The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-05-17
50 GOES THE WORLD.

w ~ ~ ILlJ i L W ~
John Watterson sat on the edge of
his bed in his little hall bedroom
thinking. The lower drawer of the
bureau in front of him within two feet
of the bed was open, and in it two or
three shirts lay in great disorder, as
though tumbled by an impatient hand.
They're all pretty bad-frayed and
worn" said John to himself. ITS a
question, though, whether to wear one
of them or buy a new one and go
without a decent dinner. Let's look
again"
He took the shirts out one after an
other, examined the bosom of each
critically, and threw them in turn on
the bed. Then he opened his wallet
and took out some bills.
-Four dollars, and it's only the mid
die of the week." he sighed. Il shall
have to buy the new shirt and eat
30-cent table d'hote at Bucci's."
He threw the shirts into the draw
err
IF I hadn't sent those flowers this
afternoon" 1t came over him sud-
denly how absurd it was for him to buy
roses, like those. But he remembered
the fine sense of luxury he had expert
enced when buying them-only it was
a bit humiliating to have to ask the
price beforehand. But they were for
her, and he would go without his din
ner any time to be able to send her
flowers. Still. it was absurd. What
bitter chance of fate it was that had
thrown him into well-bred society,
where people dressed well and dned
well habitually-where he belonged he
felt, by every right, but the possession
OF filthy lucre. He said filthy lucre"
aloud, and took certain pleasure in
the phrase. Better for him to have lily
ed quietly and known only the people
he met everyday at his work-and new
er seen her.
He put on his hat and coat and went
downstairs. AS he was opening the
front door his landlady entered the
hall from the front parlor, and pre-
scented him with the bill for his lodg-
ing.
Last weeks, Mr.. Watterson, you
know -"
Yes, yes, Mrs Higgins. This Sat-
urday | will settle for last week and
this week together | overlooked it
last Saturday, and l haven't the money
with me just now. But this week Sat-
urday-"
"Oh, all right. thought I'd remind
Watterson had closed the door and
was out in the street.
A few minutes later he was sitting
in Buccis restaurant. He could not
help noting the meanness of the place,
the smoky atmosphere the cheap pine
chairs with cane seats, the thin table
linen, and comparing them with the
appurtenances of the dinners he had
eaten in private houses. He found a
certain pleasure in doing so. There
was a piquant contrast in dining excel
lently three days week, and wretch
eddy the other four.
Here l am now at half-past eat
ing in this disgusting place"-he no.
ticed that the man who was sitting
opposite him at the table had his nap
kin tucked under his chin and was
eating with his knife-"in two hours
l shall be sitting in beautiful draw
ing-room, where every object speaks
of refinement and luxury, talking with
1t seemed hideous to think Of her in
his present surroundings. She did not
know he dined, had to dine sometimes,
in such places. Would she not be dis
gusted with him If she knew? The
thought took away his appetite. He
finished the insipid entree and the
sickish pudding as soon as possible.
lighted a cigarette to take the taste
out Of his mouth, and hurried out. On
his way back to his room he stopped
at a haberdasher's and bought a shirt.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, he be-
gan to argue with himself whether he
should go to see her or not He knew
all the time that he would CO. He
realized that it was dangerous for him
to go, that his eyes constantly betrayed
his secret-which he knew she knew.
Could he trust his lips not to betray
it? Three words might put an end to
everything. 1t was a terrible risk. He
had decided long ago not to tell her,
not until he had tho right to say more
than three words. But suppose-yes,
suppose she should care little-per-
haps great deal 1t was possible.
He recalled two or three glances, two
or three words, soft-spoken at a dance.
which were burned into his memory
The old thrill Of them returned But
suppose she should not-what then?
All, yes, what then? Anyway, he would
go to see her that night.
He put on Ills dress clothes and
went out. Half An hour later he climb
ed the stops Of brown stone house