Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-08-06
: qhe KING Of :
DIAMONDS.
BY Louis Tracy,
COPYRIGHT. 1904. By EDWARD j.. GLOBE. -
Author Of "Winss of the Morning" 1.-The Pillar Of
: Light" Etc. .

the open hints Of the undertaker's as
sistants. barely sufficed to keep him IL
food for week. Then he sought EN-
ployment, but with such stiff upper lip
and naughty Indifference to success
that he unknowingly turned those
against him who would have assisted
him.
For two days he was chosen to act
as van boy for parcel delivery firm
He earned few meals, but in fit of
alteration induced by the sight Of a
lady who was dressed in a costume
similar to one he remembered his moth.
er wearing ut Dieppe, he allowed 4
ham to be stolen from the rear of the
van. This procured his instant dis
missal, with threats. Then he sold
newspapers. only to find that every
good site was jealousy guarded by a
gang Of roughs who mercilessly bullied
any newcomer. Personal strength and
courage were unavailing against sheer
numbers His face was still swollen
and his ribs sore as the result OF being
knocked down and kicked at Ludgate
Circus. At Charing Cross next day lie
was hustled under the wheels OF au
omnibus and narrowly escaped death.
So he was driven into the side streets
and the quiet squares, in which. during
three OF four days, he managed to
earn an average Of eightpence daily,
which he spent on food.
Each night he crept back to the poor
tenement In Johnson's News. his bleak
"hOme" amid the solitude of empty
stables and warehouses. The keeper Of
a coffee stall, touched one night by his
woebegone appearance, gave him some
half dried coffee grounds in paper,
together with handful Of crusts.
"Put 'arf that in Il pint Of water"
be said. looking critically at the sol
dened mass of coffee, 'an' when it
comes to bile let it settle. It'll sur
prise you to find 'ow grateful an COM
f0rtin' it tastes Oh Il cold night. As for
the crusts. if you bake 'em over the
fire, they're just as good as the rusks
you buy in tins"
This good Samaritan had repeated
his gift on two occasions. and Philip
had fairly large supply of small coal,
sent to his mother by the colliery COM
pany, so his position, desperate enough.
was yet beAra Die had lie but sought to
accustOm himself to the new coat.i-
tions Of life. There was Il chance that
his wild broodings would have yielded
to tie necessity to earn living AMI
that when next II situation was offered
to him he would keep it, hnt the oc-
currences of this stormy night had
utterly shaken him for the hour. Ee
was on the verge of lunacy.
AS he passed through the dark arch
way leading to his abode. the de$Olate
stable yard was fitfu!ly lit by lightning
and in the distance he heard the\ e\faint
rumble Of thunder. The elemental
strife was beginning again. This was
the second and more disastrous out
break of the evening of March ID.
Although wet to the skin. he was
warm now ON account of his long and
rapid walk. When he unlocked the
door another flash of lightning re-
vealed the dismal interior. He closed
and locked the door behind him. cn
the mantelpieoe We're farthing candle
and some matches. He grcpcd Tor
them and soon had light. On other
occasions his next task was to light Il
fire. BY sheer force of habit lie gath
cred together some sticks and bits of
paper and arranged them In the CRATE.
But the task was ir!isome to him. 1t
was absurd to seek any degree OF COM
fort for the few minutes he lad to
live. Better end it ut once. Moreover.
the storm was sweeping up over the
East End with such marvellous speed
that the lightning now played through
the tiny room with dazzling bril!iancy.
and the wretchcd candle burned with
blue and ghostlike feebleness. The
cold of the house, too, began to strike
hunger that il he Gid not eat soon he
would not have the strength left to
carry out his dread purpose.
He sprang erect with mocking lit
tie laugh, picked up the candle and the
piece of rope and climbed the stairs.
He paused irresolutely at the top, but,
yielding to overwhelming desire, went
on and stood at the side of the bed on
which his mother had died. He fam
cied he could see her lying there still.
with Il SMILE on her wane face and
unspOken words of welcome on her
lips.
A food of tears came and he trem-
bled violently.
Il am coming to you, mother" he
You told me to trust in
God, but l think God has forgotten
me. l don't want to live. want to
join you, and then perhaps God will
me-"
He stopped and kissed the pillow.
Nesting his face against it, as he was
wont to fondle the dear face that rest
ed there so many weary days. Then
he resolutely turned away, descended
four steps of the ladder-llke stairs and
tied the clothesline firmly to a hook
which had been driven into the ceiling
during the harness room period OF the
room beneath. With equal delibera-
tion he knotted the other end of the
cord round his neck, and he calculated
that by springing from the stairs he
would receive sufficient shock to be-
come insensible very quickly, while his
feet would dangle several inches above
the floor.
There was terrible cOolness, q set
tied fxity Of purpose far beyond his
years, in the manner Of these final
At last they were COM
pleted. He blew out the candle and
stood erect.
At that instant the room became alb
flooded with lightning. not In
n single vivid fash, but In trembling.
glare that suggested the ef'
feet of ssomc luminous con itel.ation
fierce with c.ct ..'ic emery. Ee!o.r h:.i
Fnnd YoIlr NerveS