The Cliff-Dwellers | Page 4

stenographers, and errand-boys; and the necessary
force of engineers, janitors, scrub -women, and elevator-hands.
All these thousands gather daily around their own great camp-fire. This
fire heats the four big boilers under the pavement of the court which
lies just behind, and it sends aloft a vast plume of smoke to mingle with
those of other like com munities that are settled round about. These
same thousands may also gather in instalments at their tribal feast, for
the Clifton has its own lunch-counter just off one corner of the grand
court, as well as a restaurant several floors higher up. The members of
the tribe may also smoke the pipe of peace among themselves
whenever so minded, for the Clifton has its own cigar -stand just within
the principal entrance. Newspapers and periodicals, too, are sold at the
same place. The warriors may also communi cate their messages,
hostile or friendly, to chiefs more or less remote; for there is a telegraph
office in the corridor and a squad of messengerboys in wait close by.
In a word, the Clifton aims to be complete within itself, and it will be
unnecessary for us to go afield either far or frequently during the
present simple succession of brief episodes in the lives of the
Cliff-dwellers.

I
ON the tenth floor of the Clifton is the office of the Massachusetts
Brass Company.
Those whose minds are attuned to an appreciation of upholstery and
kindred matters pronounce this little suite the gem of the whole
establish ment. Even many who are not adepts in the matter of
house-furnishing, and who are much too rushed and preoccupied to
become such, have been known to pause in their course through the
Clifton's long corridors, on occasions when the ribbed glass door of the
Brass Company happened to be standing ajar, and to say to themselves,
with certain home offices in mind,

"Now, why can't our people do as much for wt"
Indeed, there is cause enough for envy in that small square of velvety
Axminster, in the har monious tinting of the walls, in the padded
leather backs of the swivel chairs, in the pol ished brightness of the
cherry desk-tops, in the fresh blotting-pads and the immaculate ink
stands. To sit in this pleasant little apartment for half an hour is to
receive quite a new impres sion of the possible luxury of business, the
ultimate elegance of trade. This may be managed as easily as not if you
happen to have any dealings with "D. Wai worth Floyd, Agt."
according to the legend on the translucent pane of the door who is quite
unlikely to hurry you out be fore you have finished. a Don't be in such a
drive," he will perhaps say to you; "stay and smoke a cigar."
For business is not too exacting a consideration with the western
branch of the Massachu setts Brass Company. It is less a hive of indus
try than a social exchange. The hours are easy, and the habitues are as
frequently callers as cus tomers. They are often Jacks or Toms, whose
fathers are social pillars in Boston and large land-owners in Wyoming
and Dakota, and Jack and Tom birds of passage in Scotch cheviots and
billycock hats are given to alighting for a brief breathing -spell on this
lofty perch, wherethey reproach the slipshod dress and careless, speech
of their friend's small office force by the trim neatness of their own
clothes and conversation.
It may be guessed that this snug haven of ref uge has been established
and maintained less to. extend the Company's trade than to provide a
place for the Company's Wai worth. I say Com pany's Walworth, for in
this case "company" and "family" are interchangeable terms. The
Massachusetts Brass Company is the Floyd family, and the Floyd
family is the Massachusetts Brass Company. The Company pays no
divi dends, but it is very generous in its salaries. It is liberal with Hosea
G. Floyd, who is its. presi dent, and with Winthrop C. Floyd, who is its
treasurer, and with H. Lovell Floyd, who is its New York agent, and
with Cadwallader P. Floyd, who looks after the Philadelphia inter ests;
nor does it quite forget D. Wai worth Floyd, who holds up one end
more or less effect ively in the West. But Walworth is the last and the

youngest of the Floyds; his marriage was not to the complete
satisfaction of his fam ily, and his single independent venture before
leaving home, in the direction of coffee and spices, compelled his
brothers to put their hands into their pockets rather deeply. So, while
the rest of the Floyds think that, all considered, they have rather done
the fair thing by Walworth, yet Walworth, on the other