The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-08-21
THE MAN OF NO ACCOUNT.

said voice In the street
DE-. Vickers was in his office, where he had
been sitting, reading an old German book.
He threw the book on table, opened the
window and looked out
The cathedral clock struck two. The
gaslight fiared in the keen wind The
street was -still, save where now and then
belated pedestrian hurried along, and
from an adjacent square some votaries Of
Bacchus were vociferating their intention
Of not going home till morning,
TIL daylight doth appear,
A man WAS lying asleep on the office
step big, burly policeman had him by
the shoulder, shaking him. Get up,
say Get upI'
The sleeper rose from his recumbent
position, yawning, and said:
Certainly, my dear sir Anything to
oblige. But you should not be 50 vehement
in your manner. You really should not.
You would find it to your advantage to
cultivate repOse"
" Don't be a-givin' NE any o. your np"'
said tbemoral policeman, but come along
to the station house"
But really, now. you are too attentive,
Policeman. object TO going to prison
am neither drunk nor disorderly, and 1
have no felonious intents upon my neigh
boris goods l thank you for your interest
in me, but a coolness on Your part, a
studied avoidance Of my vicinity. would
please me well Au TeUOiT, Mr Police
man"
And so saying, tn, man lay down on the
steps. The exasperated officer caught him
by the coat-collar and ierked him to a sit
ting POsuTe 49,. -
wish you had" he said, at the same time
rFf Nrnrw D. a D
his feet The Hlan looked into the face of
the other and replied:
No, II would be impossible for me IN
der any circumstances, to wish to accom-
pany you You exceed the bounds OF
probability when you say that. my good
fellow. But since you are so impOrtunate
VIII go, always under protest, though,
always under protest.
So saying he descended the steps. The
Doctor had been an interested spectator Of
this scene, and now, acting from impulse
called out:
"Wait minute. officer. and shutting
the window went out into the hall and
opened the street door.
Let the fellow alone, officer" said he
to the policeman, 81 viii see that he does
but he can't go on a-layiu' round
asleep on door steps. replied the majesty
"I admit my conduct was open 10 ad-
verse criticism" +" the stranger said. waving
his hand The customs of society do not
bouts, especially when his couch Of dreams
is naught but the cold, cold stones OF a
door step. But viii make a handsome
apology If necessary" he continued bow
Ing TO the policeman.
After little more parleying with the
offended policeman, the Doctor induced
him 70 depart without she offending
sleeper. Still acting from impulse. he in
vlted the stranger % enter the office The
only explanation Of his conduct was that
he wished to hear him talk. Possibly the
O hp han heaar
psychological work may have had some
bearing on DR.. NiCkers' anomalous con
uuct Beside 1t was IN the night, and no
one would know It Deeds under such cir
cumstanCes are never so heinous as when
performed in the broad, uncompromising
light of day
Once seated by the fire the Doctor saw
that his new acquaintance was a man
something over thirty years, who would
have been handsome under happier cir
cumStances But neglect and dissipation
had made sad havoc with his face The
Doctor placed a lunch on a small table,
and CourteOusly invited him to eat The
other drew his chair up 10 the table, and
then said, with an affected air of concern
You must give me assurance, Doctor,
that food partaken OF at this late hour
viii not be detrimental to my general
health 1 never play tricks with my di-
With assumed solemnity the Doctor as
sured him that he might eat with i'm
Punity. The other prOfessed himself
satisfied and went to eating He
was evidently very hungry and equally
reluctant to let It be too apparent, 50 that
the Doctor made an excuse and withdrew
When he returned the plate was empty,
and the stranger was seated in front OF
the fire.
He looked so thin, so pinched with
hunger, so blue with cold so utterly for
saken and disreputable, that for the first
time DR.. Nickers felt a compassion for
him He drew an armchair 10 the other
side of the flre, opposite him
- don imagine LIE wears a rOSeate
hue for YOU, eh ? said he, interrogatively
"Welf.r said the other. 81 have not
much of which to complain at present.
am warm and have eaten. II is not always
so with me. A stomach is such an incon-
venient thing. / often reflect on the folly
of my having one" Here the unknown
struck an attitude aud continued
You know what the poet says;
You may live without books
:, Whist is knowledge, ll,sg, but griev1ngf
What Is hope but deceiving7
You may live without love
What is passion but pining7
But where is the man that can 1--we without
You are acquainted with the poets,
are yoa i'' said DIR. Nickers
81 have, sir, quite a knowledge Of polite
literature In fact, 1 have done little
writing myself. 1t never came to anything.
Nothing ever does that undertake. ] was
never thoroughly trained in anything
am the man of no account" " he said, exact
ly as though he was introducing some
What has been the natter" asked
the other.
Wrong training" replied the man OF
no account. If | had been apprenticed
In early life to a shoemaker. and learned
somewhat, but 1t IS fatiguing to the
nerves. y
"a But what do you intend doing in the
future?" asked the doctor
Do ," repeated the other. " Just as little
as possible till the end Of the chapter What
doesa watch dowhenithas nomain-springi
have no main-spring." He smoked
little while and looked mOOdily into the
fire
The Cathedral clock struck three. Then
the other clocks in the towers took &c up
and told the hour.
"One-two-three,p - repeated the man.
"Quite romantic situation for you isn't
it-sitting at O'Clock in the morning -
ceiving the condolences Of a common trampf
But am n human being, sir, atd | once
had a conscience and q heart p ] have been
through things that were enough 10 kill
both, though once in n while have an uTl-
easy ache where FAy heart was like she,
throb of n nerve after tooth Is out. That
is when memory wakenS MP. Sometimes in
the night when IL storms. And always in
the spring Out in the country. You know,
when YOU smell things Just starting to
grow, and after sunset. when the gray
night begins TO cover the fields, and the
frogs are peeping IN the ponds. Some
thing hurts me then; everything is 80 in
noceut and peaceful. / always get into
town ms fast as l csin and beg borrow OF
steal drink or two That fixes me all
right. | forget everything then. only that
! am beast without "a soul ] wish had
drink now. - said he, in what tried 10 be a
bTaggadocio tone.
The Doctor made no reply to this, and
the man dropped his head on iss
md e.raF lfn. fsar "a