Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-05-07
rpen nc asked himself frankly whether

his face in his hands. Its hard ques-
ton. must be in love-"
He fixed his eyes on the ground and
wondered why he didn't find half dol
lar there. No doubt there were coins
enough buried in the dust of New York
streets to pay his way to Kansas City.
Why couldn't he find one? He began
to accuse his guardian angel of serious
neglect of duty. She ought at least to
throw enough in his way to get him
breakfast. He poked around in the
little heaps of rubbish at the ends OF
the bench with the toes of his delapi-
dated shoes; but his guardian angel ap-
parently had no change to spare. He
didn't find a penny.
The only article which differed from
the general collection was piece of
pasteboard which looked like theater
check. 1t had evidently been dropped
very recently, for it was scarcely soiled
at all. He remembered, with a sudden
start, that restaurants sometimes sold
tickets that we're good for meal With
hasty hand he snatched the piece of
pasteboard from the ground and read:
This ticket entities the bearer to one
Turkish bath at Hubbard's, No. % West
Twenty-seventh street. An extra
charge for alcohol or electricity"
This is the way that Fate takes advan-
tage Of mans position to insult him. 1t
was not Drane's fault that he had not
washed his face, and it was aggravating
to have hint like this thrown out by
fate TO embitter the results of her own
doings. Drane was on the point of tear
ing the ticket in rage and disdain when
his better Judgment checked him. A
Turkish bath-house was a nice, quiet
place to rest. 1t offers the greatest of
Injuries on hot day. True, a severely
thorough bath is not good thing to take
on an too empty stomach, but still he
was sure that 1t could not make him feel
any more hollow than he did without it.
He arose and began his search for West
Twenty-seventh street. 1t was not far
away, and in less than half an hour he
stood in front of No. 90. A handsome
building it was; perhaps little too or
nate, but eminently suggestive of lux
ury. Drane entered and presented his
ticket at the desk. The attendant
stared at him.
"How the dickens did you get this
ticket?' he asked.
Then Drane saw that he would have
to lie. He was determined to get inside
the bath now, and a small matter of
falsehood should not stand in his way.
His moral sense had been gradually
weakened by the evil companionship of
his clothes and he was in a condition to
stretch the fabric of truths spotless
robe till he split it up the back.
"Look here" he said, 81 am quite reg
ular patron of this place. You don't recog-
nize me because-well, to tell the truth,
I've been on a hard spree for week
and have got pretty well torn up, as
you see. I'd like to sober up here in
the bath and then I'll send out for a
suit of clothes in which can begin an
era of reform by going home to dinner. u
What's your name?" asked the at
| tendant, hesitatingly.
Drane looked over his shoulder as if
to make sure that nobody could hear
him declare his real identity, and then
bending over the desk he whispered:
'John II. Smyth. You remember the
name, don't you?"
"Well, I've heard it BEFORE the clerk
admitted, 'but can't place you"
"Am l so changed by single week
of debauchery?" said Drane, sadly; then,
| in a still more confidential tone: "You
must recall my name. l spell it with a
Y"
The clerk smiled.
81 guess it's all right, Mr.. Smyth
Shall take care of your valuables?''
"You're too late, my young friend,
said Drane. Somebody else is taking
care of them in way that beats the
safe-deposit vault out of sight"
The clerk laughed and gave Drane q
little key strung on rubber band de-
signed to go about the latter's wrist.
Number forty-one," he called to an
attendant, who Immediately conducted
Drane to his dressing-room.
What delight it was to lay aside the
rags of poverty! When Drane emerged
from the little room clothed only in {
a sheet, he felt as good as his neighbor
Even his hunger relented for time
and he enjoyed his bath thoroughly.
1t was two o'clock by the magnificent
time-piece which stood among artificia
flowers in the great hall of the bath
when he returned to his room and his
rags. His soul and body rebelled
against them more strongly than eyel
before. They contrasted painfully with
the luxury by which he had been sur
rounded. He sat in his chair with his head
in his hands and grosned aloud. Faint
ness had followed the bath, and hac
been aggravated by the sight of mer
enjoying rolls and coffee, while they re
clined upon the divans in the hall He
almost made up his mind to order
breakfast, and trust to luck to get away
alive without paying for it: :
"Here you are, sir, number forty-two,
said VeipeI and Qrane heard an at
tendant usher man into the mex
dressing-room.
Thank you, sir;'' he heard the fel
low say minute later. Then he knew
that the man in the next stall haC
tipped the attendant. They talked
together a minute, wnil8 the visitor
inquired about the bath and the
FestagEaak which was connected witt
it. Then hs tipped the fellow again
and got more thanks.
"He has plenty OF money, OF course
grossaed Drane. "why shouldn't he give
some of it ava: Why shouldn't he LENT
me some? Why shouldn't Gnu over tai
partition and negotiate the loan myself
while he's out of the waye''
The rags were corrupting him. The,
seemed actually to talk, to sugges
envy, malice, and theft.
| flak H..
Satan" he said. smiling bitterly, apC
he arose and walked out again into the
hall. An obliging attendant prepared
4 divan for him; and he had no soonel
stretched himself upon it than he feI
asleep.
Drane was awakened by the voice o
the man who had occupied the dressing
room next to his. He looked up, anC
eaw weli-built young man-so far a
the sheet In which he was wrapped al