Ch4-Hard Times

CHAPTER FOVR Hard Times The wind lashed the bare trees and swept the snow into tall drifts. "That way!" said Annie. She led the way down the castle steps to the path. "Mr. Perkins was a nice guy," said Annie as they headed toward the west side of the park.

"Yeah," said Jack. "Someday I'd like to go back there and see all his weather instruments." Jack and Annie trudged through the storm, until they saw buildings just beyond the trees. "We're almost out of Central Park!" Annie said. Jack looked around. "Do you see Teddy and Kathleen?" he said. "No, but we'd better keep going if we want to get to the zoo today," said Annie. Jack agreed. Mr. Perkins had said that the blizzard was going to turn into a monster after dark. And dark came early in November. They left the park and came to a wide city street. All sorts of things were blowing about in the wind: newspapers, hats, and umbrellas turned

inside out. Jack and Annie grabbed a lamppost and clung to it, trying to keep from getting blown away, too. When there was a lull in the storm, they trudged across the avenue. It was lined with cars half buried in the snow. Jack and Annie started down a side street. They passed an old man and woman huddled in a doorway, wrapped in torn blankets, burning a fire in a small stove. They passed a line of men dressed in ragged clothes standing outside a building. A sign said "Free Soup."

Jack hoped everyone outside would find better shelter before the monster blizzard hit. "Excuse me!" Annie called to the men in the line for free soup. "Do you know where the West Side IRT subway is?" "Two blocks!" said a man. "Keep going!" "Thanks!" said Annie. Jack and Annie kept going. They passed a firehouse, a cheese store, and a newsstand.

Everything was closed and shuttered. Peddlers' carts were stuck in drifts. Signs banged in the wind. One said: MEATBALLS AND BEANS-10 CENTS! Another said: Zmo's BAKERY-5 CENTS A LOAF! A third said: Ladging-2 dollars a week! Jack and Annie crossed the street. They saw newsboys huddled under a theater awning. The boys had wrapped their feet and legs in newspapers to keep warm.

"Excuse me, where's the subway?" Jack shouted. "End of the block and around the corner! Green ball!" said a boy. Green ball? wondered Jack. What does that mean? "Thanks!" said Annie. "You guys should go home! After dark, the storm's turning into a monster!" Jack and Annie trudged on. When they turned the corner, Annie shouted, "Look! A green ball!" On top of a post was a large green ball. The post was next to a stairway that led underground. A sign said: