The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1902-05-21
HE LAID TIE COINS UPON THE TABLE.


the photograph and drew from his
pocket the remnant of his revenue.
There were eight eolns-a quarter,
dime, -four nickels and two cents. lie
laid them upon the table, abstractedly
placing them In elliptical form, with
the quarter for head and the dime for
tail piece.
Looks like u comet, looks like a
SNAKE" he soliloquized, breaking from
his reflections upon the latent possibili.
ties of 81 cents. He became suddenly
conscious of n double analogy between
the form OF the row of coins and the
| package that still lay upon the floor
A comet WINS a sort or star, the return
| ed manuscript from The Stellar Maya
| zine, and the story of the manuscript
was the story of woman and snake
He reflected with some pride that II
was the most grewsome thing he had
ever done. He swept up the coins and
stood with puckered brows gazing at
the steadfast eyes of the photograph.
A knock at his door broke his reverie.
A stout young woman, of business
like countenance, promptly accepted
his monosyllabic invitation to enter.
I'D like some money, please" she
said, with equal promptness, regarding
with apparent disfavor the young man,
who still had his eyes upon the photo
graph,
$50 would l." replied the INDECENT
Mr.. Patterson. He wheeled and con-
frOnted the blond collector of his fat.
you're week behind" she said Sc
verely.
II can give you 81 cents on account"
responded young Mr.. Patterson. and
the coins reappeared THAT'S every
cent I have In the world" he added pa
thetically. The eyes of the young wo-
man not being sympathetic, he turned
his upon those Of the picture girl. This
action apparently still further nettled
the collector.
"rhere were two gentlemen" she
said, emphasizing the last word. "look-
ing for room today. They are ready
to pay $4 for this. / shall rent to them
from tomorrow. OF course you under
stand if you can't pay up She
glanced significantly at Bllly's shabby
trunk.
you're right" said Billy. "And that's
It. There's nothing In It. I've hung up
everything except myself. Perhaps In
the morning. He glanced at a large
hook In the ceiling, but when he turned
his gaze to the door again the material
picture that had been framed there
had departed In wrath
Billy closed the door and sat YEARLY
upon his bed. He was only twenty
three. 1t seemed to him that he had
failed. His was n bright, wholesome,
optimistic nature, with an acute sense
OF humor, yet his stories were almost
invariably of morbid and depressing
character and met with little IL any
success.
After a time he sat up and stared at
the faded pattern of the carpet, men
tally comparing 1t to the fiowery de
sign Of his ambitions and his hopes
when they, too, were new and upon
which, ii seemed to him, the world had
trampled until all the color was quite
gone. Suddenly he tossed back his
head, laughing oddly, and fixed a
strained gaze upon the large hook In
the plaster just over his head
"After ALL" he said harsbly, what
matters? Nothing matters!"
lie stood upon the bed and reached
q hand to the iron hook. 1t seemed
firm. lie placed n middle finger through
1t and put his whole weight upon the
hook. 1t held. He stepped to the floor
and with his glance measured the dis
lance from the surface Of the bed to
the floor. AS he turned again his eyes
met those Of the girl In the picture up
Oh the wall. The blood flowed into his
pale face, and he trembled as he leaned
with cllnched hands upon the tables
edge. Suddenly he turned and hung
himself, face down, upon his bed, weep
Ing with the bitterness Of regret and
shame
When at last Billy Patterson sprang
up, he kicked over his chair and paced
the little room like an innocent man
In prison cell.
my God" he said, staring upward,
will the tide never turnT But he
looked beyond the iron hook this time