Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-22

SAW THE NUMBER WAS IN SEARCH Of
saw the number l was in search Of from the
opposite side of the way. There the ia IL
or 5 work shop which 1 had read about in the
newspaper. The windows were wide open and
half dozen men were at work in a glare of
gas. l could not help thinking they looked
like lost souls in Pandemonium-the bare dusty
room, the glare and heat, on this summer night
when the stars were shining on all the fowery
creeks and willowy islands near Lamford when
life and the world were so lovely for some
people.
Yes, that was the tailor's work shop and it
might have been one of those men who heard
my fathers murderer go singing down the
stairs. fresh from his deed of blood / think
the idea of that and the horror of it braced
my nerves. for l felt less like fainting as
crossed the road and knocked at the door of
the fatal house.
l waited for some minutes before any on
came to the door, though knocked a second
time. Then woman appeared an elderly
woman, who looked at me curiously.
told her / wanted lodging-a respectable
room at seven shIllings a week, but she an
swered rather sharply that she only let lodg-
ings to men-why prefer men, l wonderland
she was going to shut the door in my face,
when grew desperate and stopped her by
laying my hand upon her arm.
There was a murder eight years ago in this
house, said Let me see the room where
1t was done and I'll give you sever shlllings"
L would as soon have offered her Il sovereign,
but had got the sum of seven shillings in my
mind in connection with the rent of lodging,
and | offered her that unthinkingly. 1t was
enough, however. for she snapped at my offer.
Come in" she said, looking at me very
hard and very suspiciously all the time.
That's a curious fancy of yours. You haven't
anything to do with the murderer. l hope"
mo, no, no." / cried.
"Tm glad of that" said she. "Ah he was
devil, that mana smooth-faced smooth
tongued devil. The sight of him and the
sound of his voice make me sick and faint
whenever l call him to mind He put blight
upon me and on my house. I've never been
the same woman SINCE
asked her what the man was like. finding
that she was willing to talk, and she described
his appearance Ill a great many words, but her
words did not conjure up any distinct image.
He WAS goOd-loOking and he young. She
did not take him for much over thirty He was
dark, with fine black eyes, and he wore a NOUS
tache, but no beard. He talked English, but he
spoke like a foreigner. This was all could
gather from her.
She went slowly up the stairs before me, With
paraffine lamp in her hand and she flung open
the door of the back room on the second floor
and told me to go in, holding up the lamp on a
level with her head that might see the room.
I've kept it just as it that day." she
| SAID. I've never had good let in all the
eight years-not permanency. There's a
blight upon the room; but people come and
look at it, as it might be you, and give me a
I trifle."
'Oh, how horrid of people," said forget
ting myself, chow can they be SO morbid?"
Not more so than you, Miss. It's human
nature" she answered.
/ looked at the ROOM a square common-look-
ing room, with very shabby furniture. a single
window looking out upon roofs and chimney
stacks All looked dark and dreary-the light
OF the faring lamp only made the squalid fur
niture look more squalid. Oh! what scene
| to meet those dying eyesl What horror in that
one supreme agony to feel himself caught like
a shared bird trapped in such hole as this!
How did he look? where did you find him
lying?" / asked; and then she described that
| CHASTITY sight, showing me the spot where our
| dear one lay, gloating over every detail.