belong　on　the　Bowery？〃
  〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　the　Bowery　boy；　smilingly；　〃that
  at　some　time　you　have　been　enticed　into　one　of　the　dives
  of　literature　and　had　the　counterfeit　coin　of　the　Bowery
  passed　upon　you。　　The　'argot'　to　which　you　doubtless
  refer　was　the　invention　of　certain　of　your　literary　'dis…
  coverers'　who　invaded　the　unknown　wilds　below　Third
  avenue　and　put　strange　sounds　into　the　mouths　of　the
  inhabitants。　　Safe　in　their　homes　far　to　the　north　and
  west；　the　credulous　readers　who　were　beguiled　by　this
  new　'dialect'　perused　and　believed。　　Like　Marco　Polo
  and　Mungo　Park　　pioneers　indeed；　but　ambitious　souls
  who　could　not　draw　the　line　of　demarcation　between　dis…
  covery　and　invention　　the　literary　bones　of　these
  explorers　are　dotting　the　trackless　wastes　of　the　sub…
  way。　　While　it　is　true　that　after　the　publication　of　the
  mythical　language　attributed　to　the　dwellers　along　the
  Bowery　certain　of　its　pat　phrases　and　apt　metaphors
  were　adopted　and；　to　a　limited　extent；　used　in　this　locality；
  it　was　because　our　people　are　prompt　in　assimilating
  whatever　is　to　their　commercial　advantage。　　To　the
  tourists　who　visited　our　newly　discovered　clime；　and
  who　expected　a　realization　of　their　literary　guide　books；
  they　supplied　the　demands　of　the　market。
  〃But　perhaps　I　am　wandering　from　the　question。　　In
  what　way　can　I　assist　you；　gentlemen？　　I　beg　you　will
  believe　that　the　hospitality　of　the　street　is　extended　to
  all。　　There　are；　I　regret　to　say；　many　catchpenny　places
  of　entertainment；　but　I　cannot　conceive　that　they　would
  entice　you。〃
  I　felt　Rivington　lean　somewhat　heavily　against　me。
  〃Say！〃　　he　remarked；　with　uncertain　utterance；　〃come
  and　have　a　drink　with　us。〃
  〃Thank　you；　but　I　never　drink。　　I　find　that　alcohol；
  even　in　the　smallest　quantities；　alters　the　perspective。
  And　I　must　preserve　my　perspective；　for　I　am　studyinc；
  the　Bowery。　　I　have　lived　in　it　nearly　thirty　years；　and
  I　am　just　beginning　to　understand　its　heartbeats。　　It　is
  like　a　great　river　fed　by　a　hundred　alien　streams。　　Each
  influx　brings　strange　seeds　on　its　flood；　strange　silt　and
  weeds；　and　now　and　then　a　flower　of　rare　promise。　　To
  construe　this　river　requires　a　man　who　can　build　dykes
  against　the　overflow；　who　is　a　naturalist；　a　geologist；　a
  humanitarian；　a　diver　and　a　strong　swimmer。　　I　love
  my　Bowery。　　It　was　my　cradle　and　is　my　inspiration。
  I　have　published　one　book。　　The　critics　have　been　kind。
  I　put　my　heart　in　it。　　I　am　writing　another；　into　which
  I　hope　to　put　both　heart　and　brain。　　Consider　me　your
  guide；　gentlemen。　　Is　there　arything　I　can　take　you　to
  see；　any　place　to　which　I　can　conduct　you？〃
  I　was　afraid　to　look　at　Rivington　except　with　one
  eye。
  〃Thanks；〃　said　Rivington。　　〃We　were　looking　up
  。　。　。　that　is　。　。　。　my　friend　。　。　。　confound
  it；　it's　against　all　precedent；　you　know　。　。　。　awfully
  obliged　。　。　。　just　the　same。〃
  〃In　case；〃　said　our　friend；　〃you　would　like　to　meet
  some　of　our　Bowery　young　men　I　would　be　pleased　to
  have　you　visit　the　quarters　of　our　East　Side　Kappa　Delta
  Phi　Society；　only　two　blocks　east　of　here。〃
  〃Awfully　sorry；〃　said　Rivington；　〃but　my　friend's　got
  me　on　the　jump　to…nioht。　　He's　a　terror　when　he's　out
  after　local　colour。　　Now；　there's　nothing　I　would　like
  better　than　to　drop　in　at　the　Kappa　Delta　Phi；　but
  some　other　time！〃
  We　said　our　farewells　and　boarded　a　home…bound　car。
  We　had　a　rabbit　on　upper　Broadway；　and　then　I　parted
  with　Rivington　on　a　street　corner。
  〃Well；　anyhow；〃　said　he；　braced　and　recovered；　〃it
  couldn't　have　happened　anywhere　but　in　little　old　New
  York。〃
  Which　to　say　the　least；　was　typical　of　Rivington。
  GEORGIA'S　RULING
  If　you　should　chance　to　visit　the　General　Land　Office；
  step　into　the　draughtsmen's　room　and　ask　to　be　shown
  the　map　of　Salado　County。　　A　leisurely　German　　pos…
  sibly　old　Kampfer　himself　　will　bring　it　to　you。　　It　will
  be　four　feet　square；　on　heavy　drawing…cloth。　　The　lettering
  and　the　figures　will　be　beautifully　clear　and　distinct。
  The　title　will　be　in　splendid；　undecipherable　German
  text；　ornamented　with　classic　Teutonic　designs　　very
  likely　Ceres　or　Pomona　leaning　against　the　initial　letters
  with　cornucopias　venting　grapes　and　wieners。　　You
  must　tell　him　that　this　is　not　the　map　you　wish　to　see；
  that　he　will　kindly　bring　you　its　official　predecessor。
  He　will　then　say；　〃Ach；　so！〃　　and　bring　out　a　map
  half　the　size　of　the　first；　dim；　old；　tattered；　and
  faded。
  By　looking　carefully　near　its　northwest　corner　you　will
  presently　come　upon　the　worn　contours　of　Chiquito
  River；　and；　maybe；　if　your　eyes　are　good；　discern　the
  silent　witness　to　this　story。
  The　Commissioner　of　the　Land　Office　was　of　the　old
  style；　his　antique　courtesy　was　too　formal　for　his　day。
  He　dressed　in　fine　black；　and　there　was　a　suggestion　of
  Roman　drapery　in　his　long　coat…skirts。　　His　collars　were
  〃undetached〃　（blame　haberdashery　for　the　word）；　his
  tie　was　a　narrow；　funereal　strip；　tied　in　the　same　knot　as
  were　his　shoe…strings。　　His　gray　hair　was　a　trifle　too　long
  behind；　but　he　kept　it　smooth　and　orderly。　　His　face　was
  clean…shaven；　like　the　old　statesmen's。　　Most　people
  thought　it　a　stern　face；　but　when　its　official　expression　was
  off；　a　few　had　seen　altogether　a　different　countenance。
  Especially　tender　and　gentle　it　had　appeared　to　those
  who　were　about　him　during　the　last　illness　of　his　only
  child。
  The　Commissioner　had　been　a　widower　for　years；　and
  his　life；　outside　his　official　duties；　had　been　so　devoted
  to　little　Georgia　that　people　spoke　of　it　as　a　touching　and
  admirable　thing。　　He　was　a　reserved　man；　and　dignified
  almost　to　austerity；　but　the　child　had　come　below　it　all
  and　rested　upon　his　very　heart；　so　that　she　scarcely　missed
  the　mother's　love　that　had　been　taken　away。　　There　was
  a　wonderful　companionship　between　them；　for　she　had
  many　of　his　own　ways；　being　thoughtful　and　serious
  beyond　her　years。
  One　day；　while　she　was　lying　with　the　fever　burning
  brightly　in　her　checks；　she　said　suddenly：
  〃Papa；　I　wish　I　could　do　something　good　for　a　whole
  lot　of　children！〃
  〃What　would　you　like　to　do；　dear？〃　　asked　the　Com…
  Missioner。　　〃Give　them　a　party？〃
  〃Oh；　I　don't　mean　those　kind。　　I　mean　poor　children
  who　haven't　homes；　and　aren't　loved　and　cared　for　as
  I　am。　　I　tell　you　what；　papa！〃
  〃What；　my　own　child？〃
  〃If　I　shouldn't　get　well；　I'll　leave　them　you　　not
  give　you；　but　just　lend　you；　for　you　must　come　to　mamma
  and　me　when　you　die　too。　　If　y