The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-25

was a curious meeting. that of tho tical Boekwerm and myself. Ths re was nothing premeditated about shown by the place . which I foun n-not foraging luxuriously away in the 3ermost recesses of one of the treasures
 literature on my library shelves; not lighting his inner worm with slices of he musty, dusty tome in that prison ise of letters, the Lenox Library; not Telling in a delicious morsel culled from
 pages. Of an early Ella, but a plain, oily ordinary, oilcloth covered blank pix which had purchased to hold some 1dom notes of voyage I was making pr the sea. After a day of strenuous Ter upon deck I had retired to my
 teroomA and fountain pen in hand. had
 rted to putinto concrete form the im- fesions of twenty-four hours of the norama of life. The blank book lay in lap. and while was formulating in
 mind the first of my paragraphs a e, small voice, like that of conscience,
 upon my ears.
 Hi. there!' it cried. "Open the door;
 m suffoeating."
 rushed to the stateroom door and flung as wide as it's width would permit, but
 far as I could see nothing was ad- #letScu uy tnS dCts lOT DcltilSI WlltllIl p room nor without was there aught at could be suspected of vocal powers. Not that door. stupid" came the voice Eain, Guerulously. "the door of the book, for heavens sake hurry or I'll need 4 inquest more than air."
 md then the strange little creature en- ed into my life. I opened the blank pix as I had been urged to do. and he bod. or rather crawled. before me, a 7ry respectable bookworm, if one might #ige from the honesty of his pleasant rk. purple eyes. but one who had suf- i ed much if his emactated frame and nken cheeks denoted anything. 1Thank you 50 much" he murmured. ltefully, stretching his feelers and wning like a tired mortal suddenly &erging from a cramped. uncomfortable sition. T think I should have died If I had come a moment later. Where am Il he added, ga azing about him at the un- niliar scene.
 NTen miles off Sandy Hook" I replied, Dund out. I hope you have your sea s on and are not prone to seasickness. I 1t promises to be a bad night. The -ometer has fallen overheard to find
 m to drop in lila, hal" he laughed, scornfully,
 
 lures of perdition on the sea of letters, \ anything so comparatively joyous as 4 ordinary qualns that the rolling At 4 tic imparts to our digestive apparatus. good thorough attack of nal de mer is It what need, for latterly my diet has Men upon evil days"
 x looked at him inquiringly.
 You have noticed the dullness of my
 the pallor of my brow, the sallow- ss of my cheek and the general con- &rity of my person." he demanded.
 Yes" said I.
 Well. all that is the effect of the life ave been compelled to lead for the last
 years" he observed. Tt is all my \ h fault; but, oh, sir, l am bitterly re- &tent for my one great error, and may i you will take pity on me and restore N to my home. whence, like the prodi- & son of old I departed years ago. little aming of the dread consequences of \ act-would you listen to my story?" With pleasure" said I. That is, if 1t not copyrighted. I haven't any use for ries that I cannot turn to material
 ht."
 of course not" said he. '1n these days. en the pursuit of letters has become a de, why should you. m aspiring me- nic in, the field of manuscript, waste Hr time upon utter stranger for noth- I? My story shall be yours with the pro- that when it is told and you have 1t hand you lift me out of the slough of pond into which I have fallen and re- 4 -e me to the home of my ancestors" Where is the home of your ancestors?" s sked cautiously. Tt might happen,
 know, that 1t would require me to vel thousands of miles to do what you and your story might not bring ugh to pay expenses"
 You are bound thither." said he. "I born in the third volume of the Ab- sford edition of Scott, in the British scum
 Great heavens!" cried. How the ce did you happen to get to America 4 in a blank book. leading the life