The Evening critic., 1881-11-24


been South, he said, looking after the estate
of an uncle recently deceased and was en-
route for the West. His manner until to-
night indicated nothing to attract sus-
picion, and perhaps after all there is no oc-
casion for attaching any Importance to the
episode down stairs"
did he say anything to you Of his wife2'
l asked, determined that the matter should
not be passed over so lightly.
mo. But, now that you mention it,
wonder that did not ask him about herr
but we talked of almost everything else"
DO you know whether he married
the girl with whom he was said to have
cloped when he ran away from college?"
We'll, presume so. 1t was so rumored
Mt that time" For while neither Of us
spoke, but resumed our game in silence and
played on. In the meantime John HolTes,
OF the Rerie,c, Frank May, of the Times
and other members of the club came in,
and the incident Of the night was APP
parently forgotten in the general CONVEX.
sation that followed Perhaps 1t would
have been passed over altogether had not
Frank May related an incident in con-
nection with his labors of the day.
say, Rolfe," Frank said, in his pleas
ant way. our city editor has struck the
charity racket. He has got the worst case
| " fhS h"N
the force out tonight working up paupers,
with view to having them served with n
thanksgiving turkey and things tomorrow.
lts scheme to advertise the paper, you
Know, and our press-room tomorrow will be
overrun with beggars and tramps, rs all
such found by the boys tonight were in
structed to call at tho office at o'clock to.
morrow morning to receive share of the
provender. l booked eleven of the poor
wretches, and met the strangest creature
while thus engaged you ever heard of. A
poor, half.starved woman, who lives down
in Shorter's lane, in place not fit for
the habitation of beast. was directed
there by policeman, who warned me that
i would meet with surprise and q rebuff.
After plOughing my way there through
mud and muck, l reached the spot where
she resided. Pushing open the rickety
street door, entered small room. An
Odor of coarse tobacco, stale beer, gin and
herrings pervaded the place. 1t was low in
the ceiling discolored by dirt and CRIME,
damp and age; huge patches of plaster had
fallen down in some places, re-
vealing the bare lath or brick
wall 1t was almost devoid Of
furniture and the decayed floor was full
of holes, eaten by rats of a sewer which
flowed in its immediate vicinity. All this
L COulu SCC Ny buC iIShbOi hltdSIt
that flickered in an iron holder, and the
feeble glow of wretched little fire that
burned in a low, rusty crate. At treach-
erous, shaky table sat two rough, half
drunken men, who stared at me rs | en-
tered and wonderingly waited for me to
speak. l was that much ast0unded that |
could scarcely speak, but | finally asked If
Mary Taylor-the name with which l had
boon urnished-resided there. If
yer means Cranky Mag said
one Of the ruffians, 'yer'll find
her in thar, pointing to an adjoining apart
ment. Welodges with her, doant we Nick ?"
glancing at his companion with brutal
grin. Without ceremony l pushed open
the door leading to n second room and was
even more dismayed by the squallor and
scanty, Pickering fire. the form Of a woman,
clothed in rags, seated ON a low stool, star
ing vacantiy at the blaze. AS l entered,
she sprang 10 her 1eet, pushea back tho
matted masses OF her mar, and drawing her
sell proudly erect, demanded 10 know tho
cause OF my intrusion. stated my
GRAND Driehy,. ana, as warned,
was repulsed. She declined the protfered
charity and ordered me to leave the house
with such haughtlness and SO peremptorily
that beat hasty retreat But the strangest
part OF 1t was the traces OF great beauty
that fingered in her face. Though haggard
and broken by poverty ana dissipation,
beauty and grace still fingered about her,
and her language. though forcible, was that
of woman OF education. l was more
especially observant OF these facts because
of their contrast with the degraded sur
roundings. ! am not often impressed by
such things, but was convinced that there
was history about that woman, and