c. 1904: Kansas City
theodore dreiser observes
a family act
dusk—of a summer night.
and the tall walls of the commercial heart
of an american city of perhaps 400,000 inhab
itants—such walls as in time may linger as a
mere fable.
but solid of frame and vigorous, very plain in
face and dress, and yet not homely, leading with
one hand a small boy of seven and in the other
carrying a bible and several hymn books. With
these three, but walking independently behind,
was a girl of fifteen, a boy of twelve and another
girl of nine, all following obediently, but not too
enthusiastically, in the wake of the others.
it was hot, yet with a sweet languor about
it all.
Crossing at right angles the great thor
oughfare on which they walked, was a second
canyonlike way, threaded by throngs and ve
hicles and various lines of cars which clanged
their bells and made such progress as they
might amid swiftly moving streams of traf
fic. Yet the little group seemed unconscious of
anything save a set purpose to make its way
