Evening star., 1901-11-09
CHAPTER III.
On the Poor side.

arrangements with their CREDITORS others
living here for life either subsistinS on such
small allowances as unwilling Orothers OF
grudging cousins consent to give or sear'-
ing in miSery-such misery as we would not
inhict on the worst of criminals, on the
moor side 1t is not. therefore, surprising
that a compassionate lady should from une
TO time be seen in those dingy courts, bring
ing assistance and consolation TO one who
had formerly been her friend, her COUSIN
her playfellow. perhaps her lover.
This morning about L o'clock the hungry
those on the poor side. were dreaming of
dinners Impossible of attainment, the former
regular time for dinner being replaced by
casual feeding at such hours and times as it
might please Fortune the Inconstant or
Luck the Uncertain "a more favorfte god
dess on the poor sidel, and on the master
side the CollegianS who had money IN purse
ami pocket were considering seriously what
their resources would allow, whether the
two shillings ordinary with the pint OF
wine after il. or the humble fried sausage
and baked potato with tankard or b:ack
beer At this time the courts of the prison
are nearly deserted. for those who belong
to the masters side wish it to be under
stood that they are at the ordinary ana,
therefore,. if they cannot afford that cost
Iy banquet lie snug in their chambers. or
repair to the cellar where the more nodeSt
deiicaCieS are to he procured 30 thdt the
arrival Of the two ladies in the court where
the prisoners take their exercise was hard
Iy noticed at all one of them. wrapped IN
siIk-Iinsd cloak or mantle, wore mask ana
was evidently unwilling 10 be recognized
BY her step and carriage she appeared TO
be young: she Wore however. the cap OF
widow in the second third year OF her
mourning. The other, middle-aged woman,
plainly dressed, was evidently of inferior
station. She walked upright without
any mask or any attempt at concealment;
her face was hard and resolute; she
seemed intent some business. In0Se
who her felt certain tremors or sink
ings: the memory of past experience, be
cause she looked like one of that hard
hearted tribe. the unforgiving creditor.
Her kind. had. at least. done their worst to
the prisoners in keeping them locked up;
but the memory remained. Therefore, at
sight of her hard and resOlute face Knees
trembled. hands shook. and those within
reach Of their own staircases hastily re-
tired to places OF cOnceaiment.
This visitor looked up and down the
court. which was, | have said. nearly
empty: few of the prisoners were walk
ing about. a few were playing racquets
against the wall, some were sitting in the
sun after their frugal meal. some Were
talking over journal Of the day the
day before yesterday; all were shabby. all
were dull; all were listless. careless, down
at heel. shabby and hopeless. 1t is the
fashion to represent the college as full of
cOnviviality and goodfellowship; it is full
OF drink, but it is dull-hopeless, duh and
stupid
The lady did not see the prisoner whom
she was seeking She turned to a turnkey
standing aside, dangling and rattling his
bunch of keys.
II want Mr. Oliver Mcnamara" she
said. He is one of your prisoners on the
other side. Can you send for him? He is
perhaps at his dinner"
His dinner. Ho. ho, A fat and plen-
tlful dinner they get on the other side
Well. madam, l will send for him-Nac-
namara ?-Nacnamara? Is it a lawyer. Is
he an Irishman?'
AN Irishman. certainly. And he wears
4 lawyers gown
"Ay. ay, his detainers are beggarly He
went over 10 the Poor Side a week ago.
l bundled him over myself. seeing that he
was unable to pay for his bed. This is a
place where We score up chalks."
II can understand your precautOn, said
Mrs. Brymer. for 1T was that dressmaker.
Being in business myself. / have suffered
by running up scores Well sir he is on
the Poor Side, that l knew. Madam" she
whispered to her companion, this IS the
prisoner of whom | spoke to you. He is
on the Poor Side. but his pride must be
broken by this time. Hunger and cold
speedily break them up; he will be willing
TO make a bargain with on terms more
favorable than if he had money left. We
must not offer him too much.''
rs he a gentleman, then? You said he
was lawyer Is he very old and broken :?
We must not be hard upon a poor old
man"
He is not old at all He is quite young
l suppose he is a gentleman, being a law
Yer"
Young and a gentleman. Oh. Mrs. Rry-
mer, We must not be hard on youth and
poverty"
You must think of yourself, madam. rot
Of him In business there is no pity no
for himself
you want young Macnamara" said the
turnkey. ''Humph. Suppose ne won't
Gomez
Why not? Tell him that lady wishes
to see him.
Its his pride. Some of them are so at
first. After 4 bit they drop their pride.
lou see, ladies. he's a gentieman-a very
pretty gentleman who cannot get his friends
To pay his two-penny debts. And, besides,
he has had TO sell his clothes and is now
in ragS-thsy move compassion. Gar,
COmpassioni And for them as are desti-
tLte and frendless, AS if they do not de-
serve all they get What do they expect ?
They've got the boards to sleep on and
off inside than out Some of them are
ashamed OF their rags This young fellow
this gentleman who is in for a mere tri-
fe-is ashamed OF his. Let him alone and
the shame OF his rags. as well as the cold
and the starvation. Will kill him off in a
single winter. l know the sort He VIII
be dead in six months
Mrs. Brymer nudged her companion.
I'VE are in luck, she repeated Dead in
six months! Could anything lie better?
We shall get him very cheap"
Then she turned TO the man of the keys.
"Mr- Macnamara Will come. Tell him it is
the lady with whom he had discourse last
can be private" She placed a shilling in
the mans hand.
He looked at ii and nodded "Ay." he
said Now you talk sense Well. YOU
can have the use of my Snuggery for hall
hour. ! shall charge you no more thar
five shiilings. II you want drink call foi
it. There's good drink in the college as
there is out OF it. The wine, ladies, l car
recommend"
The snuggsTy was a small room, abomi
nably close and smelling of beer. punch
and tobacco; the room in which some oi
the residents-those who could afford tc
spend shilling or so, met the evenine
TO drink and take tobacco and TO pretend
that the prison the home Of Wit mer
rimeut and happiness. In the morning the
place was deserted.
The man returned IN a few minutes
bringing with him his prisoner, Mr. Olive,
Nacnamara-whose pride. IL appeared, mac
been broken up by the arrival of miser,
and destitution. Who be proud wher
hunger gnaws at the Vitals?
He was quite young man. his beard ne
elected and stubbly, his hair growing ou
under his wig He wore a waistcoat tight