u can go now."

Upstairs among the lockers on the third floor the temperature was like
that of a live volcano, only nothing showed any signs of exploding.
Fat women who could speak little or no English were here and there
puffily dismantling, exchanging the hotel work-uniform for street
garments. Everyone was kindly and affectionate. One old Irishwoman
came up while I was changing my clothes.

"Well, dearie, and how did it go?"

"Sure it went swell."

"That's good. The Lord bless ye. But there's one bit of advice I must
be giving ye. There's one thing you must take care of now. I'm tellin'
ye, dearie, you must guard your personality! I'm tellin' ye, there 're
the men y' know, but guard y' personality!"

I thanked her from the bottom of my heart and said I'd guard it,
surest thing she knew.

"Oh, the good Lord and the Virgin Mary bless ye, child!" And she
patted me affectionately on the back.

Indeed, I had been getting affectionate pats most of the time, though
the majority of them were from the male help. The composite impression
of that first day as I took my way home on the sticky Subway was that
the world was a very affectionate place, nor was I quite sure just
what to do about it.

The second morning I was given a glimpse of what can be done about it.
As I was waiting for the elevator on the service floor to be taken
down to work, a very attractive girl came along and immediately we
became chummy. She had been at the hotel three weeks; her job was to
cut fruit. Had she done this sort of work long? Not in this country,
but in Europe. Just one year had she been in America. At that moment
two youths passed. I saw nothing, but quick as a flash my new friend
flared up, "You fresh guy--keep your hands to yourself!" So evidently
that's the way it's done. I practiced it mentally. "Lots o' fresh guys
round here," I sniffed. "You said it," muttered the still ruffled
fruit cutter.

Downstairs, Kelly was waiting with a welcoming nod--Kelly, the
unpernickety steward. Everyone was as friendly as if we had been
feeding humanity side by side these many years. During the rush the
waiters called out as they sped by: "Hi there, little one!" "There's
the girlie!" "Ah there, sweetheart!" Verily the world is an
affectionate place. If a waiter had an order to give he passed the
time of day as he gave it and as he collected his order.

"And how's the little girl to-day?"

"Tiptop--and yourself?"

"A little low in spirits