Mabel Watson Payne was happy about the weather — another of those warm winter days that allowed her to run around in shirtsleeves when she and her father and I arrived at our favorite Chinatown playground. It consists of a long narrow strip, well-disposed for afternoon sun and sheltered from winds by surrounding buildings, so is often warmer than other nearby spots. Mabel tends to be reluctant to interrupt play-time for the sake of snack-time, but her father keeps careful track of the when and the what of her food needs, and she is such an amenable child as always to be peacefully persuaded.