Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-06-01

of clOthesline. "Will that dol" he inquired. Philip tested 1t with vigorous pulIr ing against his knee.
 "Excellently," he said Let me pey you for it."
 "Arrah, go away wid ye! And, be the powers, isn't the poor lad cowld an famished7 Luke here, now. In five minutes I'm goin' to have . cup O tay"
 "I' am awfully obliged to you, but [ could not touch a morsel I am in a hurry"
 Are ye goin' journeyf Have ye got jobf"
 T think so. It looks like q perma- nency. Goodbyr
 "Goodby, an good luck to ye. Sure the boy looks mighty quare. 'Tis grief for his mother has turned his head en- tirely."
 No words could more clearly express Philips condition than this friendly summing up. Since his mothers burial he had been half demented His curt disconnected answers had lost him two places as an errnnd boy, which he could easily have secured. His small stock of money, ridiculously depleted by the generosity with which he met the open hints of the undertaker's as sistants, barely sufficed to keep him in food for week Then he sought eni- 1 ployment, but with such stif 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 a parcel delivery firm. He earned few meals, but in fit of alteration induced by the sight of . lady who was dressed in costume similar to one he remembered his moth CT wearing at Dieppe, he allowed q 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 jealously guarded by | 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 Ludg1te Circus. At Charing Cross next day he was hustled under the wheels of an omnibus and narrowly escaped death. So he was driven into the side streets and the quiet squares, in which. during three or 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 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 pint of water" he said, looking critically at the sod dened mass of coffee, "an' when 1t comes to bile let 1t settle. It'll sur prise you to find low grateful an com fortin' 1t tastes on cold night. As for the crusts, if you bake lem 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 Dearable had he but sought to accustom himself to the new condi- tions of life. There was chance that his wild broodings would have yielded to the necessity to earn a living. and that when next a situation was offered to him be would keep it, but the oc- currences of this stormy night had utterly shaken him for the hour. He was on the verge of lunacy.
 As he passed through the dark arch way leading to his abode. the desolate stable yard was fitfully lit by lightning and in the distance he heard the faint rumble of thunder. The elemental strife was beginning again. This was the second and more disastrous out break of the evening of March 1o.
 Although wet to the skin, he was warm now on account of his long and rapid walk. When he unlocked the door another fash of lightning re- vealed the dismal interior. He clo1sd and locked the door behind him. On the mantelpiece were e farthing cand]s and some matches. He groped for them and soon had light On other occasions his next task was to light c fire. By sheer force of habit he gath cred together some sticks and bits of paper and arranged them in the grnts. But the task was irksome to him. It was absurd to seek any degree of com fort for the few minutes he had to live. Better end it at 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 brilliancy, and the wretched candle burned with blue and ghostiike feeblenees. Tho cold of the house. too. began to strike chilly. He was so exhausted from hunger that if he did not eat soon hs would not have the strength left to carry out his dread purpose.
 He sprsng erect with mocking lit. tie laugh, picked up the candle and the piece of rope and climbed the stnirs. He paused irresoluteIy at the top. but yielding to overwhelming desire. went on and stood at the side of the bed cn which hts mother had died. He fam cied he could see her lying there suiL | vr-ffh a uri,fIa ou hor waua fnrn and