Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-02-14


but the man of level nature has non
Of these. Depression when it com
is indeed depression; no phase Of nil
TO he superseded by another phase. ii
n slackening of all the chords Of life
il was through such Il dppre sion
this that he labored during thr
weeks. while no summons and no hill
of remembrance came from Chilc1t
His position was peculiarly dl1cu
He found no action in the present, an
! toward the future he dared not tru
I himself to look He had slipped Il
old moorings that familiarity had re-
dered endurable, but. having eiippc
them. he had found no substWj
| Such was bis case on the last night |
/ the three weeks and such his frame
/ mind ~ he crossed Fleet street fro
! Clfford's inn 20 Middle Temple lane
It was scarcely o'clock but ,
ready the dusk was falling The grea
er press of vehicles had ceased. M
the light Of the street lamps CLEAN,
back from the spaces of dry and polis .
| cd roadway. worn smooth as n Mir
by wheels and hoofs. Something of t
soliture of night that sits so i'll on t
strenuous city street was making itstJ
felt though the throngs Of people /
the pathway still stre0mcd castwat
and westward, and the taverns made|
busy trade
Having crossed the roadway, Lodi
paused for n moment 10 survey II
scene. But humanity in the abstra
made small appeal 10 hln. and b
glance wandered from the passers
to the buildings ma5sed like cloud
against the dark sky. As his gaze mol
ed slowly from one to the other
clock near at hand struck :, and an n
slant later the chorus was taken Il
by dozen GlamOrous tongues. Usual
he scarcely heard and never heedj
these innumerable chimes, but III
evening their effect was strange. CoJ
ing out OF the darkness, they seem|
to possess n personal note n humid
declaration. The impression was fa|
tastlc. but it was strong. With
species of revolt against life and II
own personality. he turned slowly al
moved forward in the direction of Lu|
gate hill.
For a space he continued his cour1
then, reaching Bouverie street, lie tulI
ed sharply to the right and made Il
way down the slight incline that lea|
to the embankment. There he pausl
and drew a long breath The sense
space and darkness soothed him. PuI
ing his cap over his eyes he crossed
the river and walked on in the bird
ton Of Westminster bridge.
AS he walked the great mass OF wait
by his side looked dense and smooth
oil with its sweeping width and netwo|
of reflected light. On its farther baI
rose the tall buildings, the chimney
the fiaring lights that suggest auotI
and an alien London. Close at hal
stretched the solid stone parapet. Il
ing assurance of protection.
All these things lie saw with his md
tai eyes. but with his mental eyes onl
for his physical gaze was fixed abel
where the houses of parliament loom|
out of the dusk From the great hui
ings his eyes never wavered until 4
embankment was traversed and We
minister bridge reached. Then he pat
ed, resting his arms on the coping
, the bridge.
4 In the tense quictudc of the darknc
! the place looked vast and inspiriI
! The shadowy terrace. the silent rlvo
the rows of lighted windows, each W
significant. Slowly and comrrehcnsi
ly his glance passed from one 10 t
, other. He was no seutlmentalist n
, no dreamer. His act was simply {
, act Of Il man whose interests. robh
, Of their natural outlet, turn instinctiV
~ toward the forms and symbols
the work that Is denied them. II
l scrutiny was steady-even cold.
was raised to no eXaltatiOn by d
vaStness Of the building. nor was
chilled 10y any dwarliuS Of himself
-, looked at II long and thoughtful;
then. again moving slowly. he turn
and rctraced his steps.
His mind was fun as he walked ba]
= still oblivisus of the stone pnrapet
1 the emhankment, the bare trees nj
: the haring lights Of the advertisement
- across the water. Turning 10 the lie
-, he regained Fleet street and made
\ his own habitation with the quiet ,
-, curacy that some men exhibit in II
ments OF absorption.
!, lie crossed Clifford's inn with {
same slow. almost listless. step; TIE
, rs his own doorway came into view.
q stopped. Some one was standing in
4 recess.
For moment he wondered il
2 fancy We're playing him a trick. TIL
! his reason spraug to certainty with
4 fierce leap that for an instant
:. mind recoiled For we more oft
O stand aghast mt the strength OF c
. own feelings than before the enorm
a of our neighbours actious.
n rs that you, Chilcote?' he said hel'
. his breath,
Il At the sound Of his voice the otl
wheeled round. Hello" he said.
- thought you We're the ghost of some
, inhahitant. l suppose | am very UNI
=. pectedT'
=. I.oder took the hand that he extend
"a and pressed the fingers unconscious
-. The sight of this man was Ike the III
~ ing OF an oasis at the point where
4 desert is sandlest, deadlest, most
,a bearable.