Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-02-08
DARK DEEDS.
BY HENRY W. NEsFIELD.
CHAPTER VII.

In wretched attic in back slum of
New \ DIRK sat young man shivering over
a small fire. The weather was bitterly
cold, and the wind whstled through
broken pane. causing the candle tos. utter
and are and the occupant OF the cham
Der to co ch more closely than ever over
the little CRATE.
1t was John Delaney. or, as he now
CHI Sc to call him elf, James Martin
Twelve months had pa ssed since he had
wished Mrs Atwood goodbye In the
kit hen of the little house in ~. John $
Wood-twelve weary months 10 him aud
he hat had a hard struggle for existence.
The interior OF the room in which he
sat and the shabby, almost threadbare
garments which he wore bespoke actual
want. A hacking cough, his thin white
hands and sunken features. the hectic
flush and feverish ooll upon his face and
the unnatural bri Illness in his eye pro-
claimed him TO be suffering from con-
sumption.
Upon arriving I'm America. relaney had
made his way 10 one OF the inland states,
hoping 10 ind some employment. 1t was
a harder matter than he had anticipated
and the worry OF mind and ph steal weak
ness from which he suffered prevented
him from from keeping even such work
as he occasionally obtained.
Gradually he made his way back TO
New ok, hoping to get work OIL some
newspaper there. lie had been unsuc-
cesful. however: and. as he Gecame daily
more shabby in his appearance and grew
weaker, he began TO lose heart altogether.
One thing he had never yet brought him
self to do-and that was TO touch the fif-
teen pounds which MIS-. Atwood had giv-
ell him.
THAT STALL be st-egg VeaVen bless
her" he said TO himself as he sat in his
lonely garrett. IL will keep that for the
very last chance-the fOrlorn hope. it
will take me back to England again. at
any rate; and, ii am TO die, ! would like
to see he old mol her and Mary and her
once again. won.er how they are all
getting whether Atwood Is the same
thriftless fellow "a ever, and IL their mon
etary troubles haveincrea e |? l'oOr Mrs.
Atwood All, well, it is of no use think
ing! / have not dared to look at an Eng
lish raper for ages. "
The candle hal nearly burned down,
and Delaney sought refuge beneath the
one solitary blanket he possessed. The
hours of the night passed slowly, and the
embers expired in the CRATE. Still he lay
and tossed upon his rough couch, his body
rackei with that terrible cough, and won
deriDg how il would all end. { ould he
wonder with regard 10 himself how II
would end? Alas, no Ieknew too well
that his end was not far oil.
Then he blamed himself for fool, "a
he felt how diff erent IL all might have been.
Now he saw clearly how wrong he had
been 10 be led away by his Utop.an ideas.
What had men like him to do with poll.
tics and reforms II he had only been
contented to walk along the paths which
seemed 30 plain and easy for him: TO 60
aOout his daily business and en- oy the
ouiet pleasures OF his home. he might ha &
yet-A All. II. But he had not been thus con
tent, and the self-cOnCeit which had given
birth o. ms wrong opinions and drawn
him into actual crime had landed him
where he now lay.
Morning came and again he set forth e
tramp the streets am seek the work which
he was so willing 70 do but now 50 unable
10 perform. stand ng near one OF The
wlarves where the great ocean steamers
lay he noticed one at them ust getting
mp Ler steam as announced 20 sail TO
Liverpool I'm iew hours Why not q
back and die az home he thought.
tet death hand so strong up u him thai
he knew it could be only matter Of
few weeks or months
The idea bad 10 sooner entered III
mind than he proceeded to put II
into execution Hastily returning t. bi,
lodgings. he made up a handle o. few
things he owned. and, having taken d
steera2e passage at the Office. iu a tev
hours he was steaming rapidly away to-
wards England.
Great Cumberland Place Is I'm close prox-
Unity TO the dgware load, and it was III
this busy thoroughfare that Elizabeth
Hawkins loved TO pick up bargains, the
time she preferred for this diversion being
Saturday night
Elizabeth was by no means so cOntented
In her grand new quarters as she had
been In the OLD lmpecunious days in st.
Johns Wood. There. at any rate, she