The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-25

handed in at We're street at
o'clock in the morning Of
May II. 1897, and received before Half
past at Holloway B. o. And In the
drab region it duly found me, unshav-
en-, but at work before the day grew
hot and my attic insupportable.
See Mr.. Maturin's advertise
ment Daily Mail might suit you
earnestly beg try will speak II
necessary. -
I transcribe the thing as l see 1t be-
fore me, all in one breath that took
away mine: but leave out the initials
at the end, which completed the sur
prise They stood very obviously Tor
the knighted specialist whose consult
ing room is within cab whistle or
We're street, and who once called me
kinsman for his sins More recently
he had called me other names. l was
a disgrace, qualified by an adjective
which seemed to me another. l mad
made my bed, and l could go and lie
and die in it. If l ever again had the
insolence to show my nose in that
house l should go out quicker than
| came In. All this and more my least
distant relative could tell poor devil
to his face; could ring for his man
on the spot, and then relent to the
tune of this telegram | have no
phrase for my amazement. l literally
could not believe my eyes. Yet their
evidence was more and more conclusive;
very epistle could not have been more
characteristic of its sender Meanly
elliptieal, ludicrously precise, saving
half-pence at the expense OF sense,
yet paying like a man for MIR. Ma
turin, that was my distinguished rela-
tive from his bald patch to his corns.
Nor was all the rest unlike him, upon
second thought. He had reputation
for charity; he was going to live up
TO it after all. Either that or 1t was
the sudden impulse of which the most
calculating are capable at times; the
morning papers With the early cup
of tea, this advertisement seen by
chance and the rest upon the spur OF
a guilty cor science.
Well. | must see to 1t myself, and
the sooner the better, though work
pressed. l was writing a series of ar
ticles on prison life and had my nib
into the whole System; literary and
philanthropical daily was parading
my Charges" the graver ones with
the more gusto; and the terms, II
unhandsome for creative work, were
temporary wealth to me. 1t so hap
pened that my first check had>just
arrived by the o'clock post; and
my position should be appreciated
when say l had to cash 1t to OBJ
tain Daily Mail.
OF the advertisement itself what
is to be said? 1t should speak for it
self If | could find 1t, but I cannot
and only remember that 1t was
male nurse and constant attendant
that was wanted for an elderly
gentleman In feeble health" A male
nurse An absurd tag was appended
offering 'liberal salary to university
or public school man. and of sud
den l saw that l should get this
thing if | applied for it. What other
university or public school man
would dream of doing sos Was any
other in such straits as l? And then
nv relentless relative; he not only
promised to speak for me, but he
was the very man to do SO. Could
any recommendation compete with his
in the matter of a male nurse? And
need the duties of such be necessarily
loathsome and repellent? Certainly the
SURROUNDINGS would be better than
those of my common lodging house
and own particular garrett ana the
food and every other condition OF
life that | could think of on my
way back to that unsavory asylum.
So ] dived into a pawnbroker' SHOP
where l was a stranger only upon
nv present errand and within the
hour was airing a decent if antiquated
suit. but little corrupted by the pawn
brokers' moth, and a new straw hat
on the top of a tram.
The address given in the advertise
ment was that of fiat at Earls
Court. which cost me cross-country
Journey, finishing with the district
railway and seven minutes walk.
l was now past midday, and the tar
ry wood pavement was good to smell
as I strobe up the EarPs Court road.
Tt was great to walk the civilized
world again. Here We're men with coats
on their backs and ladies in gloves.
NV own fear was lest I might run up
against one or other whom Il had
known of old But it was my lucky
day. felt 1t in my bones was go
ing to get this berth; and sometimes
should be able to smell the wood
pavements ON the old boys errands;
perhaps he would insist on Swimming
over it in his bath chair, with me be-
hind
felt quite nervous when | reached
the flats They were a small pile in
a side street, and | pitied the doctor
whose plate I saw upon the palings
before the ground-hoor windows; he
must be in a very small way, thought.
/ rather pitied myself as well. / had
induleed in visions of better fats than
these. There were no balconies. The
porter was out of livery. There was
no lift and my invaliod on the third
floor! l trudged up, wishing l had
never lived in Mount street, and brushe
I'D trrfd11 n1
ing down A full-blooded young fell
low in a frock coat flung the right
door open at my summons.
Does Mr.. Matarin liver here?'
inquired.
That's right said the full-blooded
young man. grinning all over con-
vivial countenace.
live come about mis- advertise
ment in the Daily Mail.'
You're the thirty-ninth," cried the
blood; that was the thirty-eighth You
met upon the stairs. and the days
still young. Excuse me staring at
you. Yes. you pass your prelim. and
can come inside: you're one of the
few. We had most just after break
fast, but now the porters heading
off the worst cases. and that last chap
was the first for twenty minutes.
Come in here"
And l was ushered into an empty
room with good bay window. which
enabled my full-blooded friend to in
spect me yet more critically in good
light. This he did without the least
false delicacy. Then his questions be-
gan.
VARSITY MANI
mo"
public school?"
yes"
(Which one?"
I told him and he sighed relief.
"At last You're the very first I've
not had to argue with as to what Is
L. ~ ra1thlic school Ex-