Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet Read Free Page B

does, a handful of postcards spill out.
    Kneeling to pick them up, Kitty sees that the cards are not true postcards at all. They are multiple copies of the same photograph, a portrait of the woman sitting beside her on the bench. Garish text sits at the top of each photo: CONGRESS OF CURIOUS PEOPLE PRESENTS… And at the bottom: OOWANA SUMBA, SAVAGE HEADHUNTRESS OF BORNEO! In the photos, the woman is topless, wearing only a tangled grass skirt. She wields a machete in one hand, and with the other, she grasps a still-dripping severed head by its long, black hair. Startled, Kitty can only laugh at the contrast between the courtly lady before her and the primitive person in the photograph—from her hair (wild in the picture but neat in real life) to her clothing (minimal in the picture, modest in person) to her expression (crazed in the portrait, kind in reality).
    The woman snatches the cards from Kitty, embarrassed.
    â€œThat’s you?”
    The woman nods, then shakes her head no, then reconsiders and nods again. Finally, she gives up and shrugs, her neck rings tinkling a friendly little song. From her bag, she retrieves an oblong package in silver foil and hands it to Kitty.
    Kitty gasps. Nate had told her about these—invented in Coney Island not long ago, they have become world famous in a few short years.
    Hot dogs.
    â€œI couldn’t!” Kitty exclaims. She hands the treasure back. “No, really… It’s your dinner!”
    They debate the frankfurter in informal sign language. Finally, the woman snatches the package, unwraps the hot dog, and tears it in half. She holds out Kitty’s half and glares at her, unblinking. This is a woman skilled in making children eat.
    Kitty eats.
    It’s wonderful.
    â€¢ • •
    Too soon, the sun sets, and the African women fold up their blanket. Amid the children’s howls of protest, the women begin the trek back up to the street.
    The woman with the neck rings stands up and studies Kitty. She points at the bench, then up the street. She shrugs and says something apologetic.
    â€œI’m all right,” Kitty says. “Thank you for the food. Really, I’m fine.”
    The woman’s children approach the bench. Their mother speaks to them, and they curtsy to Kitty, politely whispering something that sounds like good-bye.
    Kitty waves to them as they walk away. The little boy drops to one knee, and his sister climbs onto his back. She rests her head on his shoulder. Although he is only a few inches taller than his sister, the boy manages to stand back up. He takes his mother’s hand and carries his exhausted sister toward home.
    Big brother , Kitty thinks. What a lovely big brother he is.
    Kitty makes a decision. “This is silly,” she says aloud. “All this sitting about, moping. I should go find Nate.”
    â€¢ • •
    Kitty walks along Surf Avenue, the street lit so brightly it looks like noon rather than night. The street is dotted with private bathhouses, restaurants, and the entrances to the three major amusement parks—Steeplechase, Luna Park, and the newly opened Dreamland. Roller coasters whoosh by overhead, and steam-powered calliopes toot in the distance, while barkers call out for suckers to take their chances on unwinnable carnival games. Kitty barely registers any of it. Her mind has only one focus—finding the magic words that will get her on board the ferry to Manhattan, back to her steamship to find her brother…all without so much as a penny for a ticket.
    The ferry terminal is crowded with cranky, sunburned Manhattanites. Children whine, and couples snipe at each other, and Kitty wonders if this was a good idea.
    After a twenty-minute wait in a long, confusing line, she takes her turn at the ticket counter.
    â€œWhere to?” drones the bored man behind the counter.
    â€œAh, one passenger, to Manhattan, but—”
    â€œFifteen cents.”
    â€œYes, the