Evening star., 1896-12-05

what a1kance at Ind force. All q police
man asked Of drunken dwelier I'M the
should fight In theI court, and not on,
| busy thoroughfare like Light street. In
the court the wives Of the.7feomba tants
usually took ohargs r OF them before the
! sometimes tail policeman watched over
the separation Of temporary foes, saying
| little unless one Of the fighters resisted the
wife who was yoonerousiy showing him
would say: .,
Come now. my man, none Of that"
whereupon, strangely enough. 1t was the
ference for her protection, though when
her man proceeded 10 abuse a member of
the force also. she quickly told him to shut
| his - mouth" using an adjective that
| was at once sangutnary and descriptive
Often a stalwart policeman would take by
| the scruff of the neck an inhabitant Of
| the court staggering along Light street
filing the air with melody or defiance, and
| walk him rapidly down the street, the
mans legs wabbling about uncertainty. as
| il he were a wax work automaton, until
| they were opposite the entrance of the
court; then. having received the required
! impetus from the officer, the man shot un-
| der the archway and was presumably
| taken care of when he got inside; any
| how, once in the court he could not get out
again except by the way he entered. and
| few ever became drunk enough to forget
| there was always policeman in the
| neighborhood. The thrust under the arch
| way was merely the kindly Light street
way of doing the Piccadilly act of placing
| a man tenderly In cab and telling the
| driver where to go. Few were ever actu-
| ally arrested in the Light street district.
| and their conduct had to be particularly
fragrant to bring upon them this last re-
i sort of the force.
| Along Light street came Marsten with
| the elastic, srrirgy.. energetic step of a
young man in good health. who takes this
world seriously and believes there is some
| thing to be done In 1t. He paused for a
| moment opposite the Rose and Crown"
| and nodded to some men who were loung
ing there.
Are you going to, the meeting tonight,
| men," he asked
| One shook his head. another shrugged
his shoulders: 1t was evident at a glance
| that none of them had any interest in the
meeting while the pub remained Open:
| It's important" said Marsten. THE
committee reports tonight. and strike or
| no strike will likely be put to vote. You
are not In favor of strike. surely? Then
| II donno bout that" said one, remov-
| ing his pipe. Strike pay is as good as
| masters pay, an less work to get 1t.
could do with bit Of an 'olid'y.'
Strike pay may be as good as master s
| while 1t lasts, but 1t won't last" rejoined
Marsten.
when it gives out we'll go back to
work." returned the man. The others
laughed.
Some Of you won't get back" said Mars
| ten. That's always the way after a strike.
Better keep a good job while we have it"
"Oh, l could do with bit of an oliday."
repeated the spokesman Of the pub"
crowd. indifferently.
| MY God. cried Marsten. Indignantly.
| "if you take 10 more interest in your con-
| dition than that. how can you ever expect
| to better it?"
| wen. 1 thort." answered the other.
| good -naturedly, when l sees you a-comin'
along. as 'ow you'd better 1t by arstin' US
to ave drop O. beer with you"
| You're muddled with beer already" said
| the young man shortly, as he turned and
| disappeared up the court.
| The crowd smoked on in silence for some
minutes after he had left them.
"Cocky young feiler that" said one at
last, jerking his pipe over his shoulder in
the direction Marsten had gone.
| "Oh, e knows a bit, e does" remarked
| another, sarcastically
| There was a longer pause. when the
| spokesman, who had been Illuminating over
| the matter. said:
| "Wot dye sly t'i'avin another pint in
| soide? Then we go t tn meetin' and vote
| for tn stroke. Larn i'm q lesson. l like
is impotence I do. Tork bout muddlin'
| we'll show 'oose muddled."
| This was unanimously agreed to as illu-
| minating the situation. 1t is perhaps pity
| brief conversation with his fellow work
| men. He was young. and had to learn
| many things. He did not know that the
desire for Improving ones condition is no,
| may be the germ Of desire people do not
| wish to be dragooned into bettering them
| selves. Tact. as Mrs. Hope might have
| told him. goes further than good intentions
| A drop Of beer and a friendly smite on the
shoulder would have got him several votes
against the strike. AS 1t was. he had
| merely strengthened the arms of that ass
Gibbons by making the mistake of sup
| POSING that the average human being Is
| actuated by reason.
Meanwhile the young man had passed un.
| der the archway and up the court. until he
| came to doorway No. 3. The hall and the
| five pairs Of grimy stairs were only less
| public than the court. which in its turn was
only less public than Light street because
| fewer feet trod thereon He ascended the
first flight of stairs ard paused at one OF
the doors at the landing. From within
came the droning notes of harmonium
| and Marsten forebore to knock as he lis
came down the second flight with a water
jug in her hand. She stopped on seeing a
stranger standing there and listened to the
| music also. The dirge being played did moi
soothe whatever savageness there was
within the breast of the woman, for she
broke out against the inmates of the rooms
"Oh; yes..' she cried. Fine COINS on fo,
the likes O. them. harmonyum. if you
please. Gawd save us! We amt goot
enough for the likes O. i'm. A harmony.
um! In Garden court. No good can come
| stiONdShhCe ike tQAt. WOtS e. Id like
| to know? Bah!'
The woman, with wave of her. hand
expressed her contempt for such goings on
and departed down the stairs with her Jug
| Her husband spent his spare cash at the
| pub. as a man should and not in suct
vanities as a secondhand musical instru
ment. She had, very properly, no patience
with extravaganza.
Marsten raped when the playing ceased
ard Joe Braunt himself came 10 the door
Come in. my boy" he said, cordially
and Marsten went in
A tall girl, who might have been fourteen
or sixteen or eighteen, rose from a chail
at the harmonium. She was pale and thin
with large, pathetic eyes that gave a mel
archoly beauty to her face. Shaking hand.
with her, How are you, Jessie?' sait
Marsten rs the cough any better?"
Il think it's always about the same" an
swered the girl.
1T is hard to get better in this hole.
said her father, gruffiy
Braunt spoke with the accent of a York
shlIeman: He was man who in statur,
ana Duild did credit to his country, and /
was hard to believe that the slender cir
vas his daughter. However much Jo,
Braunts neighbors disapproved of his put
uns on airs and holding himself and hi:
sum. useless daughter above their betters
tHey TOOK good care not to express theil
opinions ir his hearing. for he was a rough
iiiasterIui man. taciturn and gloomy, who's.
pIoW was reader than his speech not only
trompt put effective. The whole court wa.