Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-07-11
THURSDAY.
CHAPTER XVI.

spent, ana Il udv arrlVeu WucH "oo
pennlless. The ring and the cord were
still in my possession. do not know
how it was that was tempted to
keep them about me; perhaps 1t was
as a punishment which l Obstinately
inflicted upon myself-as though my
sufferlngs were not great enough with
out these evidences Of my guilt; but
the fact remains that l found 1t I'M
possible to part with them. When l
was penniless could have twisted the
diamond out of the ring and sold the
gold for few shillings, which really
would have enabled me to live without
labor for some considerable time; for
during all this dolOrOus time l ate
nothing but dry bread. and drank moth
ing but water I did not, however, put
1t to this use. 1t did not belong to
me; it belonged to the dead.
The labor | obtained was of the low
est and most menial kind, and thus
it was that, being far away north, l
found myself working in the hop gar
dens. The pay was bad, but that
mattercd not; 1t sutliced for bread.
The danger was that l was herded with
men and women of degraded stamp,
and that, like them, was fast becom-
ing brutalized.
This enforced contact with Degrade
tion caused in me kind of revulsion.
Hitherto I had Kept mostly to myself,
and the gloomy thoughts in which l
indulged were created by my own lack
! of moral strength; but now that l was
brought face to face with things alb
horred, I saw, as 1t were, the rellec-
tion of my own moral image, and the
thoughts it engendered had a salutary
effect upon me. 1t was this better
phase of experience which led me into
the cOmpaniOnship of n man of higher
grade than the other hoppickers. The
name of this man was Stanmore. |
| was never made acquainted with his
Christian name. He must have recoS-
nized in me- as I recognized in him. Il
man of superior stamp. and he c0niided
to me that he was not hop-picklng from
necessity.
"The fact is, Gaskell," he said to me
| U had to bear some name, and | chose
that, II am killing two birds with one
stone. One bird is with me; the other
am waiting for
This, of course, was enigmatical to
me, but l did not ask for an cXplana-
! ton. He gave me one of his own
prompting.
"The bird that is here is in my port
folio; the bird that am waiting for Is
a woman"
knew what he meant by this refer.
encc to his portfolio, which contained
number Of sketches he had been maxi
ing of the hop-pickcrs, selecting for
choice the most squalid and disrcputa-
BILE subjects. He had thrown out hints
that l might look over these sketches,
but l had not awaited myself Of the
offer.
The hop-picking was now over and
we were paid off. Upon Stanmore's
invitation l accompanied him to re.
spectacle hotel and agreed to remain
with him two or three days. 1t was
the first time since my hanishment that
/ had consented to lead decent life,
and l did SO now chiefly out of feel
ing Of gratitude toward Stanmore for
having provided me with refuge from
the indescribably coarse associations,
which otherwise would have been my
lot. In the hotel at which we stopped
he engaged two rOomS-a sitting room
and another with two beds in It, Thus
far he had persuaded me, but he could
not induce me to join him at meals.
still adhered to my humble fare. or
which partook in secret.
On the first night of our stopping at
the hotel we were in the sitting room.
which was lit with gas. Stanmore
was busy with his sketches. which,
! when he first took them, had been
merely sketched in rough outline; now,
with paints and brushes before him,
he was engaged in perfecting them
"Gaskell," he said "you are strange
fellow, and that, l dare say, is the
reason why l have taken to you.
! like everything that Is strange. But
you are, moreover, all enigma. Locked
in your breast Is Il story it would en-
tertain me to hear"
Startled, l gazed at him. and half
arose. r..r,
"Pshaw!" be said "Sit down again.
I do not ask you to tell me your story,
unless in a moment Of confidence you
choose to mbend. Now am in the
humor to be more frank and open. Let
me give you q piece of advice, though,
properly, you should be the better able
to give it to me, being the elder of the
| two. Don't take Me too seriously; it Is
not worth while. Those enjoy the
most who accept it as Il comedy. Trag.
edy or comedy, 1t Is before you to take
| your choice. The same thing that will
make you cry will make you laugh.
| 1t all depends upon the view you take.
| Some people are annoyed at being
tickled; 1 enjoy it. If a man gives me
slap In the face laugh and give him
one in return. The laugh Is an enjoy
able condiment in the dish; the frown
| imparts an Objectionable flavor to the
meat"
l could have argued with him that it
was a matter of temperament, but 1t
was not my cue to say anything that
might enlarge the field Of conversation;
and therefore held my tongue.
CTo be Contlnued.)
Not Fast Black.