The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-06-27

| impatience. However, the journey
/ ended before the tissues of his body had
wholly wasted away; and two minutes
later he was seated at restaurant
table and had ordered just seventy cents
worth of food. Nothing, from fish-bails
to terrapin, had ever tasted so good to
| him as that soup.
"If 1 ever meet hungry beggar
again." thought he, when the food had
begun to take eject, "Ill treat him to a
ten-course dinner"
The world took on different aspect
as he ate. He felt sure that every thing
would come out right. His acquaint-
ance at Murray street would gladly help
him out of his predicament, and he
could laugh at his strange experience.
With sight waist band and ninety-fve
cents in his pocket, he was a rich man
again as he strolled up to the desk to
pay his cneck. Just there temptatiAp
seized upon him. He wanted to smos<e.
1t seemed as if his longing for food had
been feeble to his present craving for
| just one fragrant Whit of tobacco.
Chow much are those cigars?" he
asked, indicating some which the man
at the desk had just spread before GUS
toner.
"Fifteen cents-two for quarter
was the reply.
Drane reflected that man so poor as
he was could not afford to pay fifteen
cents for a cigar when he could get it
for twelve and half by simply purchas-
| ing two. Overcome by this unassaiiable
arithmetic, he laid down his last quar-
ter, and in another moment he was en-
| joying one of the weeds for which New
York is justly infamous to such degree
as he had never enjoyed good one in
his life. But he was penniless again.
He crossed City Hall Park with firm
step, and his head in the air. His woes
were floating away in smoke; his hopes
were high. He walked down Murray
street and quickly found the number he
sought. Tie name Richard II. Billings,
in white letters on window of the
| lower story, set all doubts at rest; and,
indeed, the man himself sat at desk in
plain view from the sidewalk. Lawrence
identified him at once from description,
and he felt that he was saved.
Mr.. Billings, however, was engaged in
earnest conversation, and Lawrence,
after staring at him minute through
the window, decided to walk around the
block and give him chance to finish
his business. When he had completed
the circuit Mr.. Billings was no longer
in sight The rolling top of the desk
was closed, and when Drane noted that
| far+t his heart stood still. He hurried
Ito the Office.
"Mr. Billings has just left for the
! Grand Central depot" said an Office boy.
HE is going on to Boston tonight. If
you hurry up there you can catch him.
Have you got message for him?"
"No; wish to see him personally"
go on" said the boy, ''you want to
strike him for the price of a beer"
Drane could not wait to reprove the
youth for his impudence. lie was in
too much of hurry to get to the depot.
He learned that the train which Mr..
Billings was to take left at six o'clock
1t was then half-past Fl We.
When he had reached the street he re-
flected that It would be necessary to
know where the Grand Central depot
was, before going there. He had sup
posed that if it was central" it must
be near at hand, and he learned with
horror that it was more than three miles
away. To reach it on foot in time was
out of the question, and he had not a
cent!
He cursed his folly in leaving Billings
door unguarded, and was inclined to be
offended with billings for going to Bos-
ton. The world had turned blue again.
lie could see nothing ahead of him but
another night in the street.
For the next three hours he wandered
about the lower part of the town, and at
nine O'Clock he found himself in front
of the Pennsylvania railroad ;erry-house
at the foot of Cortlandt street. Then
the thought came over him like flash:
This road goes to Trenton. Bob Tyler
my old friend Bob-lives there, and
he'll let me have thousand quicker
than wink if can only reach him."
But how to do it? Supported by a
good dinner he would have started along
the ties cheerfurly, but ferry was a
different matter. How he regretted the
extra:vagance that had left him penni-
less!
Across the street from the ferry was
little ''high stoop" house used as an
hotel. Lawrence had come to the con-
clusion that he must look up some char
liable institution and ask for a nights
lodging, and with this purpose in mind
he entered the hotel office and asked to
see the directory. While he was consult
ing it man with a concertina in his
hand dropped into chair near him.
Hello, Billy" said the clerk to the
new arrival, where's your departner?"
81 donno," replied Billy. "Guess
he's in the jug. 1 haven't seen him
since the three o'clock boat this morn
ing"
''Going to play lone hand to-night?"
"Guess I'll have to. / can do the
dancing all right, but i can't sing.
You'd better come along, Jimmy, and
try your little song on the public"
Jimmy laughed, and it was evident
that the offer was intended as a joke;
but it set Lawrence thinking. The
man with the concertina took seat in
a remote corner and appeared to be
somewhat downcast. Lawrence ap-
preached him.
Ibid l understand you to say that
you were going to give an entertain