Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-20
grace, and sudden death generally implied
slaughter.
HOW JEvINs "WENT OUT"


81 judge no man this weather, /" said Hum.
mi. "He had 8 touch of the sun, 1 fancy,
for last week, after you fellows had left, he
came into the verands and told me that he
was going home to see his wife in Market
street, Liverpool, that evening.
II got the apothecary to look at him, and
we tried to make him lie down. After an
hour or two he rubbed his eyes and said be
believed be had had q fit-hoped he hadn't
said anything rude. JeYins had a great
idea Of bettering himself socially. He was
very like Chucks in his language"
"Well?"
'Then he went to his own bungalow and
began cleaning a rife. He told the servant
ing. Naturally he fumbled with the trig-
ger, and shot himself through the head ac-
cidentally. The apothecary sent in a report
to my chief, and Jevins is buried some
where out there. I'd have wired to you,
Spurstow, if you could have done any
thing"
YOU'RE a queer chap" said Mottram.
"If you'd killed the man yourself you
couldn't have been more quiet about the
business"
"Good Lord what does it matter ?" said
Hummil, calmly. "I'ye got to do a lot OF
his overseeing work in addition to my own.
I'm the only person that suffers. Jevins is
out of it-by pure accident, of course, but
out of it. The apothecary was going to
write long screed on suicide. Trust q
babu to drivel when he gets the chance"
'Why didn't you let it go in as suicide?"
said Lowndes.
mo direct proof A man hasn't many
privileges in this country. but he might at
least be allowed to mishandle his own rifle.
Besides, some day 1 may need a man to
n N on IN LII
let live. Die and let die"
You take q pill" said Spurstow, who
had been watching HummiPs white face
narrowly. Take pill, and don't be an
ass. That sort of talk is skittles. Anyhow,
suicide is Sinking your work. If L was
JOB ten times over 1 should be SO interested
in what was going to happen next that I'd
stay on and watch"
'Ahl I've lost that curiosity" said Hum
mil.
''Liver out of order?" said Lowndes, feel
ingly.
mo. Can't sleep. That's worse"
by jove, it isl' said Mottram. 'T'm
that way every now and then, and the fiji
has to wear itself out. What do you take
for it?''
Nothing. What's the use? 1 haven't
had ten minutes sleep since Friday morn
ing"
SPECTRAL MELODY.
"Poor chapl Spurstow, you ought to at
tend TO this" said Mottram. 'Now you
mention ii, your eyes are rather gummy and
swollen"
Spurstow, still watching Hummil, laughed
lightly. !'I'l patch him up later on. Is
it too hot, do you think, to go for ride?"
''Where to?'' said LOwndes, YEARLY.
1--WE shall have to 60 away at s, and there'l
L., ,,rh 4snr hav, hafn
horse when have to use him as necessity.
Oh, heavens, what is there to do?"
begin whist again at chick points-(a
''chick' is supposed to be eight shiliings)-
and a gold mohur on the rub" said Spur
"Poker. 4 months pay all round for
the pool-no Iimit-and so rupee raises.
Somebody would be broken before we got
up" saId Lowndes.
Cant say that it would give me any
pleasure to break any man in this COM
pany," said Mottram. There isn't enough
excitement in it, and it's foolish" He
crossed over to the worn and battered little
camp piano-wreckage of married house.
hold that had once held the bungslow-and
opened the case.
Its used up long ago." said HummiL
1.-THE servants have picked it to pieces"
The piano was indeed hopelessly out of
order, but Mottram managed to bring the
rebellious notes into sort of agreement,
and there rose from the rabbed keyboard
something that might once have been the
ghost OF popular music hall song. The
men in the long chairs turned with evident
interest as Mottram banged more Justify.
That's goQdp' said Lowndes. by
Jovel the last time heard that song was in
1879 or Whereabouts, just before came out"
"Ah!" said Spurstow, with pride, II was
home in 1880" And be mentioned a song
OF the streets popular at that date.
Mottram executed it inditferently well.
Lowndes criticised and volunteered emenda-
tions. Mottram dashed into another ditty,
not of the music hall character, and made as
if to rise.
''Sit down" said Hummil. ''I didn't
know that you had any music in your COM
position. Go on playing until you can't
think of any more. Pll have that piano
tuned up before you come again. Play
something festive"
Very simple indeed were the tunes to
which Mottram's art and the limitations of
the piano could give effect, but the men
listened with pleasure, and in the pauses
talked all together of what they had seen or
heard when they were last at home. A
dense dust storm sprung up outside and
swept roaring over the house, enveloping it
in the choking darkness of midnight, hut
Mottram continued unheeding, and the
crazy tinkle reached the ears of the listeners
above the Tapping of the tattered ceiling
cloth.
AND A MURDER OF HYMNS.
In the silence after the storm he glided
from the more directly personal songs of
Scotland, half humming them as he played,
into the Evening Hymn.
Sunday" SAID ne, nodding his head.
go on. Don't apologize for it," said
Spurstow.
Hummil laughed long and riotously.
sfPlay it. by all means. You're full of sur
prises today. didn't know you had such
a gift of finished sarcasm. How does that
thing go?"
Mottram took up the tune.
TOO slow by half. You miss the note of
gratitude" said Hummel. "It ought to go to
the 'Grasshopper's Polka'-this way" And
he chanted, prestissimo;
Glory to Thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light,
''That shows we really feel our blessing.
How does isgo on?"
If in the night sleepless lie
My soul with sacred thoughts supply;
May no ill dreams disturb nay rest
"Quicker, Mottram."-
Or powers of darkness me molestl
"Bahl What an old hypocrite you areI'
"Don't be an ass, said Lowndes. "Yoa
are at full liberty to make fun of anything
else you like, but leave that hymn alone.
It's associated in my mind with the most
sacred recollections-"
Summer evenings in the country, stained
glass window, light going out and YOU and