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           InalittledistrictwestofWashingtonSquarethestreetshaveruncrazyandbrokenthemselvesintosmallstripscalled"places. "These"places"makestrangeanglesandcurves. Onestreetcrossesitselfatimeortwo. Anartistoncediscoveredavaluablepossibilityinthisstreet. Supposeacollectorwithabillforpaints,paperandcanvasshould,intraversingthisroute,suddenlymeethimselfcomingback,withoutacenthavingbeenpaidonaccount! 

           So,toquaintoldGreenwichVillagetheartpeoplesooncameprowling,huntingfornorthwindowsandeighteenth-centurygablesandDutchatticsandlowrents. ThentheyimportedsomepewtermugsandachafingdishortwofromSixthavenue,andbecamea"colony." 

           Atthetopofasquatty,three-storybrickSueandJohnsyhadtheirstudio. "Johnsy"wasfamiliarforJoanna. OnewasfromMaine; theotherfromCalifornia. Theyhadmetatthetabled’hoteofanEighthstreet"Delmonico’s,"andfoundtheirtastesinart,chicorysaladandbishopsleevessocongenialthatthejointstudioresulted. 

           ThatwasinMay. InNovemberacold,unseenstranger,whomthedoctorscalledPneumonia,stalkedaboutthecolony,touchingonehereandtherewithhisicyfingers. Overontheeastsidethisravagerstrodeboldly,smitinghisvictimsbyscores,buthisfeettrodslowlythroughthemazeofthenarrowandmoss-grown"places." 

           Mr.Pneumoniawasnotwhatyouwouldcallachivalricoldgentleman. AmiteofalittlewomanwithbloodthinnedbyCaliforniazephyrswashardlyfairgameforthered-fisted,short-breathedoldduffer.