Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-10-10

sec MIN, L think l can take you to
him"
thanked him and said that would
Willingly have speech of Mr.. Semplc
So he led me dowN Little Britain and,
by maze of streets. to n place call
ed Turnngain lane. He stopped at an
open door. The street in the waning
light looked squald and the houses
mean.
THE darling of Parnassus," he said.
"lies in the top chamber. You will find
him there unless l mistake not, be-
cause he cannot conveniently go
abroad"
So saying he left me. and climbed
up the dark and dirty staircase, some
of the steps of which had been taken
away for frewood, and presently
found myself at the top Of the last
fight before closed door. l knocked.
A faint voice babe me come in.
There was no fire in the fireplace:
there was no candle. BY the faint light
which struggled through the window |
perceived that I was in garret: that
all the furniture visible was bed and
man in the bed. table and chair.
On the mantelshelf stood a candle
stick without a candle and finder
box.
"Who is it," asked the man in the
bed
81 am in search of Sam Semple. Are
YOU Sam Semple?'
II know that voice" The man sat up
as it the voice of Jack Pentecrosse?'
"The same. What cheer, man."
For all answer he burst out crying
like a child.
ooh. Jack" he said. 81 am starving.
l made up my mind to starye. | have
no longer any clothes. have not even
candle. l have no money. l have
not even a sheet of paper to write
letter, and l deserve it all-yes, I de-
serve it all"
why, this is bad. But let me first
get you some food. Then we will talk"
| went down stairs and found wo-
man who told me of Il shop where
could get some necessarics, and pres
emily returned bearing food and bot
tie of wine, some Goals and candles
and Il warm coat which | thought
would be useful.
BY the light Of the candle and the
fire | could perceive that the condition
of the unhappy poet was miserable in
deed. Never was there q more wretch
ed den Of a garnet. The plaster had
fallen from the walls, the window was
mostly stuffed with rags in place Of
glass-in n word, everything bctolienod
the greatest extremity Of poverty. AS
for the man himself. he had neither
coat. waiStcOat nor shoes. He sat on
the bed half dressed but the rest of his
wardrobe had been pawned or sold.
There were no books, there were 10 pa
perS, there was nothing to show his
calling, and there was no sign of food.
At the sight Of my basket and it's con-
tents the man fell to. With just such n
rage have l seen a sailor picked up at
sea from an open boat fall upon food
and devour it. Nor did Sam finish till
lie had devoured the whole of the cold
beef and bread, q goodly ration, and
swallowed the whole of the bottle of
wine. a generous allowance. Then lie
breathod sigh of satisfaction and put
on the thick coat which 1 had bought
for him.
"Well." said, "can we now talli?"
Jack, you have saved my life, But
| shah be hungry again tomorrow.
Lend nc little money"
Il will lend you guinea or two. But
ho
thought vou were in the confidence of
n certain noble lord"
"IIe IL villain. Jack. Tie is the
greatest villain unhung. Oh, hanging
is too good for him, After all did for
him, The lying villain"
Tell rae more What were you to
get for III"
at WIS | who invented an excuse
for takifg my lord and his friends TO
Lynn"
eyes, l understand. You invented the
spa. Tho water in the we'll
The water is very good water. 1t
could do no harm. l wrote to the doc
tor. ! Invented the analysis. applying
it from another. | told him about the
discovery and the things said by the
newspapers. There was no discovery
Nobody had heard of the water. No
physician sent any of his patients there
The only visitors from London were
my lord and his friends"
"They were all his friends, them"
Gail His reverence is in the pay of
Beelzcbub, | believe. The colonel is a
bully and a gamester. Sir Harry is a
well known decoy. Lady Anastasia
shares her bank with Lord Fylingdale
They were n nest of shnrpers and vii
lains, and their business and mine
was to spread abroad reports Of the
shining virtues of his lordship."
''All this, or part Of it. we found out
or guessed. The vicar publicly de
nounced you all at his assembly. But
what were you to get by it for your
self"
Il was to have an appointment under
government of 1900 a year at least"
"WellP
81 was to have 1t directly after the
marriage. That was the promise.
have 1t in writing"
And you have not got IT,"
"No, and shall not get it. When I
claimed it, his lordship asked me to
read the promise. ! showed 1t to him.
had kept it carefully in my pocketbook.