The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-10-21

what's the matter with me?"
Colin Stuart opened his eyes, and
struggling into sitting posture saw
chat he was in the shabby bed sitting
room in the dull side street which for
. dreary time now had been his
'home."
He was still only half conscious and
painfully weak, but gradually his brain
cleared little, and bit by bit memory
came back.
so she didn't turn me out, after all!
Bhe must have looked after me, too,
and found money for medicine and
tood. 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 l am"
'How much did owe her. now, be-
fore l was taken i'll? How long have
been lying here in .enrium. 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-
1ng servic1 (given, perchance, as an
alternative to an inquesD had been be-
slowed on him.
81 remember! I'd reached the end of
all things; not one penny left-no
work-season fiat-couldn't sell music
or get it sung, not one solitary en-
gagement through all those awful
weeks. Only the clothes was wearing
left! Not friend in the whole world
! could turn to for help-bread and wa
ter for a week-then water without
the bread, with .ue Frenchman's ex-
berience to follow; no sooner had l
taught the horse to live on one straw
. day than the brute spited me and
died!
But didn't die! No; here am, un-
fortunately, alive. I've been under lne
waters Of fate once, and like other
bodies risen to the surface. shall
20 down again directly. Mrs. Wilcox
thinks she can turn me out without be-
ang had up for manslaughter or any
thing Of that kind. Shall l rise the
second time through the casual ward
or be allowed to die quietly in the
gutter? Heaven knows; l don't"
Another long, weary pause, at the
end Of which the landlady popped her
head In at the door, gave grunt which
might either have been satisfaction OF
disgust on realizing the invalid was
conscious-7better; then dived back 10
the kitchen, emerging therefrom lit
Gle later with basin of very weak
soup and a piece of bread, which she
set down with clatter on small Ia
ble near the bed with the remark:
'You can feed yourself again now;
the time it's wasted every day a-loolS-
1ng after you no money could ever pay
for."
I'm sure I'm very grateful" was
the shamed reply. Have been III
long?"
''Mor'n two weeks" ungraciously
''an' me scared to death with all this
talk o. smallpox about"
Colin started violently.
"But 1t can't be that-there is nc
rash
'Good thing for you It wasn't" was
the sharp retort. ITS delirium, the
doctor says. You've been a-playinl
chat there piano to death, but there
amt enough on those bones to suit
me; it's all noise an no meat in pia.
NOS. Never no more musicians take
my rooms, and out you go just as soor
rs ever you can set foot to the ground.
81 must owe you an awful lot" h,
murmured, brolSenly. II see medicine
and food, and wine, besides the rent
you must be kind of pantomime fai
Ey disguised as-as"-
Don't you go polSing your fun a
me-" she broke in shrilly I'm poo
hard working honest woman. Fairy
1ndeed. The very ideal What you'v,
had you've paid for, or, 1t stands t,
reason that you'd have gone long ago.
"Paid for" blanlly; why, when
WAS taken Ill was behind with m,
psnt"--
'.And who'll blame me for payinl
gnyself out Of the money in your pocls