Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-04-06

their house, took lodgings, and then began to
cast about them for the means of support
The money he had relied on was gone. His
credit was utterly deS;Soyed, and he had no
hope OF being reinStatsi in his former posi-
ton. The only way he could possibly be use
full IN the street was by becoming curhStone
broker, go-between, trusted by neither Dor
ROVER or lender, and earning precarious
livelihood by commissions. Even in that DO
Sltion he felt that he should labor under dis
advantages, for he knew that his course had
been universally condemned. 1t was a mat
ter of everyday experience for him to meet
old acquaintances who looked over him, or
across the street, or in at shop-windows, 10
avoid recognition. And the half pstronizing,
Neutrality-suspicious. mods he did receive were
far worse to bear than downright cuts
To man out of employment, prescribed,
marked, there is nothing so terrible as the
impenetrability of the close ranks OF society
around HIM Every busy man seems to have
found his place; each locks step with his
neighbor, and the vast procession moves on.
Once out of the serried order, the unhappy
wretch can never resume his position. He
finds himself the fifth wheel of coach; there
is nothing for him to do-no place for him at
the bountiful board where others are fed.
the world has no use for him, and will not
miss him. What NorcrosS felt, as he walked
along the streets, may well be imagined. II
he had not been supported by the indomita-
BILE courage and assurance of his sister, he
would have sunk to the level of pauper.
He tried to act as a curb-stone broker, as
an insurance agent, as an adjuster of marine
losses and averages, as an itinerant solicitor
for hfe-insurance company, as an account
ant, and in various other situations. All in
vain. He was Stunned like an ESCAPED con,
Wet; the motley suit itself would hardly have
added to his disgrace. No one put faith in
him or gave him employment-save in few
instances, for charity's sake. Few men car
brave a city; and Norcross certainly was moi
the man to do it. The scowling, or suspi
cious, or contemptuous, plying glances he
encountered smote him as with fiery swords
He quailed; he covered; he dropped his
eyes; he acquired a STOPPING, stumbling gait.
The man who feels that he is looked dowr
upon grows more diminutive in his own esti
nation, until he shrinks into the place which
the world assigns him. So NorcroSs shrunIS
until he crept through the streets where once
he had walked erect, and earned a support a
meagre and precarious as the more brazen
faced and ragged of the great family of men
dicantS, to which he was gravitating.
Mendicants-an exceeding great army
They do not all knock at area doors for old
clothes and broken victual, nor hold out hats
at street-crossingS, nor expose sharp-faced
babies to win pity nor send their infant tat
terdemalions TO torture the ears of the
wealthy with scratchy fiddles and wheezy
accordions. No, these plaques of society are
only the extreme left wing; the right wing
is-a very respectable class in the commu
nifty. The party-leader who makes his nam,
and influence serve him in obtaining loan
which he never intends to pay-shall we cal
him beggars 1t Is an ugly word. TIL,
parasite who makes himself agreeable {,
dinner-givers, who calculates upon his &C
compliShments as a stock i'll trade, intending
that his brains shall feed his stomach-wha
is he, pray' 1t is ungracious TO stigmatiz,
such jolly dog. The woman whose finger
are hooped with rings won in wagers which
gallantry or folly could not decline. who il
ready by philopnna, or even more direct sug
gestions, to lay every beau or acquaintance
under contribution-is she q beggar, tooa
is long way, to be sure, from the girl will
scanty and dragged petticoat and tangled
hair, picking out Jumps of coal from ash
heaps, or carrying home refuse from tn,
tables of the rich--a long way from tina
squalid object to the richly -cloaked, furred
bonneted, jeweled, flaming lady, who's
friends are all so kind.
But the most charitable must feel a certai,
degree of pity, if not of scorn for those who
like Mr. and Miss Norcross, contrive to wea,
the outward senblance of responsibility
boarding with fashionable people and wear
ing garments a Ia mode, while they have
neither fortune not visible occupation. Mis-
Norcross, to be sure, had a few pupils in mu
sic-young friends, who, as she averred. gin
sisted upon practising with her, although she
did not profess to give lessons" not she
Still her toilet was as elgant as ever. Thu
first appearance of new style of cloak, ,
new pattern of silk or embroidery, new rib
bons, laces, jewelry, might be observed, a
she took her morning promenade. TIL,
dealers in rich goods, elegant trifles
costly nothings, all knew her well
Whatever satisfied her artistic tast.
she purchased. To see was t,
desire, and, in some way, all sh,
coveted tended by magical attraction to he,
rooms Society" frowned upon her; sh,
went to no receptions in the higher circles
but she had no lack of associates for all that
At concerts and other public assemblages
her brilliant figure and irreproachable cos
tune were always to be seen-the admira
ton of men, the envy Of women. Nor wa
she without gallants. Gentlemen fiockec
about her, and seemed only too happy In he
smiles; but it neveS happened that their wive
or sisters joined in their attentions. o,
fine days, as she came out for a walk, sh
was sure to be accompanied by some perso,
whose dress and manners marked him as be
longing to the wealthy classes; and at sucl
times it generally happened-according to tn
scandal-loving shop-keepers-that the las
new book, the little "love" of ring, or tn
engraved scent-bottle was purchased.
So the beauty was still queen in her circle
and found admirers in plenty. Perhaps sh
even enjoyed the freedom; for, to q wornal
of spirit, the constraints of taboo must b
irksome at times. Not the Brahmin, uk
ears to tread upon sole-leather from the
acred COW, and dares not even think of the
iavor of her forbidden beef, who keeps him
pelf haughti!y aloof from the soldier and the
raider, and walks sunward from the pariah,
lest the polluting shadow fall on his
holy person, has a more difficult and
engrossing occupation than the woman OF
fashion, in a country where the distinctions
Of rank are so purely Fictitious as in ours.
Miss Norcross' time was now her own; she
was accountable to no supervisor Her
brother was cipher. He did not venture to
ntrude upon her, except at seasons when she
was at leisure, and in a humor to be bored by
aim. Perhaps she looked back regretfully,
but, as far as could be told by her manner,
she carried herself proudly, with the air Of
one who says
Better reign in hell than serve in heaven"
The observant reader has doubtless won
iered before this, that Mr.. NorcrOss did not,
in his emergency, apply to his old clerk,
Trainor, for the money in exchange for the
peculiar obligation of which mention has been
made. 1t is presuming too much upon Mr..
Norcross' studidity to suppose that the idea
1ad not frequently occurred to him. But he
was satisfied that Trainor was one OF
the few who were making money in this time
Of general distress, and that with every days
acquisition the paper became more valuable;
therefore, it was his last trump, he preferred
TO play it when it would sweep the board;
and he was willing to live in any way until
the proper time came. Not so easy was
Trainor Several times he attempted to pay
the claim, 50 that he could once more hold
his head erect as free man. But Norcross
smiled blandly; @he was in no hurry" he
said; MIR. Trainor evidently had money,
and was good for the amount" Poor
Trainor walking about with a rope around
his mech, "a long rope, now, and slack, but
held by a man who knows not what pity
means.