The Skylight Room (Henry)
from the Collection « Four Million»
Mrs. Parker was the landlord of a building where rooms were rented out. She always showed potential tenants the double parlours first, and was not impressed when they revealed they were neither doctors nor dentists. She then showed them the second-floor-back at $8, and if they were still looking for something cheaper, the third-floor-hall room of Mr. Skidder, who wrote plays and smoked cigarettes. Lastly, if they were still looking, she would show them the skylight room on the fourth floor, which was only $2 a night.
One day, Miss Leeson came looking for a room. She was a small, young woman with heavy, bright hair and vivacious features. Mrs. Parker showed her the double parlours, but when she revealed she was neither a doctor nor a dentist, Mrs. Parker's manner changed and she showed her the second-floor-back. It was too expensive, so she then showed her Mr. Skidder's room, where they admired the lambrequins. Lastly, she showed her the skylight room, which Miss Leeson took for $2 a night.
Miss Leeson was a working girl who went out to different offices to search for work. She was often unsuccessful and returned to her room with no dinner. One night, she returned to the stoop of the building and Mr. Hoover, a forty-five year old, fat, and foolish man, asked her to marry him. Frightened, she ran up the steps and opened the door of the skylight room.
She was too weak to do anything besides lie down on the iron cot. As she lay on her back, she looked out of the skylight and saw a star she had named Billy Jackson. She tried to raise her arm to blow a kiss to him, and then murmured, "Goodbye, Billy Jackson."
The next morning, they found the door to her room locked and had to force it open. When the ambulance doctor arrived, Mrs. Parker followed him up the stairs to Miss Leeson's room. He carried her out of the room in his arms, and Mrs. Parker was so shocked by what he said to her that she never revealed what it was. He drove Miss Leeson to Bellevue Hospital, where the news article the next morning confirmed that she would recover.