Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-06-03

tidy, always i'll hurr!'
never anything else but thlnly clad,
even in the depth Of winter, and car
ried constantly-wlth loud laugh and
painfully forced jollity that had won
him his cpithct, "Howls"-a haggaru,
hunted expression. Jacob HowellS's
reputation, even when first knew him
on the Street, was quite "off color"
al.l the color had Worn OF more and
more as years went on.
He and I never had any business
transactions for two reasons, both
vald-I had no spare cash to loan, and
when borrowed-whichW was seldom
it was not OH collateral OF the sort re-
curing the big shave out OF which
this man and his kind made their
sparse and precarious profits.
1t was growing dark on Il raw day
last February that, crossing Nassau
street OH my way toward the elevated,
saw Howel;s in charge Of all officer.
Having heard that he had been con-
cerned OF late in several pieces OF
"sharp practice" the fact that he was
now in custody did not seem surpris-
Ing. l was going by with no more at
tcntion than may be implied hy Il brief
thought Of commiseration C"Pcor chap,
I hope he'll get out Of the scrapcD,
when 1 heard him say pleadingly:
"For Gods sake, wait just five min
utcs more"
His tone was so mpioring, so pitiful,
and it seemed so sincere as to some
hope In little delay. that l ovcrcame
the dastardly cowardice Of prudence,
turned right about, and went up to
him.
as there anything I can do for you,
Mr.. Howclls:" asked, not, fear, cor
daily, but coIdly, my manner instinct
lively modulated as 10 imply that pre-
sumption on his part would scarcely
be tolerated.
Eyes" he answered eagerly, there
is, II You are willing to take little
Just q lttle-roublc. AS you see. !
have got into little scrape (hc
laughed grimly), and have sent Il
boy for my lawyer. I'm afraid it's so
late he's gone home. Now, would you
mind going TO my fiat (he named the
street and numhcr). and tell my wife
that I have been called away sudden
ly. but will be back to-morrow-and
(hc handed me a fivc-dollar bilD give
her that"
Of course I agreed to do what he
wished, though his fat was fur over On
the upper east side, while my home
was on the west. Howells clutchcd
my hand hard, "Tbark you; my God.
but do thank YOU" and we parted.
I turned back down Wall Street, and
took the east side elevated at Hanover
Square. While 1 waited for the train
II began to snow, nnd by the time we
reached Fourteenth street a heavy
snowstorm had set In. At Fourteenth
street there was long stop. and at
the end of perhaps fifteen minutes the
guard opened the door. "All out" he
shouted, "this car goes no further"
soon discovered that there was q
fire on the block above. The surface
line was blocked also, so I made my
way across to the Second Avenue line
There were delays here also, so that
it was quite late before I reached tho
street where Howells lived. In the
meantime the storm had gathered
strength; the wind blew 1iercely, and
the mingled snow and slcct beat full
into my face rs l made my way tow
ard the tall tenement to which l hat
been directed. l found the number al
last; one Of these immense, semi-gen
teel apartment houses, 4 horror to lool
upon, much more to be all one coult
call "home." Pushing the button o
the very topmost fat, the door opened
instantly, and, covered with SHOW,
toilcd up the stairs. On the upper
landing stood woman, who OK
claimed before She recognized me
"Oh, Jake, dear Jake, am so re
IieveG-"
Suddenly she stopped. seeing
stranger. and. clasplng her hands, he
face, rs could sec even in the obscur
ity, turned ghastly white.
as this Mrs. Howells?' I asked.
"Yes," she gasped, evidently over
come with apprehension, "yes; pleas
tell me, have you word from my hus
band? Has-has-anything hap
pened?"
AS quickly as possible I relieved he
anxiety by delivering my message mt
the bill. I would have gone then a
once; but Mrs. IIowells urged me t
come in. at was so kind Of you t
come, and such q dreadful night. MI
Howells is not strong. Girls (she con
tinued joyously your father is al
right; he was obliged to so out o
town."
l had not said this, but let 1t pass
The little room was n charming pic
ture Of modest refinement and home
likeness. Two young women. who ha
been sitting by lamp, one engaged 4
needlework, the other, having lai
down book, rose and greeted mt
Ladies, nll OF them, that was evident
as we'll a. was the dep affection-a
most adoraton--for the man whom
TIL that hour, had known rs one VIII
could not have been classed rs respec
able, much less as gentleman.
was now, however. quite apparent
that desperate gap between the ma
of the outside world and Of the home
and the hdeous struggle he was el
gagged in with the wolf Of poverty an
to keep the little family together.
The next day Howells came to IN
office. He looked even more disrepl
table than ever after night in jai
but his voice trembled as ne thanke
me- Then his tone and mannC
changed.
"Well," said he, with harsh, no
low laugh, II got off this time; 'tisn
the first, and 'twon't be the last. Yo