The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1903-05-24

|
II ~ casual way, as note
IL "A broker of the meanest
| I'm ma class. He was always un.
| tidy, always in a hurry
never anything else but thinly clad
even in the depth of winter, and car
lried constantly-with loud laugh and
painfully forced jollity that had won
him his epithet, "Howls"-a haggard
jhunted expression. Jacob Howells's
reputation, even when first knew him
on the Street, was quite "off color
land the color had worn off more and
more as years went on.
He and l never had any business
transactions for two reasons, botl
valid had no spare cash to loan, and
when borrowed-which was seldom
1T was not on collateral Of the sort re-
lquiring the big "shave," out of which
this man and his kind made theil
sparse and precarious profits.
| 1t was growing dark on a raw day
last February that, crossing Nassau
street on my way toward the elevated
l saw Howells in charge of an officer
| Having heard that he had been con
| lcerned of late in several pieces OF
S''sharp practice" the fact that he was
NOW in custody did not seem surpris
Ting. 1 was going by with no more at
tention than may be implied by brie1
| Thought of commiseration C'Poor chap
i hope he'll get out of the scrape')
twhen l heard him say pleadingly
,"For Gods sake, wait just five min
Iutes more"
His tone was so imploring, SO pitiful
rand it seemed SO sincere as to some
hope in little delay, that l overcame
| 1.-THE dastardly cowardice of prudence
| turned right about, and went up to
him.
"Is there anything 1 can do for you
sNIr. Howells?" l asked, not, fear, cor.
daily, but coldly, my manner instinct
lively modulated as to imply that pre-
sumption on his part would scarcely
| be tolerated.
YES" he answered eagerly, "there
is, if you are willing to take little
| just little-trouble. AS you see,
have got into little, scrape Che
laughed grimly), and Il have sent 6
4 boy for my lawyer. Imlefraid it's Sc
late he's gone home -qsk, would vol
mind going to my fat Che named til,
street and number),, and tell my wifi
that have been called away sudden
ly, but will be back to-morrow-ant
| Che handed me a fiye-dollar bilD give
her that"
OF course l agreed to do what hi
wished, though his fiat was far over OF
the upper east side, while my home
was on the west. Howells clutchet
my hand hard 'Thank you; my God
but do thank you" and we parted
turned back down Wall Street, an6
took the east side elevated at Hanover
Square. While l waited for the train
it began to snow, and by the time W.
reached Fourteenth street q heavy
snowstorm had set in. At Fourteenth
street there was a long stop, and a
the end of perhaps fifteen minutes the
guard opened the door. "All out" he
shouted, this car goes no furtherw
1 soon discovered that there was {
fire on the block above. The surface
line was blocked also, so 1 made my
way across to the Second Avenue line
There We're delays here also, so thai
it was quite late before l reached the
street where Howells lived. In the
meantime the storm had gathered
strength; the wind blew fiercely, ant
the mingled snow and sleet beat full
into my face as 1 made my way tow
ard the tall tenement to which l ha(
been directed. l found the number a
last; one of these immense, semi-gen
teel apartment houses, horror to lool
upon, much more to be all one couli
call "home" Pushing the button Of
the very topmost fiat, the door opened
instantly, and, covered with snow,
toiled up the stairs. On the upper
landing stood a woman, who ex
claimed before she recognized me
"Oh. Jake, dear Jake, am so re
lieved-"
Suddenly she stopped, seeing +;
stranger. and. clasping her hands, hel
face, as could see even in the obscur
ity. turned CHASTITY white.
SIS this Mrs. Howells?' l asked.
yes" she gasped, evidently over
come with apprehension, yes; pleas,
tell me, have you word from my hus
band? Misunderstanding hap
| pened?"
AS quickly as possible I relieved he
anxiety by delivering my message an(
the bill. l would have gone then a
once; but Mrs. Howells urged me II
come in. ut was so kind of you t,
come, and such dreadful night Mr.
Howells is not strong. Girls (she con
tinued joyously, your father is al
right; he was Obliged to go out O.
town"
l had not said this, but let it pass
The little room was a charming pic
ture of modest refinement and home
likeness. Two Young women, who haC
been sitting by lamp, one engaged il
needlework, the other, having lait
down a book, rose and greeted me
| Ladies, all of them, that was evident
as well as was the dep affection-al
most adoration-for the man whom
till that hour, had known as one wht
could not have been classed as respect
able, much less as gentleman.
was now, however quite apparent
that desperate gap between the mai
of the outside world and of the home
and the hideous struggle he was en-
gagged in with the wolf of poverty anC
to keep the little family together.
The next day Howells came to 10!