Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-09-25
By Louis Tracy.
COPYRIGHT. 1904. BY EDWARD j. GLOBE
Author of 'Winss of the Morning. 1.-THE Pillar
kpht," Etc.

AS the vehicle drew up he caught the
brass rail with his left hand and ward
ed Off assailants with the bundle under
his right arm.
"Quick." he said to the woman as
soon as the people inside had descend
ed. Jump in"
She essayed to do so, but was rudely
thrust aside by q young man who had
paused on the roof to light a cigarette.
Philip sprang onto the step and butted
the yonns gentleman In the stomach
with his parcel, causing the other to
sit down heavily on the stairs. The
boy caught the woman's arm with his
disengaged hand and pulled her up.
He divcd i'll after her.
you young roared the discounted
smoker.
"'Ere! Come orr of IT," said the con-
ductor. why didn't We git dahn be-
fore? Dye want lift?"
Others hustled the protesting one
out of the way.
'Confound the East End, say!o he
growled as he crossed to the Mansion
House. what the deuce Lady Louise
Morland wants to keep on sending me
to that wretched news for can't
imagine. Anyway can tell her this
time that the place is empty and will
be pulled down next week.
And thus 1t was that Philip collided
with Messrs. Sharpe & Smiths clerk,
detailed by the anxious Lady Morland
to discover his whereabouts. They
| ut Il Ill
whirlpool of London just as two ships
might crash together by night in mid
Atlantic and draw apart with rutfled
feelings, or scrnped paint, which is the
same thing, without the slightest
knowledge of each others Identity.
Within the omnibus the woman was
volubly grateful. She had a kindly
heart and timidly essayed questions as
to Philips relatives, hoping that she
might make their acquaintance.
I'm be bound, now,' she said, that
you have good mother. You can al
ways tell what the parents are like
when you see the children"
My mother was indeed dear to me-
he replied sadly, again driven out of
himself by the mournful recollections
thus suddenly induced, "but she is
dead, lost to NE forever
Some people in the bus ceased talk.
ing. They We're attracted by the
strong, clear voice OF this unkempt
boy, whose diction and choice of words
were so outrageously opposed to his
figarments. Luckily the silence warned
him or his new friends sympathy
might have brought about an embar.
RAISING position.
Poor thing! And is your father
dead too?'
Eyes. He died long ago."
where do you live now?"
"Oh," he said, Il have been staying
in north London, but will leave there
soon, and l have not settled anything
definitely at present. Where is the
laundry you spoke Of? will call some
day IL may and learn how you are
getting on"
Il will be so pleased. 1t is little
place in James street, the only one
there. Ask for Mrs. Wrigley."
1T is lucky you understand laundry
work or things might go hard with
you"
She laughed pitifully.
81 don't. They asked me If 1 was A
washer or an ironer. 1 thought wash
ing required least experience, SO I said
was washer. am quick to learn
and will watch the other women If
they find me out, may be discharged"
"Oh. cheer up!" he said pleasantly.
hard
Her voice sank almost to q whisper
1T is not the work dread, but the
surroundings. was a schoolteacher
before my marriage My husband was
an electrical engineer. We put all our
savings into little business, and then
1.-The end came"
Not quite the end. am only boy,
but I've had ups and downs enough to
know that the beginning of next week
may be a very different affair to the
end of this. Goodby."
They We're passing the London hos
pital, and he thought it prudent to
alight at some distance from Johnson's
! News.
| well. God bless you, anyhow" she
said earnestly.
les got is cad screwed on tight,
] that lad" commented n man sitting
next to her
"Retter than that, he has good
heart" said Mrs. Wrigley. Most fortu-
nate Mrs Wrigley--to have encounter
ed Philip in that hour which she DEEM
ed TIE blacklist in her life.
lie FASTENED through the familiar
hustle of the busy thoroughfare with
heightened expectancy, 1t is true, but
devoid of the least fear that his meteor
had been discovered. His mother
would take good care Of It, Why, the
mere chance remark OF the woman he
had befriended showed that her gentle
spirit watched over him wherever he
went. Here was stranger, sad toll.
er among the millions. who went out of
her way to praise the goodness of one
she had never seen. He laughed JOY
ously. Mrs. Wrlgley should have fur
ther cause to bless his mothers mem.
DRY.
He passed O'Brien's shop. He saw
the old man seated behind the counter.
Should he go In! No. Better keep
wholly to himself at present. Yet he hes.
itated. Which was the more judicious
course. to remain hidden, unknown. or
or to drop quietly into the groove where
he was recognized? With rare perspi-
cacity for one SO young, he reflected
that only five days had elapsed since
he last saw the old pensioner. The
period bulked largely in Philips life;
in O'Brlen's it would be as naught.
| Yielding to the second thought, he en-
tered the shop.
"Glory be to God, Phil but it's miself
is glad to see We" cried his old friend.
''Where have We bin 10. at all. Mt all?
Have yez heard What the murtherin'
war Office is afther dom to. me? !
| haven't had q sowl to sphake to about
the throuble they've put OH me in me
ovid age"
This was not strictly accurate
| lO'nrien had Destered the whole neigh