The Washington weekly post., 1900-06-05

"ohlo. is ny ne cried That's a long
road from here. l suppose you're a
tramp
I'm walking. these days" I replied.
but I've got 4 friend out there who'll
look out for me and get NE job. I'm i
printer
And you've got no friend nearer than
ohio2' said he. well. we'll! What do
you live on msanwhilsT'
ION ths hope OF getting there alive"
said /. with laugh; and he seemed to see
the point
"A man can always peg along" he re-
Joined, IF he's really going anywhere"
And getting nearer every day" i add
ed. and then, 10 turn the subject. I've
been watching the people In that house
wondering which OF them I'd rather be.
There's q sick girl on the top floor"
Yes. poor child" said he; and | guess
she'll never be any better. But she's
cheerful; you'd b. surprised. She's study
ing music. You'll hear her play the man
dolin by and BY. All the family gather in
her room in the evening and she plays TO
them, Her concert. she calls il: and she
practices for ii during the day as much as
she can. She's beginning 10 play wonder
fully WELL
Al this moment young man who had
been writing AZ desk in the room on the
second floor arose and came TO the win
dow. where he paused, and lit cigar.
That Mr. Sanford said my acquaint-
ance, whom / judged TO be the janitor OF
the building whose occupants We were dis
eussing, HE owns that house and
don't know how many others down in the
city. It's Queer that he should want TO
live up here out OF the way. Still his
rooms are wonderful; | never saw such
furniture; and there's things worth for
tune. from all over the world"
What does he dog'' | asked
He? on. he doesn't have TO do any,
thing. He's worth mint o. money, that
fellow
And he's been all over the world" sai4
|, with a sigh for the many fair lands /
should never see. why doesn't he travel
some more?"
Says he's been everywhere" was the
reply. He spends a lot of time in his
room, mostly alone; but often men come
TO play cards. He gives them wine by the
cart load, and cigars that cost a quarter
apiece, in lots of a thousand. Girls come
10 see him. too, in the afternoons, and he
thing that used to belong 10 a prince ont
in China or Japan. They don't all drink
tea, either; some of 'em drink wine as well
as the men. They're Summers. tell you;
some of them way up In society, I'm ;oId.
though / never meddle with other peoples
business. By jingo," he said, suddenly. Il
can gee the diamond on his little finger
sparkle ell the way from herel It's big
as your thumb"
Indeed, IL seemed to me that could see
a flash of light from the mans hand. /
sat up in my box and looked AT him. In
stlnct mad told me that there was some
one IN that house whom | should envy
We raced each other across the dark; he
IN ms ire dress SUIT, looking out from his
nest OF riches; | with my torn clothes.
couehed In box by the wayside
He wouldn't have to walk d thousand
miles to find friend" said l.
he has plenty, | guess was the reply.
lhereS so many that IL seems 10 me |
never see the same ones twice either men
or women. Hello; Mr.. and Mrs. Wayland
are having another fuss They're lust like
cnlldren-quaTrel and make up Look at
MN now, trying TO get hold of her hand.
He'll KISS II. I've seen them end their
squabbles like that before"
his prophecy proved true. Our friends
upon the lowest story had grown tired of
quarIreling. He kissed her hand, and then
broad wlndow-seat together, her head
upon his shoulder, while they looked out
al the warm, dark. fragrant night
FROM above came the sound of the man.
Gclin, III an oid lave tune; and many forms
OF OLD ana young people appeared near to
the invalid. listening. Her motber-as /
1cGSed-Was stroking her hair as she
played.
The young man on the second floor eeas
ed TO look away at the stars. He return-
ed 10 hls desk and | saw him seal a let
ter and lay upon 1t a in box which ne
took iron, pigeon hole. Then he turned
the lisht low, and walked again TO the
window where, for q few minutes his
cigar glowed with extraordinary bright
ness. Suddenly IL dropped from his Dps:
! saw his hand clutch the sash above his
head and his right come up 10 the level
OF his breast. There sprang out a great
reddish yellow flash. in which | saw his
face as white as paper
lt must have been a heavy weapon for
the report was very loud. The music
ceased above. | saw all The people crowd
around the invalid as If 10 shield her from
COW the childish married lovers stood
with clasped hands. as We two ran across
the lane and the garden
In the midst OF quaint luxury brought
from many different lands lay the young
man dead. The tin box on the desk held
some documents OF business: the letter
under t was addressed to a man In Lon
don.
1T is strange" said I, that there is no
ether message"
1T seems his friend was farther away
than yours" replied the idnitOr.
Copyright 1890. Daily story Publishing Compsny.)