The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-06-05
Il The KING of ::
!
: By Louis Tracy, !
Author Of OF "The Pillar
%<Sx Light Etc. <*% 7
By Louis Tracy,

lAItIs.
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 errand 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 suffieed to keep him in
food for a week Then he sought en-
ployment, but with such stiff upper Iip
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.
lie earned a few meals, but in a fit of
alteration induced by the sight of
lady who was dressed In a costume
similar to one he remembered his moth
er wearing at Dieppe, he allowed a
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
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 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 a paper,
together with a handful of crusts.
Put art that in a pint Of water"
he said, looking critically at the sod
6ened mass Of coffee, IAN when it
comes to a bile let it settle It'll sur
prise you to find 'ow grateful an com
fortin' it tastes on a 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 a fairly large supply of small coal,
sent to his mother by the colliery COM
! pany, so his position, desperate enough
was yet bearable had he but sought to
accustom himself to the new condi-
tons of life. There was a 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 he 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 10.
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 closed
and locked the door behind him. Cn
the mantelpiece were a farthing candle
and some matches. He CROPPED fol
| them and soon had a light. On other
occasions his next task was to light q
fire. By sheer force of habit he gath
cred together some sticks and bits OF
paper and arranged them in the CRATE
But the task was irksome to him. Il
was absurd to seek any degree of com
fort for the few minutes he had tC
live. Better end 1t 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 witt
blue and ghostlike feebleness. The
cold Of the house, too, began to strike
chilly. He was so exhausted from
hunger that If he did not eat soon b,
would not have the strength left tt
carry out his dread purpose.
He sprang erect with a hooking lit
tie laugh, picked up the candle and th'
piece Of rope and climbed the stairs
He paused irresolutely at the top, but
yielding to overwhelming desire, wen
on and stood at the side of the bed OF
which his mother had died. He fan
cied he could see her lying there still
with smile on her wane face an'
unspoken words of welcome on he
lips.
A food Of tears came and he trem
bled violently.
Il am coming to you, mother" b
murmured. You told me TO trust Il
God, but I think God has forgottel
} me. 1 don't want to live. l want t
join you, and then perhaps God vii