The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-11-20

Il suppose I've been I'M l wonder
what's the matter with me2"
Colin Stuart opened his eyes, and
struggling into a sitting posture saw
that he was in the shabby bed sitting
room in the dull side street which for
"A dneary time now had been his
s'homE"
He was still only half conscious and
painfully weak, but gradually his brain
cleared little, and bit by bit memory
came back.
ESQ she didn't turn me out, after all!
She must have looked after me, too,
and found money for medicine and
food. Her bark was worse than her
bite. poor creature! daresay she's
hard pressed enough herself at times,
especially if many of her dodgers are as
improbable as | an"
@HOw much did owe her. now, be-
fore / was taken i'll? How long have
4 been lying here in ~emrium. and,
worst problem of all, what am to do
with myself now have my senses
back again? Life was pretty rough be-
fore; it will be impossible now"
Another glance round the room
freshened his memory again-the open
piano, the loose sheets of torn music
carelessly strewn all around, However
long the illness had been in duration,
no loving hand tended him, only grudg-
ing service (given, perchance, as an
alternative to an inques0 had been be-
slowed on him.
Il remember! I'D reached the end Of
all Things; not one penny left-no
worli-season fat-couldDt sell music
or get it sung, not one solitary en-
gagement through all those awful
weeks. Only the clothes | was wearing
Ieftl Not friend in the whole world
L could turn to for help-bread and wa
ter for a week-then water without
Gha bread, with .Ae FTenchntan's ex-
perience to follow; no sooner had
taught the horse to live on one straw
"A day than the brute spited me and
died,
But / didn't die! No; here am, un-
fortunately, alive. I've been under tie
waters of fate once, and like other
bodies risen to the surface. l shall
go down again directly Mrs. Wilcox
thinks she can turn me out without be-
ing had mp for manslaughter or any
thing of that kind. Shall l rise the
second time through the casual ware
or be allowed to die quietly in the
gutter? Heaven knows; / don't"
Another long, weary pause, at the
END of which the landlady popped hel
head in at the door, gave grunt which
might either have been satisfaction Of
disgust on realizing the invalid was
conscious-better; then dived back L
the kitchen, emerging theretrom lit
tie later with basin OF very veal
soup and a piece of bread, which sht
set down with a clatter on small ia
BILE near the bed with the remark:
You can feed yourself again now
the time it's wasted every day a-loo5
ing after you No money could ever pa.
for"
I'm sure I'm very grateful" wa
the shamed reply Have ! been II
lIOng2"
Morn two. weeks ungraciously
s'an me scared to death with all thi
talk o. smallpox about"
Colin started violently
But 1t can't be that-there is n
rash -
Good thing for you it wasn't." wa
the sharp retort. IT'S delirium, tn
doctor says. You've been a-playln
that there piano to death. but Their
amt enough on those bones 10 SUI
me: it's all noise an no meat in pla
nos. Never no more musicians TAX
my rooms. and out you go just as 500
as every can set foot TO the ground
Il must owe you an awful lot. b
murmured. broleaIy. Il sec medicin
and food. and wine. besides The REM