Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-08-06

swept through tile yard ana carried III
tattered cap into the passage. Tha
settled 1t. Philip ran after his head
gear and so was blown into strang
sea Of events.
'.They are quite safe there" b,
dought. "In any case, 1t will be bes
not to carry them about In future
They get so frayed, and some day
may want them"
Emerging from the haven Of tin
News, he found tie untidy life Of th'
Mile End road eddying in restless con
fusion through gale. The gaunt, higl
walls surrounding his secluded dwell
Ing had sheltered him from the bluster
ing March wind that was now drying
the streets and creating much III TEN
per in the hearts OF carriers, stall own
crs and girls with large hats and full
skirts. In word, everything tha
could be tapped or shaken or rudely
swept anywhere out Of its rightfu
place was dealt with accordingly. II
one instance heavy tarpaulin was
lifted clean Off wagon and neatly
lodged over the heads of the driver and
horses Of passing omnibus. They
were not eXtricated from its close EN-
brace without some difficulty and O
great quantity OF severe yet cogent re
marks by the wagner and the driver
assisted by the bus conductor and va
rious passengers.
Philip laughed heartily for the first
time since his mothers death. He
waited until the driver and the wag-
oner had exchanged their farewell com.
| pliments; then he made off briskly to-
ward an establishment where three
halfpence would purchase a cup of
| coffee and bun.
In ten minutes he felt much refresh
ed, and his busy mind reverted to the
mysterious package he carried. Think.
Ing 1t best to seek the counsel Of an
older head, he Went to O'Brien's shop.
The old man was taking down the
shutters and found the task none too
easy. Without word Philip helped
him, and soon the pensioner was wip-
ing his spectacles in the shelter Of the
| shop.
II dunno what the weather is comm
to at all mt ALL" he grumbled Last
night was like the takin' Nv the Redan.
an this mornin' reminds me Nv crossin'
the bay o Biscay.'
1T certainly was fearful thunder
Storm said Philip.
"Faix. boy, that's thrue word. II
was just like Ould times I'm tie hills
in Injia, where the divil himself holds
coort some nights. But what's the
matter? Didn't you get that job?"
Philip laughed again. Il am not
sure yet" he replied 81 really came
in to ask you what this Is"
With his hand in his pocket, he had
untwisted the paper and taken out q
white pebble, which he now handed
to O'Bricn.
The old man took 1t, smeit it and ad-
justed his glasses for critical exam
nation.
1T amt alum" he announced.
"No, think not"
"An 1t amt glass"
"Probably not"
"Where did yer get it?'
"I found 1t lying on the pavement"
O'Brien scratched his head. "'Tis
a quare looking objec', anyhow. What
good is it,"
"I cannot tell you. I thought that
possibly it might have some value"
"What! A scrap Of white shtOne like
that. Arrah, what's come over ye?'
"There is no harm In asking, is there?
Some one should be able to tell me
what it Is made Of"
Philip from his small store Of physi-
cal geography knew that meteors were
articles Of sufficient rarity to attract
attention, and lie was tenacious withal.
II suppose that n jeweler would be
the best man to Judge. He must un-
derstand about stones," he went on.
NldN De. Dul hpI StC - tiV
use. 'Tis q sheer waste of time. But
IL y're set on findin' out 90 TO Il big
man. These German Jews round about
here are Omadhauns. They don't know
watch from a clock, an il they did
they'd chatc ye.'
Il never thought Of that. yet ought
to know by this time. Thank you. !
will go into the city
He took the pebble, which he placed
in his waistcoat pocket. Walking
briskly, he traversed some part Of the
sorrOwful journey Of barely twelve
hours earlier. What had happened to
change his mood he did not know and
scarcely troubled to inquire. Last
night he hurried through these streets
in a frenzied quest for death. Now he
strobe along full Of hope, joyous In the
confidence Of life and youth. His one
dominant thought was that his mother
had protected him, had snatched him
from the dark gate Of eternity. Oddly
enough, he laid far more stress on his
escape from the meteor than on the
accident that prevented his contem-
plated suicide. This latter idea had
vanished with the madness that induc-
ed it. Philip was sane again, morally
and mentally. He was keenly anxious
to justify his mothers trust in him.
The clustering wind, annoying to most
wayfarers, only aroused in him a spirit
Of resistance, Of 'fortitude. He breast
ed it so manfully that when at last he
paused at the door Of great jewelry
establishment In Ludgate Hill his face
was flushed and his manner eager and
animated.
He opened the door, but was rudely
brought back to sense of his sur
roundings by the suspicious question
Of shopwalker:
"Now, boy, what do you want here"
The unconscious stress In the mans
words was certainly borne out by the
contrast between Philip, social pariah
In attire, and the wealth Of gold and
precious stones cut off from him by
panes of thick glass and iron bars.
What, indeed, did this outcast want
there?
Confused by the sudden demand and
no less by It's complete obviousness.
Philip flushed and stammered:
T-er-only wished to obtain some
information, SIR" he answered.
Like all others, the shopman was
amazed by the difference. between the
boys manners and his appearance.
'lnformation" he repeated In his
sllrnrise "What Information can We