The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-08-02
BUSTED" BLAKE.
How a Fortune Fell to His De-
serted Widow.

HaIken to the tale Of how fortune fel
to the widow of Busted Blake.
The outcome has shown that Busted
was not radically bad. But he was
wretchedly weak of will TO reject an op
portunity of having another drink with
the boys, or with the girls, or with any
body or nobody.
In the days Of his ascendency, wher
he was young and newly married arch.
itect, he was a buyer of drinks for others
Walters in cafes We'd with each other in
showing readiness to take his orders. lie
was rated jolly good fellow then. No
one would have supposed it destined
that some fine night leering bar-room
wit should reply to his whispered appli.
cation for small loan by pouring half
glass Of whisky on his head and saying
Il hereby christen thee Busted"
The title stuck Blake. through con-
tinued impecuniosity, lost all shame of il
in time; lost, too, his self-5espect and
his wife. Mrs. Blake, gentle and pref
ty little brunette, had welded him
against the will Of her parents. She had
trusted, for his safety to the allurements
of mis- future, which everybody said was
bright, and to his love for her.
The years Of fearful nights, the plead
ings, the reproaches, the seesaw of hope
and despair, need not here be dwelt
upon. They would make an old story,
and some Of the details might be shock
ing to the young person. They reached
a elimination one day when she said to
him
"You love drink better than you love
me. have done with you"
She was woman and took a woman's
view Of the case.
When ne came back TO their rooms
that night, neither she nor his two
weeks old baby girl were there. Then
be knew how much he loved them and
how much he had underestimated his
love.
She did not 60 10 her parents. There
was very musty proverb that she knew
would meet her or their own threshold {:
"You made your bed now lie on it,"
Her father was a man Of no originality,
hence be would have put It in that way.
She got employment in a photograph
gallery, where she made herself useful
by being ornamental, sitting behind a
desk in the ante-room. l know not what
duties devolve upon the woman who oc-
cupies that post in the average photo
grapher's service; whatever they are, she
performed them, and with the wages re-
ceived managed TO care for herself and
child.
The next day he made Herculean
effort to pull himself together. He OBJ
tanned a position as draughtsman from
one who had known him in his respecta-
Die period, and he went trembling and
sheepishly TO call upon his wife and
child
The consequence Of his visit was a re-
union, which endured for two whole
weeks. At the end Of that time she cast
him off in utter scorn.
How be lived for the next two years
can be known only to those who are IA
miliar through experience with the ex-
istence Of people who ask other peopl on
the street for a few cents toward. the
price Of nights lodging. By those who
knew him he was said 70 be mo good to
himself or anyone else" He acquired
the raggedness, the impudence, the
phraseology Of the vagabond class. He
would hang on the edge Of a party of
men drinking together in front of bar
on the slim chance Of being counted
in" when the question went round,
"what'll you have ?' He was perpetual
ly being impelled out Of saloons al foot
race speed by the officials whose function
it Is in bar-roOms to substitute an obiec-
tionable persons room for his company.
: One winter Sunday morning he slept
late upon bench in public square.
Awakened by an officer, he rose 10 90.
Hazy in head and stiff in Joints, he
slightly staggered. He heard behind
him the eOoing laugh ofa child. lie
looked around. 1t was himself that had
awakened the infants mirth-or that
strange something which precedes the
dawn Of q sense Of humor in children.
The smiling babe was in child's cAa
riage, which plainly dressed woman
Was pushing. He looked at the woman
1t was his wife, and the pretty child was.
his own.
He walked "a. idly from the place, and
on the same day he decided to leave the
city. He had herded with vagrants Of
the touring class The methods Of free
transportation by means Of freight trains
and free living by means Of begg2ry and
small th.eyery in country towns were no
secret 10 him. lie walked 10 the sub
urbs and at nightfall he scrambled up
the side Of acoal car in q train slowly
moving westward.
What hunger he suffered, what cold ne
endured, what bread be begged, what
police station cells he passed
nights in, what human scum he associat-
ed with, what thirst he Qnenehe1, and