The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-01-05
FORTUNES FOOL.

The last rays OF the autumn sun streamed
through the window. lighting up the dusty
corners, fitting across the cheap, gaudy
prints hanging on the walls and filling
the room with its glittering splendor-
There was but little furniture in the
apartments sofa, table and a couple
Of chairs were all the pretense that was
made of comfort The man as he sat. his
head moodily buried in his hands, did not
notice that the chairs required dustingi
that the table was old and rickety.
Before him, spread out on the dirty red
tablecloth, was a mass OF golden coins.
They sparkled in the sun like so many
diamonds. His fingers would stray occa-
sionally over them with a lingering ten
derness, stopping often to count few
mechanically. The gold fever had eaten
away his heart. He had long since offered
up all his better self on Mammon's altar,
. and life held by one thing now-gcld.
This was his heaven-to sit hour after
hour, needless of the roar of the traffic in
the streets beneath him, gIoating and
dreaming over his fortune.
Other men sought their pleasures IN
various ways Some favored wine, others
the merry life about town. many were con-
tent with homely freside, but these had
no attractiyeness for him. Ever and anon
the vulgar, sensual mouth grew firm, and
he muttered between his clinched teeth:
"Minel Yes, all minel They thought to
keep me down, - he would add, shaking
his fist at some imaginary foes through
the grjmy window. They prated about
charity. But I fought on and on, crush
ing them one by one, and now He
smiled a deviIish, cruel smile, as he re-
membered incidents which had called for
special cruelty on his part.
He had been a hard taskmaster. Was a
man starving? All the more reason, he
thought for making him do twice as much
labor an ordinary ablebOdied man for
half the wage. Many aching hearts had
cursed this gold grabber for his adaman-
tine, stern hard heartedness. Prayers and
tears availed nothing with him. He mere
" smiled, shrugged his shoulders and
walked away.
There was wild light of passion in his
bloodshot eyes as he ran his fingers loving
" through the heap of gold-the only OBJ
ject of his ca-esses. How he loved these
shining pieces, loved them with all the
mingled tenderness and ferocity which
signalize the dawn OF madness! As the
sun sank lower the glittering mass seemed
to be tinged with red. He was not by any
means sensitive man, or he would have
thought OF the many tOllerS gone over to
the great majority through his excellent
application of the sweating system.
Suddenly, among his dreaming, a mad,
delicious idea flashed across his brain-a
new sense OF pleasure a new experience OF
happiness Why not go to sleep and dream
among his gold? All, yes; it was a grand, 1
supreme effort of his brain, he thought,
to conceive such happiness. Hastily as
surfing himself that the door was securely
fastened, he climbed upon the table, and,
making pillow of the sofa cushion, laid
himself down among the shining SOW
ereigns, holding aloft handfuls Of the gilt
tering coins and allowing them to fall
down slowly upon him, one by one, afford
ing him the pleasant sensation of a new
found joy. They filed the crevices of his
coat and vest, some lay hidden in his
abundant hair, and soon he literally bathed
in gold A little time, and he fell asleep
with sublime expression of ecstasy on
his face.
An hour passed Quickly and with
fiery hiss a cinder from the CRATE fell
from the force Of its outburst on the car
pet, the thin white smoke ascending in
curling column to the ceiling. The smoke /
grew thicker as the carpet smoldered, and
then tiny fame burst out where the Gin !
der lay, Spreading slowly and silently, |
licking its way along until, with a rush
and a roar, it caught the fiInsy window
curtains In an instant the room was
ablaze.
The heat awoke the sleeping figure. He !
gazed in horror at the scene. Was this !
hell. he wondered, and then, realizing the !
situation, he reused himself to action. |
There was no time to spare. Already the /
plaster was falling and the sharp cracIle |
of burning wood told that the fire was !
gaining ground. His first thought was /
for his beloved gold What should he dos /.
Filling his pockets quickly with trem-
bling, nervous hands, until the coins rolled |
away on the blazing floor from the over |
flowing receptacles. with a wild shrek for |
help he rushed on the columns of flame in 1
frantic endeavor to reach the door and +
staircase.
fire on him, the flames seorched and the !
black smoke choked him, but he managed |
to open the door. With the rush of air the /
flames darted by with eager cupidity. I
They were not going to be baked of their I
prey now. As he reached the head of the /
stairs and a thought of life and liberty 4
flashed across his mind, the staircase gave /
way bodily and fell with a terrific crash, /
sending up a shower of sparks. just as the j
first splash of water told the fremen had t
arrived Too late! Beneath a heap Of /
burning wood the man lay-dead.
Outside the police could with difficulty
keep back the crowd which had gathered 1
to watch the ezertiOns of the firemen. !
Cheer after cheer went up as the engines |
arrived, and the splendidly disciplined /
brigades commenced their battle with the I
flames. They knew whose house it was. !
Murmurs of tskinf1int' were heard here /
and there among the surging mass Mi
SER has world of contemp5 and meaning /
when voiced by crowd. Still, they adj /
mired pluck What crowd does nots Ev-
cry daring deed of the men was applauded /
to the echo, the magnificent spectacle of I
this battle between fire and man appealed /
strongly to their sense Of realism, and en-
thusiaStic shouts encouraged the rescue /
party The atmosphere was sitting in the 4
extreme, yet the best was done to save the /
burning building, but in vain. It had /
long been known that the solitary inmate
was inaccessible, owing to the fierceness Of I
the flames.
Down the hot, fiery steps of the doomed