The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-07-09


breakfast, and trust TO look to get ava
alive without paying for It.
"Here you are, sir. number forty-two,
said voice; and Drane heard an q
tendaDt usher man into the mex
dressing-room.
Thank you, sirj' he heard the fel
low say minute later. Then he kne,
that the man in the next stall ha
tipped the attendant. They talke,
together minute, while the yisito
inquired about the bath and th
restaurant which was connected witt
1t, Then he tipped the fellow again
and got more thanks.
HE has plenty Of money" of course
groaned Drane, "why shouldn't he Civ,
some of itaway? Why shouldn't he lent
me some? Why shouldn't climb over thu
partition and negotiate the loan mysel
while he's out Of the wayp"
The rags were corrupting him. They
seemed actually to talk, to suggest
envy, malice, and theft.
" Get thee behind me-, garments oil
Satan" he said, smiling bitterly; and
he arose and walked out again into the
hall. An obliging attendant prepared
a divan for him; and he had no sooner
stretched himself upon 1t than he fell
asleep.
Drane was awakened by the voice OF
the man who had occupied the dressing
room next to his. He looked up, end
saw a well-built young man-so far as
the sheet in which he was wrapped al.
lowed his proportions to be seen-pre.
pairing to take the next divan. The
stranger was about Drane's weight and
height, and they resembled each other
not little, despite the fact that while
Drane was handsome man, the other
would never have been accused Of any
thing more serious than the possession
OF a good figure. One face was almost
caricature Of the other. Drane could
not help thinking how much he should
have rescmbled his neighbor II his own
life throughout had been like the las4
few days.
The stranger ordered some breakfast,
and the attendant drew up little table,
so that 1t stood between Drane and his
more fortunate fellow-bather. In fact
1t was as near to one as the other.
IF he eats right under my nose, this
way" said Drane to himself, 81 shall
become raving maniac"
A luxurious repast was ordered, and
then the stranger lay down upon the
divan and went to sleep. He did not
awake when tho attendant laid tho
cloth nor even whom the lunch was
brought. Some gentle shaking brought
him partly to his senses, so that he was
able to sit up and pretend to be awake,
but when the attendant went away he
fell back upon the pillow and was asleep
again in twinkling.
Then Drane's stomach arose and read
the declaration Of independence. It
would hear no excuses; no reproaches Of
conscience. Life, liberty and the pur-
suit OF happiness" was its text, and It
argued In a manner not to be answered
BY the precepts Of mere honesty.
Drane stretched forth his right hand,
Ind secured roll. Almost Immediately
thereafter, as nobody was looking, he |
possessed himself OF the leg OF
'hicken. Being honest by nature he
'eturned the bone to the strangers
able. Other portions OF the bird fol-
owed, together with sundry fried po-
atoes, and such like embellishments OF
he feast. Then he washed down his
cruples with the strangers coffee, and
vent back TO his room a better man.
But then came the rags again, and
ot even the sustaining power of
tolen meal could keep him from temp
alton. He put on his underclothing,
nd then stood by the half-open door,
'oking in at the detested garments.
hey Knocked him; they said: You've
OF to come down to our level; you've
solen q breakfast on our account, and
obody knows what you'll do before we
et through with you"
He shuddered ana turned away his
Tes. 1t wasn't that his conscience
oubled him. no, indeed. lie had
1T his conscience in the pocket OF his
her clothes, the ones the thieves
I'd taken, and he wondered, by the
ay, whether the fellow had been able
make any moral use OF 1t. But his
ludder was caused by his disinclina-
on to put on tho suit which had no
'nscience in its pockets - in other
ords, no dollars
So when he turned his head away the
gged clothes were responsible for it.
hen they must also have been respon-
BILE for his noting fhat the door Of No.
was ajar, and for the temptation :
1ich came OF that knowledge. The 2
Il, m,