Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-30

piece which stood among artificial flowers
IN the great hall Of the bath when he re-
turned 70 his room and his rags His soul
and body rebelled against them more
strongly than ever before. They contrssted
painfully with the luxury by which he had
been surrounded. He sat in his chair with
ms head IN his hands aud groaned aloud.
faintness had followed the bath. and had
been aggravated by the sight of men en-
Joyine rolls and coffee, while they reclined
upon the diyans in the hall. He almost
made up his mind to order breakfast and
trust 10 luck TO get away alive without
paving for IT.
Here you ere. sir, No. a." said o voice
and Drane heard an attendant usher a man
into the next dressing-room.
;, Thank You, sir" he heard the
fellow say minute later Then he knew
that the man IN the next stall had tipped
} the attendant. They talked together a
minute. while the visitor inquired about
the bath and the restaurant which was
connected with II. Then he tipped the
fellow again, and got more thanks.
He has plenty Of money Of course.
groaned Drane. "Whv shouldn't he give
some of il away? Why shouldn't he lend
me some? Why shouldn't ! climb over
the partition and negotiate the loan my
self while he's out Of the way?"
Tho rags were corrupting him. They
seemed actually to talk-to suggest envy,
malice. and theft.
80 Get thee behind me- garments Of
Satan he said, smiling bitterly; and no
arose and walked out again into tho hall.
An obliging attendant prepared diyan for
! him. and he had no sooner stretched him.
self upon 1t than he fell asleep.
Draue was awakened by the voice Of tho
man who had occupied the dressing-rOorn
-. D. L., Il wall
/ built young man--SO far "a the sheet IN
which he was wrapped allowed his proper
I tons to be secn-preparing to take the
next dlyan. The stranger was about
Drane's weight and height. and they re-
sembled each other not little, despite the
1 fact that while Drane was n handsome
man the other would never have been ac-
cused Of anything more serious than tho
/ possession of a good figure. One face was
| almost a caricature Of the other. Drane
| could not help thinking how much he
| should hive resembled his neighbor if his
| own life throughout had been like the last
/ few days.
! The stranger ordered some breakfast, and
! the attendant drew up little table, 50 that
| il stood between Drane and hls more tortu-
nate foilow-bather. IN fact 1t was as near
B TO one az the other.
IF be eats right under my nose this
| way" said Drane to himself, Il shall be-
/ come rayIng maniac"
A luxurious rcpast was ordered and then
/ the stranger lay down upon the dlvan aud
} VENT sleep. He did not awake when the
attendant laid the cloth nor even when
I tho lunch WIS brought. Some gentle
shaking brought him partly TO bis senses,
so that he was able to sit up and pretend
/ 80 he awake, but when the attendant went
away he fell back upon the pillow and was
/ asleep again in a tWInklng.
Then Dranes stomach arose and read tho
+ declaration of independence. 1t would
/ hear no excuses; no reproaches OF con-
/ science. Life. liberty, and the pursuit
/ of happiness was its text, and 1t argued
/ IN % manner not TO be answered by the
prcccpts of mere honesty.
Drane stretched forth his right hand
end secured roll. Almost immediately
thereafter, "a nobody was looking, ne
possessed himself Of a leg OF a
chicken. Being honest by nature be
returned the bone to the strangers
table. Other portions of the bird fol-
lowed, together with sundry fried po-
tatoes, aud such like embellishments of
the feast. Then he washed down his
scruples with the strangers coffee, and
went back to his room a better man.
But then came the rags again, and not
even the sustaining power OF stolen meal
could keep him from temptation. He put
| the half-opcn door, looking IN at the de-
| tested garments. They Knocked HIM;
/ they said You've got to come down TO
| our level; you've stolen q breakfast on
our account, and nobody knows what
you'u do before we get through with
you."
Re shuddered and turned away his eyes.
! il wasn't that his conscience troubled him.
! No. indeed He had left his conscience in
Il. bot - a clothes
the thieves had taken. and he wondered,
bv tho way. whether the fellow had been
able TO make any moral use of 1t. l}ut his
! sbudder was caused by his dissemination
TO nut on the suit which had no conscience
| in It's pOckets-in other words, no dollars
So when he turned his head away the
| ragged clothes were responsible for IT,
| Then they must also have been RESPONSE
| Bile for his noting that the door OF No. y
WAS aiar and for the temptation which
came of that knowledge. 1 he first sin re
corded against man led TO clothing, and
! Drane now felt the weight OF fearful
/ hcredity. He, too, would sin and be
! clothed.
II wonder if his garments would ft me
outwardly as well as hls breakfast httcd
me- mwardly," he muttered, and then
/ laughed recklessly.
Nobodv was watching. He pushed the
strangers door open "a little. Yes, they
| were excellent clothes. to judge by the
| little he could see through the crack OF the
| door. Dressed in that way Drane could
/ establish his identity IN no time ana no
| doubt pass the whole affair on as yoke.
Thus he thought, for the poor fellow was
really half crazed 10y the perpiexing expe-
riences of the last few days.
He pushed the door stll further; he was
conquered 1t seemed that he could hear a
decisive chuckle from the rags IN the next
room He scarcely looked at the clothes
Inf hustled them on all but the coat,
which he carried into the hall because q
strange feeling came over him that ne had
seen Il before. Under an electric-!ight he
| turned pocket of the garment INSIDE OUT
! and read the owners name written tnero,
| IL was Lawrence Drane lie hao stoleh
| his own clothes back again. m
Yes. there was no doubt about 1t The
occupant of No. AZ had been the original
tramp who had accomplished the exchange