Show i IA Aw A Washington Daybook By RODNEY NEW YORK April 11 ll 11 itan paragraphs paragraph It was known as the smallest store space in all Manhattan The loca lion tion is Eighth Avenue Avenue Av Av- I not far from Madison Square Garden And like the m mousetrap o 0 U use S e t r l' a p maker of the forest forest for for- est its reputation j spread pread and cro crowds ds V gathered if only to stare and say sav smail That's the smallest small est shop In New NewYork s York S The tiny sp space which is little littlemore M ij more than a cupboard cupboard cup- cup I I 1 board sandwiched between two buildings s was devoted to the gentle art of sharpening skates and casting keys New York has a aast avast avast vast ast number of or citizens who go Ice I skating w winter whiter and summer A large rink Is in the neighborhood of the tiny shop The cubby hole cubby hole has been not only profitable but has brought its proprietor that sort of fame tame which attracts tourists ts from near nearby near by hotels So It has drifted along a along a sort of contemporary contemporary contemporary con con- temporary landmark that folk loUt had to hunt for tor The proprietor has been I duly modest keeping his nose close to te the grinding machine and to the key I moulds But Ne New York being what it is the time comes when even the man In Inthe Inthe inthe the smallest shop craves some per personal I per attention The other night a abig abig I big electric sign appeared over o th the tiny coop Joining the other adorn adom adornments adornments ments of the town mid section The electric display is as big as the shop Itself If It not bigger o o e o 0 oHe He was a lad from out west who i had come corns like man many another nother to tomake tomake I make hi his w way ay as a writer For FOI a time he had worked on newspapers by way of or earning a meal ticket then he be had made aade contact with some of or the cheap pulp pulpy magazines and those of us who ho had known him lost track of the young oun man A few months ago we ve go got reports that he w was as not doing so well Someone said ald he had had a serious ailment aliment and almost penniless had lain In a charity hospital and had undergone un un- an operation All AU of which we e e later found to be true Very well well well-he he moved to a cheap boarding hou house e and anti barely eked out an existence He was several hundred hundred hun hun- dred dollars In debt to his landlady He was asked to lea leave re So he wandered down clown the tile street and looked around walked a a. block or so and stopped topped He was at the doorway of ot the hotel where O. O Henry once held a Job as clerk An upper window has long ong been Identified Iden iden- I In local legends as being one oneat oneat oneat at which sat da day after day the thel famed tamed chronicler of or the by Subway There the legend gees he would a atch watch the world and its wife pass and then go to his desk to struggle with a new idea Everyone Every cry one knows that 0 O. O Henry was al almost almost almost al- al most alwa always S in debt and was ii forever forever for tor ever eyer crying to his publishers for an on advance on his stories The discouraged lad from the we west t knew all the 0 O. O Henry legends legends legends leg leg- ends by heart He stood in the street and looked up tip at the window What did one oce sec see from that window window- that made a great city dL dissolve Into Innumerable human patterns Was there an anything thing In the atmosphere of ofa ofa ofa a certain room The youth walked to the desk clerk and asked if he might rent a n room roem Sorry 1 it was occupied pled pied but there might be some chance in a few days A great many people you jou ou know asked for that room roomi I You know how people arc o o Q o Meanwhile just a n. few blocks away another lad Jad from the west sat rat in a trim suite of offices He too had come to make his way ay as asa asa asa a writer had wound up as an executive of at a certain newspaper agency and disagreeing dis dis- dis fr agreeing had left lert to start his own business bushless He lIe had several Important m. m writing jobs in th the theoffice office S good pay and andI I fine prospects for forI I making a neat L reputation f for forthe forthe 0 P the writer I wish th the dickens I 1 could rind Hud out where Jack is said the young oung editor I Just then he collided with the discouraged discouraged dis dis- dis lad who was wac walking out of the old O. O Henr Henry t hotel hotell I I Copyright 1031 O NEA Service c Inc |