Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-28


! ton. / must be in love-"
He fixed his eyes on the ground and
wondered why no didn't find half dol
lar there. No doubt there were coins
enough buried in the dust of New York
streets to pay his way to Kansas City.
Why couldn't he find one? He began
to accuse his guardian angel of serious
neglect of duty. She ought at least to
throw enough in his way to get him a
breakfast. He poked around in the
little heaps of rubbish at the ends OF
the bench with the toes Of his delapi.
dated shoes; but his guardian angel ap-
parently had no change to spare. he
didn't find q penny.
The only article which differed from
the general collection was q piece OF
pasteboard which looked like O theater
check. 1t had evidently been dropped
very recently, for it was scarcely soi1ed
at all. He remembered, with a sudden
start, that restaurants sometimes sold
tickets that were good for meal. With
a hasty hand he snatched the piece of
pasteboard from the ground and read:
This ticket entities the bearer to one
Turkish bath at Hubbard's, No. 90 West
iTwenty-seventh street. An extra
charge for alcohol or electricity"
This is the way that Fate takes advan-
tage of q mans position to insult him. It
was not Drane's fault that he had not
washed his face, and it was aggravating
to have hint like this thrown out by
fate to embitter the results Of her own
doings. Drane was on the point Of tear
ing the ticket in rage and disdain when
his better Judgment checked him. A
Turkish bath-house was a nice, quiet
place to rest. 1t offers the greatest of
luxuries on hot day. True, a severely
thorough bath is not good thing to take
on an too empty stomach, but still he
was sure that it could not make him feel
any more hollow than he did without it.
He arose and began his search for West
Twenty-Seventh street. It was not far
away, and in less than half an hour he
stood in front of No. 90. A handsome
building 1t was; perhaps o little too Or
nate,but eminently suggestive of lux
ury. Drane entered and presented his
ticket at the desk. The attendant
stared at him.
GLOW the dickens did you get this
ticket?" he asked.
Then Drane saw that he would have
to lie. He was determined to get inside
the bath now, and small matter of
falsehood should not stand in his way
His moral sense had been gradually
weakened by the evil companionship of
his clothes and he was in q condition to
stretch the fabric of truths spotless
robe till he split it up the back.
Look here" he said, 81 am quite q reg
ular patron of this place. You dom recog-
nize me because-well, to tell the truth,
I've been on hard spree for a week
and have got pretty we'll torn up, as
you see. I'd like to sober up here in
the bath and then I'll send out for a
suit of clothes in which can begin an
era of reform by going home to dinner"
whats your name?" asked the at
tendant, hesitatingly.
Drane looked over his shoulder as if
to make sure that nobody could hear
him declare his real identity, and then
bending over the desk he whispered:
'John FL. Smyth. You remember the
name, don't you?"
"Well, I've heard it BEFORE" the clerk
admitted, "but can't place YOU"
"Am SO changed by single week
of debauchery?" said Drane, sadly; then,
in still more confidential tone: "You
must recall my name. I spell it with
Y"
The clerk smiled.
81 guess it's all right, Mr.. Smyth.
Shall 1 take care of your valuables?"
you're too late, my young FRIEND"
said Drane. Somebody else is taking
care of them in a way that beats the
safe-deposit vault out of sight"
The clerk laughed and gave Drane q
little key strung on q rubber band de-
signed to go about the latter's wrist.
Number forty-one," he called to an
attendant, who Immediately conducted
Drane' to his dressing-room.
What delight it was to lay aside the
rags of poverty! When Drane emerged
from the little room clothed only in q
sheet, he felt as good as his neighbour.
Even his hunger relented for time,
and he enjoyed his bath thoroughly.
1t was two o'clock by the magnificent
time-piece which stood among artificial
flowers in the great hall of the bath,
when he returned to his room and his
rags. His soul and body rebelled
against them more strongly than ever
before. They contrasted painfully with
the luxury by which he had been sur
rounded. He sat in his chair with his head
in his hands and groaned aloud. Faint
ness had followed the bath, and had
been aggravated by the sight of men
enjoying rolls and coffee, while they re-
clined upon the divans in the hall. He
almost made up his mind to order
breakfast, and trust to luck to get away
alive without paying for it.
"Here you are, sir, number forty-two,"
said voice; and Drane heard an at
tendant usher man into the next
dressing-room.
THANK you, sir;" he heard the fell
low say minute later. Then he knew
that the man in the next stall had
tipped the attendant. They talked
together minute, while the visitor
inquired about the bath and the
restaurant which was connected with
it. Then he tipped the fellow again,
and got more thanks.
Gle has Y1enfu NJ uoonev IF courSa