The Washington weekly post., 1900-06-05
FROM THE OUTSIDE.
PY HOWARD FIELDING.

was without money, food, CT shelter
but the May evening was trsmulous With
heat,and there was no dew upon the grass
SO one might sleep anywhere. Neverthe-
less, | was glad to find big shallow box
by the side of rough lane on the north
ern edge of the city. There were some
bits OF bagging and an old torn carriage
rote in it-probably the wrappings of a
p.anO-and thrill went through all my
bones al the sight of such good bed.
After had lain down | was so comfort
able that l would not go To ask for food
az the doors of the fine houses that stood
with their backs TO me. looking out to-
ward the lane across pretty yards like
fewer gardens. | had had something to
eat at noon, and the long tramp since
then had worn the hunger out of me. So
l lay upon tEe ragged robe with the bag
ging for a pillow, and stared out over
the edge OF the box with weary eyes. at
the lighted windows and the people with
in.
No curtains were drawn on the rear Of
:he house opposite re. There were three
floors, and / could see quite we'll in all
those nOrthward rooms, for 1 had dragged
my box upon knoll across the lane. and
SO lay nearly as high az the second story.
1t seemed To be sort Of apartment
house, and those rooms at the back we're
not for cooking or eating, but looked like
well furnished parlors. Clearly enough
the people on the different floors had no
concern with the lives above or below
them; no more, indeed, than with that Of
their chance neighDor Of night, in the
box upon the knoll
At the uDpermOst window there was
figure in white, reclining In a posture so
easy that my first thought was enyiOus.
| pictured her a young girl. beautiful ana
admired. with parents who took every
care from her mind, with little knowledge
OF the world and wOnGrous hopes Of what
might be in it-a life Of ease and OF
dreams
A curious fancy came to me that Il
would be much easier to live a WOmdu's
life than a mans. / have always wished
10 be somebody else-nOw one and then
another-and il came 10 me, in that mo-
ment. that ! would like 20 charge places
with the girl al the window. Almost i'm
InediaIely, however, some one turned up
the light in the room, and ! saw that .ar
girl lay In an inyalid's chair, and that
there was stand with bottles OF Iledi-
cine within her reach.
/ have horror OF Illness; the thought
tina ! had wished 10 change places with
tina, poor creature, wearing away perhaps
with consumption, gave me start -ech
IS one has when one escapes peril. II /
had. indeed bren that girl. should have
been tempted 70 take the bottle tkat held
the strongest poisonous drug and drain il
TO the last dFegs.
In the lowest roOIa were a man and a
woman quaFTellng OF course, 1 could not
hear a word, but IL was easy 10 follow the
conversation Ii was like q duel with
swords, aHd many a thrust upon each eide
reached the heart
] hate 10 quarrel; II | have hard words
with any one. ] never wish 10 see him
sgatn- / would rather have been nvsslf
sleeping out OF doors upon eastaWay
robe, than the man With a scJldlng wife
and | suppose such a woman is no hap
pier than she makes others.
While ! ssas amusing myself with these
observation s. = door ia the basement OF
the house o1ensd and q little man with a
busby beard and a big pipe In his mouth
came Olt. He walked slowly across the
yard. and just a. ne reacned the gale bis
eye III upon me. lie came across the lane
and up The knoll until he stood beside ms
box.
What are you doing hsreg' he asked.
bat not unklndiy.
"Res.ns feW minutes, 4" ssll 1. or my
s~y - Springfield. Onto