Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-28

Z 1888 ~ S1nO tAO AOAv u1Vuus IQe
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 good figure One face was almost q
caricature OF the other. Drane could
not help thinking how much he should
have resembled his neighbor if his own
life throughout had been like the last
few days.
The stranger ordered some breakfast,
and tho attendant drew, up little table,
so that 1t stood between Drane and his
moro fortunate fellow-bather. In fact
1t was as near to one as the other.
"1f he eats right under my nose, this
way" said Drane to himself, "I shall
become o 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 the attendant laid the
cloth nor even when 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
AO44 btsOh uPOu pillow ana was asleep
again in a twinkling.
Thelk Drane's stomach arose and read
the declaration of Independence. 1t
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,
M -
thereafter, as nobody was looking, he
possessed himself of the leg OF a
chicken. Being honest by nature he
returned the bone to the strangers
table. Other portions of the, bird fol-
lowed, together with sundry fried po-
tatoes. and such like embellishments of
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 q
stolen meal could keep him from temp
tation. He put on his underclothing,
and then stood by the half-open door,
They Knocked him; they said: you've
got to come down to our level; you've
stolen breakfast on our account, and
AoNO0J hAS"S WI JOo IL uO DS1OES we
get through with you"
He shuddered and turned away his
eyes. 1t wasn't that his conscience
troubled him. No, indeed. He had
left his conscience in the pocket of his
other clothes, the ones the thieves
had taken, and he wondered, by tho
way, whether the fellow had been able
to make any moral use of it. But his
oh nd Fxlyoo Sc 81
ton to put 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 respon-
sible for his noting that the door Of No.
40 was ajar, and for the temptation
which came of that knowledge. The
first sin recorded against man led to
clothing, and Drane now felt the weight
Of fearful heredity. He, too, would
sin and be clothed.
II wonder IL his garments would fit
me outwardly as we'll as his breakfast
fitted me inwardly," he muttered, and
then laughed recklessly.
Nobody was watching. He pushed
the strangers door open little. Yes;
they were excellent clothes, to Judge by
the little he gould see through the crack
of the door, Dressed in that way Drane
could establish his identity in no time;
and no doubt pass the whole affair off as
a joke. Thus he thought, for the poor
fellow was really half crazed by the per-
picking experiences of the last few days.
He pushed the door still further; he
was conquered. 1t seemed that he
could hear derisive chuckle from the
rags in the next room. He scarcely
looked at.the clothes, but hustled them
on, all but the coat, which he carried
into the hall because a strange foeling
came over him that he had seen it be-
fore. Under an electric light he turned
-, n. hl,n .L... ,dh,rAlImle