The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-04-16
FOR HIMSELF ALONE
An Interesting Tale of Reversed Identities
BY T. W. sPEIGHT.
CHAPTER I.

b1 Il. W. SPElGHT.
.IJ CHAPTER l. -.
The room was the second-noor-
OF a certain house in certain shabby
genteel street in the purlieus Of Soho,
London. 1t was good-sized room, and
had two windows, the outlook from
which was not II very lively one, being
limited to the back premises Of sundry
other houses, which, as rule, formed
the playground of innumerable chill
dren during the day, and the trysting-
place of innumerable cats during the
small hours of the night. On fine days
vistas of drying linen might be dis
cened iluttering far into the murky
distance.
The furniture Of the room was worn
and shabby with age and much hard
wear. The faded carpet was darned in
many places and patched in others with
pieces different from itself; the hearth
rug was worn threadbare with the usage
of many years; the glass over the Chin
ney-piece was cracked, and its once gilt
frame was blackened with age. There
was horse-hair sofa between the win
lows, to sit on which was like sitting on
aplank; and there were several cane
bottomed chairs, most of which were
more or less rickety and insecure. The
two comfortable easy-chairs, one on
each side Of the fireplace, belonged to
the present tenants Of the room, as did
also the writing-desk that stood oppo-
site one OF the windows, and the easel
that was fixed near the other. There
were several hanging shelves laden with
books, and magazines and newspapers
were strewp carelessly about. On the
walls were several sketches in water
colcrs, and some half-do,en caricatures
in chalks. Finally, the room had three
doors, two of them opening into bed
rooms, and the third giving access TO
the common staircase OF the house.
The time was seven p. m. on q pleas
ant evening in May. On the horse-hair
sofa was stretched at full length a young
man of some five or six and twenty
years, on whose features the traces OF
recent illness were plainly visible A
magazine had dropped idly from his
fingers, and he now lay perfectly still,
watching CLINT OF dying sunlight as it
slowly mounted higher and higher on
the opposite wall. His face, without
being markedly handsome. was pleas
ami one to look upon. It's expression
was one that seemed to mingle refine
ment Of thought with decision of char.
acter. His eyes were particularly good
dark, gave, reflective, yet with a
playful CLEAN in them at times which
seemed 10 show that he had not left his
youth so far behind him as not to be
able TO enjoy u little fun or nonsense in
due season. His complexion was olive,
and his hair black; and from top to toe
he measured six feet and little over.
BY profession he was writer for sundry
newspapers and magazines, a sort OF
guerrilla trooper attached to no staff or
corps in particular. His name was
Frank Frobisher.
Before the CLEAN Of sunlight had quite
faded from the wall. the noise of foot
steps. ascending the stairs was heard, ac-
compan.ed by the sound Of a mellow
voice caroling forth the refrain OF the
last popular song. Then the door OF
the room was opened, and the new-com-
er halted iof moment on the threshold.
"What bear | must bel" he ex-
claimed. "For the moment, had for
gotten that you might be snoozing.
Have | disturbed youP"
"A good thing If you had. seem to
have been snoozing my brains away oi
late"
'llow do you feel by this timep''
asked the other, as he came forward
and shut the door.
"Oh, better-better," was the an
swer, given little querulously. "The
doctor says am better, so / suppose |
must be"
The newcomer, Dick Drummond,
was q tall, lanky, freckled young man,
about the same age as his friend, or It
may be year or two older. He had
dark-blue eyes, that seemed made to
express fun and mischief rather than
any deeper shades Of feeling. but which
yet could be tender enough on occasion.
His long struggling red hair looked
as II the tonsorial scissors would i'm
prove its appearance. He wore a
slouched hat. and brown velyeteen
jacket that had evidently seen better
DAYS. He was an unrecognized genius
In The great world Of Art, a painter who
painted moro pictures than he could
gel, = gd l'robisher were bosom
iricnd''"h'ld shared the second-noor-
baek twyen themifG sTodooH in9
What have you theren'' asked Fro
bisher1 noticing that his friend was
isdsR asss win 'u1Hnfa5IHBTcslssl and pack
.Item4-one ohslf.quirtsri loaf; ana
isn't TIA beautyp" answered Drummoud
solemnly. as he proceeded TO place his
packages one by ono on the table.
.Iook at that crust; there's perfection
al color. Item half pound