The Immigrant Tide, Its Ebb and FlowSteiner, Edward Alfred
History
The Immigrant Tide, Its Ebb and Flow
Steiner, Edward Alfred
United States -- Emigration and immigration
Not a hundred miles away from Guinea Hill, at the Hazleton Young Men's
Christian Association, I want to show you what enlightened justice can
do for the "Roundhead." I came down from the Hill disheartened and sad,
and, stepping into the office of that rather remarkable Young Men's
Christian Association building, I saw a man, with dust-cloth and broom,
walking about with the peculiarly graceful stride of the mountaineer.
"That's Gabriel--not the archangel; but an angel, anyway," Mr. Hill, the
secretary, told me. "Go from garret to cellar and you will find no dust
or disorder. The small boy, that bane of the Young Men's Christian
Association, fears him and loves him in turn. I don't see how we could
get along without Gabriel."
"Kiss my cheek, Gabriel, and wish me well." And Gabriel kissed my cheek
and wished me well, just as he used to in his Montenegrin home, when
kinsman met kinsman upon the war-path as they fought their ancient
enemy, the Turk. Now, no weapons bulged from Gabriel's belt, his
clothing was faultlessly American, his once furious mustachios had
fallen beneath an American barber's shears, and his battle-field was
this splendidly equipped building. Officially, he was the janitor; but
he was also the self-appointed and beneficent dictator, feared by all
evil-doers and breakers of rules, and beloved by all who could
appreciate a faultlessly kept building.
"You must see his room," the genial secretary said, with a twinkle in
his eyes, and we followed Gabriel to the topmost story. He opened the
door of his room with pardonable pride, for Prince Nicolas, the ruler of
his country, whose bedroom I have seen and in whose throne-room I have
had audience, cannot boast of an apartment so neat and clean or so
gorgeously decorated. Besides the comfortable furniture, unrivalled in
Gabriel's home-land, the walls were hung with pictures which reflected
prevailing American tastes. Celluloid toilet articles lay upon the
bureau, while many books and newspapers betrayed how this janitor spent
his spare time.
Gabriel's face was radiant from pride, and so was mine; while added to
my pride was a pleasurable feeling to which I could give no other
expression than to ask for another fraternal kiss, which he gave me
with a resounding smack. When we returned to the lobby, I looked over
the group of men gathered there to meet me, and my wits were tested to
place each man according to his nationality. I looked into the face of
one young man, a veritable giant, and before he opened his lips I said,
"You are a Dalmatian." "Yes, yes," he replied, "from Ragusa."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account