Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-08-06

| silent misery of the suburb was
/ changed into the Haunting coarseness
OF the slums. Fighting men and
wrangling women formed little knots
| at every street corner. Massinger put
up his hand and stopped the cab man.
we will walk from here he said.
Button up your coat, Lord Harbor-
ough."
/ The cabman, much overpaid, touched
/ his hat and drove off with a curious
/ look over his shoulder. Massinger
took his companions arm and they
walked off together down the narrow
! street
/ 1t seemed to Lord Marlborough that
the horrors increased. At every step
they were jostled and confronted by
/ creatures nom whose drink-sodden
/ features every spark of womanhood
seemed to have dieG out. The air, foul
enough itself, was full of shrill oaths
and threatening cries. Once, at a cross
ing. a girl fitted like a shadow out of
the darkness and touched him on the
elbow She could not have been more
than 10 or 16, and but for her hollow
cheeks and terribly deep-set eyes she
would have been pretty. AS it was, the
pleading light in her eyes. and the
quivering mouth, brought a great lump
into Lord Harborough's throat He
thrust a sovereign and some silver, all
he could find for the moment, into her
hand. He felt her fingers close upon it
and he hurried on. But she made no
attempt to follow him. Presently as
he heard no footsteps he ventured to
look around. She was leaning against
the wall crying bitterly.
My God! Surely this is helIr' he NUT
tered. There can be nothing worse
than this"
Massinger shot quick glance at him.
'FfIow do you know? Evolution is H.
limitable. You have seen these mems
faces. Would it surprise you to hear
that not half of them were born in this
condition? They have drifted here
from all classes of society, many if not
from yours at least from mine. Re-
member that in this world the unsuc-
cessful and the criminal rank together
and fell together
They strobe on together in silence.
Suddenly Massinger stopped short in
the middle of the pavement
''D-nr' he nuttered.
They were underneath a gas lamp.
Lord Marlborough, glancing carelessly
up, himself started. Massinger's face
was suddenly CHASTITY He was staring
across the road toward a high block of
seemingly uninhabited houses in the
last stage of dilapidation. On the OPP
posite side was plot of waste ground,
a ruinef wharf and the river
What is it?" Lord Marlborough
asked impatiently.
Mass1nger shuddered palpably as he
answered:
Nothing! I'd no idea we were COM
ing out here, though. Let US take this
turn"
He laid hold of his companions arm
as though to draw him away. But
Lord Marlborough did not move.
why were you looking so intentIy
at that block of houses over the way9"
he asked curiously. What God-for-
saken hole it isr'
"Ay, and good reason for it, Massjn-
ger answered, quickly. There is not
one of those gaunt, hideous-looking
houses that has not witnessed a mu:-
der. They call the place Hellside
Come away; we are deeper in the re
gion than l had imagined See now
the DeOnle watch IFS
Lord Marlborough laughed reckIessly.
who cares? I'm going to walk
down and look at that place"
I'VE are in danger even here" Mas
singer whispered, glancing over his
shoulder. Let the place alone. There's
nothing to see."
To be Continued.