The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-19

to see anu to admire. And he thought
with bitterness that In the past he had
dressed to please his own limo taste and
not for tho cnvious eye Of tho vulgar
crowd.
Penetrating tho vaults of banks, gold
coin was hcapcd up in scaled bags and
loosely hcapcd in preparation for scaling;
silver bars aud wcighty mounds and
wrought gold plate, whole services, whose
workmanship WAS art that made the gold
moro precious. All was his own to do with
rs ho pleased, with mono to Interfere Or say
him nay. Something of passing thought
fitted across his brain of the mighty pow.
or that these countless millions I'M ght have
welded, some remnant of the time when
mon were common, cheap and plentiful
and dospiscd, SO common that work WAS
bestowed on them rs charity. - ~c:--.,
| courtcd them for but the i....,
of the wealth that now was .ie,.p. ~.
tshly i'll Wow and all won't urr 81.
Wandering on. his eyes Were attracted
by the hcapcd up cakes and confcctions of
al ample window, which brought to ,ninu
That ho was hungry, and entering nc
glanced around upon the dnntics and del
icaces, but he only broke Il crust from a
brown loaf. Thirsty, he sought around tlo
place, descended the broad stone stairs to
tho basement, where ranks on ranks of
shelving hold great store of wine, both old
and new. But hc turned away and found
the fountain in the public square, and thcro
he munchcd his crust and drank of tho
water.
The idea of homo haunted him, and on
his many daily excursions, us evening fell,
he turned back US if To seek the point from
which ho started in tho morning as tho
workman returns to his home ut night 1t
was then especially that his utter loncli-
moss struck him with greatest force. All
places were the same to him, and no place
was home.
Ono day his journey took him to the
distant outskirts i'll his persistent search
for human face and the sound of hu
man voice. and rs no approached the in
closure OF Il great field he was startled to
hear tho neigh of u horse, the first sound
from man OF animal, save his own voice
that he had heard in weary weeks, for
even tho birds of the air and the beasts of
burden had disappeared from thut mys-
tcriouS place. No wonder his heart stood
still for joy.
The neigh was repeated, and the frantic
horse came up to the inclosurc at mad
gallop and dashed himself against the tall
fence. With no thought for tho strange
action of the animal, but prompted by tho
wild wish for any companionship, NIilnnd
ihlt W tuC ItIlCcj lOTC away INC DullDES,
and throwing his arms around the horses
neck he burst into tears. The horse was
almost human in his whinnying and when
INLAND sought the road the horse followed
him like dog and gave every sign of in
tense pleasure at the companionship.
They were constant companions and
together they ate and drank ut the foun-
tain 1t was lease of life for both But
the overwhelming ycarning for the sight
of human face and the sound of n hu-
man voice returned To INLAND, and he nov
CT ccnscd his search. He walked, with the
horse following, from dawn to dark, pcnc-
trating every section of tho great CITY,
never dreaming of using the horse, his
companion, TO bear him along. The horse
was to him ~ fellow creature, and what
WAS time To INLAND? His one thought was
upon meeting II human being. What
Change from tho time when he avoided
them all! 10 see, to speak, to commune
with one of his kind-aye, oven were he
OF tho lowest, tho most degraded, were joy
unspeakablo. He looked in every window,
rang every bell. He climbed to tho top of
the tower and rang an alarm of fire upon
the great bell that was wont to bring the
hurrying crowds and the rush of fire en-
glncs, but there was no response to his
challenge. He climbed the loftiest monu-
there was not sign to denote that q liy-
ing person dwolt in the great metropolis.
The streets remained deserted, and the
sun roso and set in daily round upon tho
dreadful silence. INLAND began to settle
into blank despair and was weary enough
to lie down and die.
Dragging himself along from house to
house in the slums of tho great CITY ON q
rniny evening, he fancicd that the chnl-
lcnSc of his rap ut n wrctchcd cabin WAS
answered by u groan. But rs he had been
the victim Of many hallucinations in
which even the wind seemed to have tho
voice OF human beings, he doubted his
own oars. Entering, ho stamped upon the
naked floor and listened
Surely there was no mistake. There was
the groan again, and plainly from the in
ner room. Trembling, he entered, and
could he believe his cycss A wrctched old
man lay in tho last stages of disease and
starvation, wrctchcd creature of tho
slums, but in tho eyes of INLAND most an
gcic.
Neither attempted to speak, but it was
wonderful to behold tho lustcr of the old
mans eyes. And, as for Miland his look
was worship. Not word was spoken
Both were struck dumb with joy ineffable
Their JOY shonc in their wrapt faces
ottcr strangers to each other, they were
nearer, dcarer than the nearest kin. Mi
land flung himself into seat and devour.
ell the face of the wrctched creature with
hungry eyes
And tho hours fed swiftly as they trazed
upon each other, and the wretch felt moth
ing of the pains that had racked his dis
eascd body. INLAND forgot his hunger
and tho horror of Loneliness.
And then gradually their eyes seemed to
change into II stony look, although tho
radiant happiness of their faces remained