Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-01-24
SUCCESS FOR HER SAKE.

CafutnerS came out OF the stage en-
trance to the theater and stumbled
blindly against one of group of men
just entering the doorway.
Drunk" said the man, pausing to look
after the shabby figure.
Caruthers stumbled on. with unseeing
eyes and white, compressed lips. He
walked rapidly for blocks, avoiding peo-
pie mechanically, but without realization
of his whereabouts, until at length he
paused, in sheer exhaustion, and looked
about him vacantly.
He had reached the poorer section of a
crowded city thoroughfare, led by blind
instinct, like weasel to its lair. He
sat down at last, like one limp and
spent, in deserted doorway, and drew
something from the pocket of his coat,
looking at it with an expression almost
of loathing in his eyes.
As his hand struck against the hard
edges of the cardboard that he had
placed for protection about the pages
the brown paper parcel contained, ring
which had been worn upon the little
finger flew from his hand into the gutter.
He stopped and picked it up absently,
turning it over in his hand, his face
softening wonderfully.
Then, the lips setting again into the
grim lines, he looked about him. Across
the street, above a doorway. three gid
ed brass balls glistened in the sunshine.
With sudden resolution he crossed the
street and entered the shop. When he
came out again the ring was gone. but
in his slim, nervous fingers he clutched
three silver dollars.
There was an awakened look on his
face and some hint of buoyancy in his
step as he went down the street. En-
tering a restaurant, he called for a cup
of coffee and a ham sandwich He
drained the small cup of black coffee at
gulp and ate the ham and bread raw
enously. For a moment, before rising
from the table, he seemed to hesitate
and he looked greedily at the pies on
the counter, then, without any further
purchase, he went out upon the street
again.
He chinlled the money in his pocket
like boy and once he whistled d bar
Of song under his breath When he
came to a saloon he stopped and took
the money out and looked at it and
counted over his change and seemed to
reflect or to do some abtruse mathemat-
ical problem over and over in his head.
Then he put the money back in his pock-
ct and crossed the street. He had now
reached the most abandoned section of
the city. He paused at the doorway of
a rookery and stopped to pat a crying
child on the head. Then he entered and
sprang up the stairs two steps at
time. On the landing of the third floor
he met woman coming down. She was
fat and eomely and Irish
She put her hands on her hips and
looked at him rather severely. AN so
you're back again." she said. "Man,
don't you know your wife lies dyin'
while you gallivant the street? 1t is far
gone she is the day"
"Dying?" He put out his hand as ii
to ward off blow and reeled little
Her face softened and she laid her
hand on his arm. Listen. All you can
do now is to make her last hours easy
She is doomed. Even you, man that you
are, must have seen that. The doctor
says she can't live the night out; take
care of her now until the end comes,
and" she paused and patted his arm
kindly-'let the whisky alone,'' she said.
Listen, Mrs. Murphy" said the man
1--WE not been galliyanting the streets
as you think. Do you know what I've
been doing?" He drew the brown paper
parcel from his pocket. do you know
what this isl This is her life blood and
mine. This is what for months we have
shaved over and dreamed over and have
wept over. 1t is the little child born of
our two heads and hearts. 1t has been
as the very breath of her nostrils and
of mine. You know until two years ago
she was an actress. She would have
been a great actress if this illness had
not stricken her down. She was great,
but fame and fortune has not come to
her. And she thought me great writer.
She, at least, believed in me-we be-
| lieved in one another. When she left
the stage we decided to write a play to-
gether. We have spent many months
over these pages. Until these last
months when her life has been at such
low ebb, we were very happy over them
We have been poor, but we have been
happy together-happier, | think, than
most people.
And she has always believed in me.
When | have come home at night, tired
and discouraged. her brave heart has
never failed You will place the play
yet-our play she always said, with her
beautiful smile, and we will be rich and
famous, Arthur
only lately, just for the last few
days, her heart has seemed to fail her.
Last night she said Arthur, wish it
could be before l go l did not dream
that she was near the end. She has
not suffered for anything that l could
give her. / have managed, somehow.
that she should have what she needed,
and not guess"-he broke down abruptly.
why don't you go to her. man?' the
woman said, kindly.
go to her? Go to her-dying, and
tell her / have failed? Let her 90 out
into the great beyond with that unsatis.
fed longing2 I can't"
He leaned against the hanisters and
covered his eyes with his hand.
Presently he lifted his head with de.
ciSion written in his face.
Someone is with her?" he interro-
gated.