Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-10-25


of that narrow canyon of traffic left
visible spoke of a serene night, and |
determined to make my way down to
the Embankment, and rest my eyes
and cool my head by watching the
variegated lights upon the river. Be
yond comparison the night is the best
time for this place; merciful darkness
hides the dirt of the waters, and the
lights of this transition age, red, glar-
ing orange, gas yellow, and electric
white, are set in shadowy outlines of
every possible shade between gray and
deep purple. Through the arches of
Waterloo bridge a hundred points Of
light mark the sweep of the Embank-
ment, and above its parapet rise the
towers of Westminster, warm gray
against the starlight. The black river
goes by with only rare ripple break
ing its silence and disturbing the re-
Elections of the lights that swim upon
its surface.
"A warm night" said voice at my
side.
turned my head and saw the pro-
file of a man who was leaning over
the parapet beside me. 1t was a re-
fined face, not unhandsome, though
pinched and pale enough, and the coat
collar turned mp and pinned around
the throat marked his status in life as
sharply as a uniform. | felt / was
was committed to the price of a bed
and breakfast as answered him.
looked at him curiously. Would he
have anything to tell me worth the
money, or was he the common incapa-
ble-incapable even of telling his own
story? There was a quality of intel
lige in his forehead and eyes, and
a certain tremulousness in his neither
lip that decided me.
''Very warm" said I; "but not too
warm for us here"
NO" he said, still looking across
the water; sit is pleasant enough here
just now.
''It is good" he continued, after
pause, "to find anything so restful as
this in London. After one has been
fretting about business all day, about
getting on, meeting obligations and
parrying dangers, Il do not know
what one would do if it were not for
such pacific corners" He spoke with
long pauses between the sentences.
"You must know little of the irksome
labor of the world, or you would not
be here. But doubt if you can be so
brain-weary and footsore as | am. :.
Bah! Sometimes 1 doubt il the game
is worth the candle. feel inclined to
throw the whole thing over-name,
wealth and position and take some
modest trade. But l know if / aban-
don my ambitlon-hardly as she uses
mel should have nothing but remorse
left for the rest of my days"
He became silent. / looked at him
in establishment Ifever l saw a man
hopclcssly hard up it was the man in
front of Inc. He was ragged and he
was dirty, unshaven and unkept; he
looked as though he had been left in a
dust bin for week. And he was talk
ing to me of the irbsome worries of
large business. | almost laughed out
right Either he was mad or playing
a sorry jest on his own poverty.
''If high aims and high positions"
said /, "have their draw backs Of hard
work and anxiety, they have their
compensations influence, the power
of doing good. of assisting those weak
er and poorer than ourselves; and
there is even a certain gratificat ion in
display"
My banter under the circumstance
was in very vile taste. spoke on the
spur of the contrast of his appearance
and speech. was sorry even while
was speaking.
He turned a haggard but very com
posed face upon me. Said he: 81 for