Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-02-02
IcoSTINUED.1
CHAPTER III.
AN UNWILLING GUEST


Philip thought things were going little
too far, and as he walked along with his un-
desirable host he began 20 plan escapes.
Up ON the hill to his left he could see, now
and then, between the houses, his own home
and tho lights in its window streaming well
come to him. The tense mood relaxed in
him, old habits of thought and association
made themselves felt again; the poor man
walking heavily by his side seemed thou
sand miles removed from him.
"Here we are" said Graves, as he led the
mill owners son up couple of rickety look
ing steps to a doorway Philip was not
pleased at all; he had seen enough poverty
tonight; he did not care to particularize.
What was the use of distressing himself over
this mans private miseries and discomforts!
Wasn't it written in all the books Of political
economy that-but Graves opened the door
and waited for his unwilling guest to go i'll
before him. The poor mans heart was warm
in the unwonted exercise Of hospitality.
With an ungracious frown on his face
Philip entered the dimly lighted room, his
great boots sounding with startling effect on
the bare floor. The top heavy kerosene lamp
was turned down, but with the heartiness Of
a true host, Graves turned up the lamp SO
that Philip could look about him. There was
little enough to see-a round pine table with
little blue, cracked crokery on it, rusty
cooking stove, two or three dingy, unpainted
chairs, a high backed rocking chair, with q
faded, shapeless chintz cushion, and what
seemed to be q sofa in one corner.
At first Philip thought the room lad been
unoccupied, but as Graves turned up the
1of1ovn frfAa bn ~
lying upon the SOFIA woman with sunken
black eyes and wan, colorless cheeks, whose
loosely bound hair, gray before its time, fell
down over her shoulders.
"The woman is sick, or she'd get up and
speak to you," said Graves, with now gen.
tleness in his voice, as he looked at the wife
of his youth. 'They say she might get well
if we could pay doctors bills Eh, Jennie"
The girl who stood in the doorway had her
mothers eyes, not quite large enough, but
with g rare sheen in them; it might be her
mothers face, too, but with the bloom of
perfect health Tightening up its olive.
Involuntarily he rose to his feet and
bowed, but as the girl only seemed to regard
him as one might look at circus tumbler,
Philip relapsed into his seat, in the humilia-
tion beauty can put upon the greatest of us.
''Nothin' but cold potatoes? Well, guess
they'll do with little salt and piece of
bread"
''Did Curran speaks" asked the girl.
eyes, answered Philip "And who * b.
"a common laborer9" Then he bit his lip.
But nobody took offense, no one suspected
their guest Of being anything above COM
mon lahorer.
'Only laborer," answered Graves, "a
weaver, but he's got some book knowledge
somehow. There aint many can beat him
at talkin', is thereF'
The girls eyes were on Philip now, impa-
tient, as he fancied, even for his poor tribute
to her lovers praise.
"He is wonderful" lie assented, 'but what
don't understand is, that he can be such a
man and still weaver. Where did he learn
it all2"
"Have you got enough to eat? Well,
knowledge has got pretty well through all
classes now, for those as wants it. It's there
for all who have eyes or ears for it. Why,
friend, where have you been all your life:
Brains and hearts don't so by station. I've
found smarter men in shops and mills than
most we send to congress- There's thousands
like Curran, if they only got the stirrin' hes
had some way. Now, Jane, it's about time
you get this mans bed ready"
Philips heart jumped OF course he
couldn't stay, but what excuse could he give
for coming at all, theni
"Be you lookin' for q job?" asked Graves,
after his daughter had left them.
It occurred to Philip that he had one, if he
wanted tito put one spark of happiness
into such lives as these, but he nodded The
man looked him over rather disparagingly
swell, wash yourself up and black your
boots bit, and guess / can do somethin'
for you in the mill. It's hard work and
small pay, but we never had better, you and
me. We don't well know what we miss bein'
poor, we miss it such big ways"
"How long has Curran lived here?" askel
Philip incoherently. The man stared at him
moment
sob! Curran, he amt been here more'n a
six month. He amt got no folks; he lives
down to one OF then factory holrS,in i'ouses,
but do.l'5 have no friends, or talk about any.
thin but what you heard tonight. Rut it's
all useless" Graves looked gloomily on the
foor "We aint got no show; the 'ich arc
too many for us. guess it's human nature
for one man to boss the crowd, or it wouldn't
always been SO. There's the girl, she'll
show you where to sleep. Be up early in the
mornin', now"
The only course for him seemed to he to
follow the girl, and Philip rose to his feet.
"Good night" he said. The sick woman
opened her eyes in surprise. Such people as
they found no TINA for amenities in their
dreary home. Graves looked around.
''Whatl Oh, yes, goodby, but I'm goin' to
see you in the mornin'.n
His bedroom, on which the roof encroached
greedily, was newly whitewashed, or else was
seldom used. His lamp sat on wooden
chair with no back to it, crowded by Il tin
wash basin, with his portion of water halt
filling it, and round black ball of SOAP
Then Philip turned to look at the bed they
had made for him on slat bedstead with
low headboard but not SO low as the thin
pillow. How many times must anybody
double the pillow to make it fit for his head
For counterpane was the girls plaid shawl
he had seen it on q nail down stairs. Pool
little girl, she would want it very early ii
the morning Then he glanced in the eight
by ten looking glass that hung on the white
wall. Disguised his own father would moi
have known him, and he had sensation Of
double consciousness as he saw his own re
fection Perhaps Graves was disguised too
and all the i'll dressed men he had seen that
evening, who suffered as much in theil
wretched lives as he could, who coult
enjoy all that frightened his own life
as much. And clothes made tht
difference between him and them, apparent
" ,,arhaY,s f,a1llv THE world yf,anaoad on