The Newtown bee., 1900-03-16

"No; but I'd like drink. 'Twould
help make things more cheerful" sobbed
Simmons.
"Yeu shall have it," said Lsmson.
And in somewhat confused state of
ethics Lamson spent bis last cent to graf
ify what he considered as his friends
greatest moral weakness. Then the two
men wander ed up and down the streets
trying to find another lodging place.
But no one cared to rent room to some
rough men who had no money to pay in
advance. Finally, Lamson suggested
their going to the police station to ask
for city charity. He had hesitated about
proposing this, for he remembered SIM
mons declaration that he would die "a
son had similar feeling had its origin
in latent sturdiness and not in vanity.
Simmons seemed terrified at the propos-
81.
Don't take me there" he begged.
"But only just for one night" said
Lsmson. "We'll go away in the
morning. L don't b'lieve that can make
paupers of U.s."
81 don't want to 60 there" said the
sick man, numbering childishly. "I'll
tell you, Lamson. I'll out with it. l
of the officersImight know me although l
didn't go by the name Of Simmons then."
"Od!" said Lamson.
1t WAS IL O'Clock and still the two men
were wandering. They had ceased try
ing to find rooms, but they continued TO
walk aimlessly in order to keep warm.
A moralist might have said that Simmons
| was an example of just retribution for an
| ill-spent life. But there was Lsmson,
| who had always done as well as he knew
how. 1t is question how the moralist
| would have disposed of Lamson. On
they went, up over the hill and down
past the big houses. The myriad stars
| looked from the clear, cold sky upon the
just and the urjust. The city streets
grew silent and asserted. Finally, Sim.
mons stopped by the stone steps Of
| large house.
II can 60 no farther" said he. YOU'D
better 60 on alone, Lamson. Perhaps
you can get in at some depot. 'Twon't
make much difference about me now. ]
won't hold out much longer, anyway.
I'm too trembly."
He dropped down by the steps and
Lamson could hear his teeth ehattering
Lamson crouched down beside him and
| spread the blanket over his shoulders.
Then he squared his own shoulders
against the wind to keep it from Simmons.
Are you any warmer ?" he asked.
eyes," replied Simmons in a muffl ed
tone. but you must be colder yours elf
with the blanket
"Oh, I'm warmer blooded than you"
said Lamson. His lips felt like leather
as be said it.
ST say old fellow" continued Simm ops.
"It's good of you to take csra Of worth
| less wretch like me, who can't last long"
"Cheer up" said Lamson braveIy.
"To-morrow may be able to git job
and buy you some med cine" Simmons
made a littls gurgling sound in his throat.
Lamson was glad that he could rot SET
| the hemorrhage.
81 say, old fellow, "said Simmons in q
weaker voice, 81 stole that money you
lost some weeks back. l was cur to do
it, but l wanted the drink too badly"
"Don't mind now" said Lsmson,
"T'want much matter"
Simmons voice sounded tremulous be-
meath the blanket.
~ say Lamson, do you remember
your early homer
"Not very WE'LL" said Lamson. my
father died when / was q baby. MY
mother didn't seem to care much bout
me. She put me out to work when l was
quite young. / lost all track of her after
she married again"
"Mine cared for me-" said Simmons.
"I've been trying to think Of q prayer
she taught me, but L guess I've forgotten
it. Did you ever go to church, LAM
"Not very often. L never seemed to
quite understand what it all meant, when
l did CO."
ST used to 60 to meetings when 1 was
q boy" said Simmons. They held them
in schoolhouse. We learned verses
there. There WAS one verse that went
something like this: Il was 9 stranger
and ye took me in naked, and We clothed
me; sick and In prison and We visited me-
l think that must have meant you, Lam
SON"
81 guess not" said Lamson, sleepily.
He was glad that he was going to sleep
and forget the singing AR. Simmons
voice had far-away sound ss he heard
him talking cheerfully of the farm where
he had played when he was boy, and Of
the woods and fields there. Simmons
also seemed more comfortable.
When Lamson awoke, he was lying In
a soft, clean bed. and the coverlets sbove
him were so light that they seemed
billowy.
"Where am II" he asked the pleasant
faced nurse who sat beside him.
"In the home of good man." she re-
piled. "He found you and the other one |
by his doorsteps when he came home |
from the theatre. He saw how you had |
given the blanket to the other one and
was shielding him, and he brought you
both In here"
81 most seems as IL this place was too |
nice.for me, Ebut Simmons will like it. |
How il Simmons ?" said Lsmson.
SIZE did not last long after dsybresk,"
said she sadly. ."But we got him warmed |
up some and he told as all about you and |
all you had done for him this winter" |
81 s'pose the dreadful cold got into
Simmons vitals, poor fellow" said LAM
SON. s'I'd ought to have frozen, too. |
There didn't seem to be any place in the |
world for either of us.' And he brushed |
away tears Of honest sorrow for the poor |
creature who had helped eat up his liv-
ing.
"Don't feel bad, :" said the nurse kindly.
ssMr Legion will bury your friend decent
" and be has place waiting for you st /
his country home when you get strong |
enough to take It. How would you like /
60 work where there are greenhouses and
fields and groves fn
'sSimmons told bout such things last
night" replied Lamron. ST think I'd /
like the cOuntrv. IF Simmnus had o,,lv