The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-11-05

muteness around.
81 suppose / must have gone about hun
dred and fifty yards in a straight line before
| discovered there was no way of exit at the
end. crossed and began walking back
toward the head of the street. Before had
got half way reached turning to the left,
and, for a moment, stood irresolute as to
which course | should take.
CAS- l was celebrating, | heard footsteps
approaching rapidly. l drew a little out
of the way to let him pass but, as he went
to the same side, he run against me rather
forciby, and, tripping over a raised stone in
the kennel, fell heavily to the ground. I
helped him to rise. lie was not hurt and
when he and had exchanged apologies, he
turned slowly down the street and to the
left and walked with bent head and deliber-
ate step.
"Tho two questions which arose to me
were Who was he? and what had oc-
casioned his haste? His manner and speech
were those of q gentleman, and 50 far as
could see there was nothing in his dress or
appearance inconsistent with the presump-
ton that he was one. What could make a
man Of his class rush down n by street as
at such a pace, and then suddenly, upon re-
ceiving a momentary check, subside into a
shambe? Had he committed some crime,
and were the ministers of justice upon his
track?'
II listened, half expecting to hear the
clatter of feet in chase. All was still in the
street, and from beyond the street the sound
of traffic came feebly and DULY, like the
muttering of water in distant cave.
Mechanically | turned into the narrow
street the man had entered. | could not
remove my mind of him. He clung to me
like the vapor. But what was it that seemed
so strange about him? All of us have ex-
perienced the phenomenon Of remembering,
or recalling, or reimposing on the mind
persons and objects of which, at the time
they were displayed to us, we took no sensi-
BILE mental impression. So it was with me
in this case.
Il have always taken great delight in
trying to read the heart through the face
This mans manner puzzled me considerably,
and when 1 first felt the recollection of his
face dawning upon me, | said to myself, now
1 shall know all,
81 was very much interested in my vague
speculation, and | must have walked more
than over mile before | became aware of
the fact that | had been taking turns with
out recording them So that when awoke
to sense of my situation / had lost my
way. | received an unpleasant shock for,
although | had no fear, the place where
found myself was gloomy and forbidding in
the extreme Overhead hung huge war
houses, whose upper stories were lost in the
fog and night. The lane was narrow, and
practicable only to foot passengers. Strain
my ears as | might I could hear no hum of
voices, no sound of wheels, no bells, no noise
of life.
81 pushed on hurredly. Suddenly heard
a sound. Click-click click. 'Billiardsr
l thought joyously, and following the di-
recton given by the sound, | found door,
pushed it open, walked through long, mar
row passage, and entered the room where
the game was going on.
"There were five persons in the room,
nlmely, the marker, two players ana one
man sitting on side seat. | should have
called him a spectator, but that he seemed
to be fast asleep"
81 asked my way of the marker, and find
ing l had not drilted very far from my
anchorage, made up my mind to sit and
watch game or two"
81 think must have been upward of an
hour in the billiard room, when one of the
players accidentally touched the sleeper with
the butt end of his cue and reused him. 1t
is impossible to express my astonishment
when once more saw the face but dimly
remembered the face of him who had fallen
in the narrow street but an hour before"
81 was more than surprised-Iwas shocked.
How did it come we two should meet again
that same night? Was fate busy between
him and me? | felt uncomfortable. When
his eyes fell upon me there was no CLEAN of
recognition. He did not remember we had
met before"
"He did not materially alter his position.
He sat limp and spirite3s, as one completely
crushed. Now | saw plainly that there was
no artificial lethargic influence at work in
him. Now discovered the second element
in the contention it was extreme physical
fatigue. / could still see the hunger for
action in his eye; he watched the swiftly
travelling balls as though he enyied them
but his heavy limbs lay abroad, as though
there ~ ere no power left to rally them. How
| 10 ha tal fprf
Poverty had nothing to do with it. He wore
one ring which must have cost more than
many families have to spend in year. His
dress WAS little tossed and soiled, but the
most fashionable cut and materials"
Something far deeper than my curiosity
was now aroused, and for the life of me
could not keep my eyes off him.
"At length the balls ceased to play the
players took their leave; the lights were
turned down the marker approached the
weary man, and, asked him if he wished to
play. No. in a tremulous voice, out of
which all the volume and spirit had depart
ed. As he uttered the word he rose heavily,
came with a slow pace round the table, and
entered the long passage. | followed. As he
reached the outer door entered the passage.
lie stood moment looking out into the fog,
and then ! heard him utter, 'The day will
never come, I'll go to the river"
"To the river! To the river, with those
weary limbs and that passion of restlessness
eating his reason away 1t can mean only
one thing. To the river, if you like, but
not alone, I'll follow. With these thoughts
| hastened after him."
"There was no great need for caution,
The fog and his intense preoccupation made
it unnecessary for me to take unusual care
kept close to him. and followed him