The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-04

xarred age Nathaniel Flatt through sheer
force of circumstances had become con-
frrned pessimist-
Although he never admitted it TO himself
probably because his powers Of thought
ana introspection were almost as limited
as his vOcabulary-life had never assumed
very favorable colors for him. He was the
eldest son of his parents, and his father
was a drunkard and his mother a slattern,
and that very small corner of the earth
which he called home had never at any
time been either sweet or welcome TO him.
He had no very distinct ideas of what it
had been during the days of his helpless in
fancy but he remembered the years where
In a sufIiciency of kicks and blows had been
meted out to his youthful body, and he
knew what it was like now-that is to say,
what it was like whenever he ventured or
was absolutely obliged TO put his nose
through the door. There was no charm for
Linn in its dirt, squalor. and general unat-
tractiveness, though these things did not
repel him as they would have repealed other
folk who have been used to a cleaner sort
Of existence. What with his mothers
shriH voice. and the crying of the younger
children, and the curses of his father-when
tina; worthy person CHANGED TO be at home
the Whitechapel tenement was no bower
OF domestic bliss, and Nathaniel knew it by
some sheer, blind instinct, and kept away
from IL as religiously as he possibly could
There came a day-somewhere about the
middle Of Nathaniel's twentieth year-when
circumstances of an extremely pressing
turc obliged him to SLOUGH homewards. He
was hungry. 1t was not the ordinary, COM
mon. twopenny- halfpenny hunger which
was always with him. but real. ravenous.
fierce hunger; hunger that seemed to be
gnawing the very inside out of him. He
had had no luck for some days Nothing
had seemed to get right. He had found
no difficulty about lodging himself. for it
was summer and you can always find a
corner wherin to sleep in London, however
many policemen there may be about.
But when one has put no food into ones
mouth for two days and a night-well, one
may be excused for visiting ones paternal
home and soliciting help from ones mater
nal parent. And so Nathaniel turned his
face from Covent Garden, where he had
been trying to find job and had not sue
ceeded, and went slouching eastward until
he came to the peculiarly dirty and
noisome court wherein the ancestral roof
was situate. 1t was then midday. and the
smells were many and vicious.
Mrs. Flat was not pleased to see her
eldest son. 1t may have been the way in
which Nathaniel came in at the door which
worried her. He had a trick, born of long
years of fear and suspicion, of making his
entrance by a very gradual mode of pro-
gression. He would get his foot round the
doorpost first of ALL and then one eye,
followed by his nose and the other eye,
and after these members of his body had
recOnnoitred the situation his brain would
either signal a retreat or an advance to
them and the rest of his frame, according
TO prospects.
1t was somewhat disconcerting to any
one within the tenement to be thus ap-
preached. particularly If they happened to
be drinking something out of a small bot
tie. as Mrs. Flat was upon this occasion
Therefore there wonder that
EathanePs mother greeted him by finging
the bottle-when emptied-at his head, and
then emphasized her welcome by a volley
Of choice terms and carelessly chosen cpl
thets. Nathaniel evinced no surprise-it
was the usual thing. He laughed uneasiy
and stood fumbling his greasy cap. Some
thing-he never knew what-always made
him take off his cap when he approached
his mother.
Give us bite o. somethin', mother"
said Nathaniel. urgently. 'Ain't had a
taste o. nothin' since day afore yesterday
-s'help me; not bloomin' bitei Come on.
mother, give us bite o. bread"
Mrs. Flat burst into speech. She asked
Nathaniel what he took her for. She
wished to know what he thought Of him
self. Did he think his poor. Woodworking
father and mother shaved for the likes OF
him? Wasn't he old enough and big
enough and strong enough to work for him
self? Didn't he ought TO be ashamed OF
himself for coming there and taking the
bread out OF the children's mouths ?
Didn't
"Gawd's trufe. mother, 1 cawn't git a
job!' interrupted Nathaniel, humbly. "An'
1 amt had a bite"
why don't cher go an list. then?" de-
manded his parent. List yer bloomin'
dO-no- good; list
Nathaniel fumbled at the greasy cap and
looked at Mrs. Flat with furtive entreaty.
There was loaf of bread lying on the table
Immediately before him, and the sight of 1t
was making him desperate. He looked at
his mother and then at the bread and at
the bread and then at his mother Sud-
Genly he made a dash for the loaf and his
mother with d scream made a dash for
him
But Nathaniel was young and nimble and
Mrs. Flatt was fat and unwieldy and much
spoiled by inordinate consumption of bad
gin, and ere she had realized what had
happened the thief and his loot were safely
outside the door and speeding down the
court Mrs. Flatt filled the open doorway
and bred three volleys Of curses after him.
She saw Nathaniel turn the corner into
the strickland since then she has never
seen back or front OF Nathaniel again.
That was the manner of the final sever
ance of the relations between Nathaniel and
his family. He was not at ali concerned
that II should occur in such fashion. his
sole concern just then was to find a quiet
corner and ill his aching belly. That was
nc difficult thing-his knowledge OF the To-
e@hty quickly steered him into a safe
refuge He sat down and drew the loaf
from under his coat and looked at IT. II
the ioaI had been sentient thing 1t would
nave remarked 10 itself that the end was
a. hand Within ten minutes. indeed, the
IoaI was not, and Nathaniel grunted with