Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1904-09-08
OLD BALE.

They had been turning out the lights
one by one for some few minutes. and
now the cries Of thine, please. gents! %
became urgent. Old Bale, who had sat
rejecting mooGily in a corner, tossed
on his drink and went out into the
streets. where a drizzling rain was
falling. He had gone only a few
yards, when he came to another public
house. where they did not seem to
have been SC prompt in their obcdi-
ence to the law. He tried to enter
and snatch last drink, but a man
barred the entrance.
Jaw right, guv'nor," he said, I'VE
don't open until 6 in the morning.
You're a bit early"
Old Bale turned away, hating the
mans coarse familiarity, and proceed
ed toward his lodgings In Pimlico.
He was little unsteady. but NOT
noticeably; there were few people
about to disturb his progress. save for
lettering woman here and there, or
beggar at the cutters edge. He
hardly needed the rain, and very soon
the potboy's gibe faded from his mem
ory; he began to be contented again.
He had rather good day. There
were certain scraps of information of
which he seemed to have the sole USE
and the short memory of the public
made 1t possible for him to sell them
again and again as the seasons came
round. He had read a paragraph in
one of the morning papers that sug-
gested such an opportunity. and had
-.
again story which he had already
told more times than could be count
ed
He would be paid at the end OF the
week, and had enough to go on with
until then. lingering the coins in his
trousers pocket. and mechanically
counting them, he gave himself up, at
the same time, to calculations as to
the amount that would be due to hin,
for his days work Even his estimate
OF the sum was small, and he had to
make deductions, fer his expectations
were always excessive in those days.
He flung out his hands with a little
theatrical laugh, 1t was amazing that
such one as he should be expected TO
take so paltry a wage as the payment
Of days labor.
His thoughts went back to the time
when he was sub-edtor. He had
never liked his work: il interfered
with his books and stories, the things
he did for their own sake, and without
regard for the prejudices Of editors.
But IL had been a time of great COM
fort, for he had had sufficient for all
his needs. He remembered. too. how
easily he had increased his salary; a
little thing seen from bus as he went
home, or some chance remark that fell
from him or a friend in the course of
conversation, would serve as an ex-
cuse for fiippant column in an even
ing paper, or even in literary week
ly. And in those days. when the money
was so little needed. when II came as a
superfiuity that might legitimateIy be
wasted. he had been wont to get de-
cent rates.
But a man can never tell when he
is acting wisely. He had looked upon
his position as sub-editor as something
that would always be his; and when
he had lost II he found that IL was
no longer possible to do original work
His so-called friends had turned ont
badly. and behaved in a way that couId
not but discourage a man OF a sensi.
tive spirit. To this day some OF them
owed him money; little sums Of no i'm
portance at the time. which they had
forgotten. and he had been too proud
TO speak OF. Some CT them had since
the meanness to refuse him loans SO
nalfrv In h.t b.. H~A
for very shame, even while he asked
for them.
They had fancied that he was PLAYED
out. and need no longer be counted
with. Most men. II one studied them
closely. would be found to conduct
their friendships on purely business
like footing. Then he reflected. and
could not but admit that in some ways
these doubters had been justified. He
had not quite come OF.
Well. there was still plenty OF time.
He had done a good deal. and had a
certain, reputation. He had rather ne
elected II. perhaps. but there were
plenty CT things that might yet be
lone. He had still his notebooks. and
In them there were the materials for
more novels than one; and each would
be fine one. IL was only February
now. and he was quick worker when
he once began. He would get "Fato
Prcfugus" done at once. so that n
might appear In the autumn. Many
publishers had asked him for books
from time to time. and he would have
no diniculty In getting the thing sc-
81 a. 49, 49,
He began TO think Of the story and
d Its characters. The heroine was 20
rave been 80 beautiful He thought ef