Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-09-27

%SlIp Bang, Carter Maynard threw
himself down luxurious
couch heaving mighty sigh.
on you idiot, you poor weak idiot! In debt;
Keeping apartments far beyond your income;
going with crowd of oh well, what's the use.
| am down and out, it's too late to try and
pull up"
Tossing half smoked cigarette into the CRATE
he leisurely discarded his sack suit and donned
tuxedo. Completing his toilet he started out but
turned back again:
Reckon better take my check book, Lord
knows it's not much good though
Walking lesurely up Connecticut avenue he
soon reached Jack Hampton's apartments where
he received with quiet cordially that exists
only between real friends.
where the others, Jack?"
They will not be here until about half past
ten or eleven. The Count has to show himself at
some function or other at the embassy, Van has
story to finish for the morning paper, and Clark
does not get away from the office until ten.
Don't worry though they will all be here But
want to have a little talk with you before thew
show up. Where have you been keeping yourself?
! haven't laid for fully month.
Here, have drink, this is some extra fine"
NO no Jack, really don't care for any now
thank you"
"Oh on, don't make beg and you.
You always take it after little persuasion"
"All right, all right Jack"
Mixing a cocktail he held 1t up between himself
and the light moment then rising suddenly he
sneered:
'Weakling, I drink to your good health"
That's a very complimentary toast you
drinking" laughed Jack Am the honored one,
is it dear absent friend?"
Neither I've got the blues tonight, horribly,
fact is | have them pretty constantly now That
little toast for me, | am the Weakling.
Weakling-God how l despise that name.
thought | had escaped it when | came here to live,
but l it, hear it, everywhere | turn. 1t is
burned into my brain as if with branding iron"
What kind friend christened you with such
pretty and complimentary name?"
Don't Jack please don't joke about it. it's too
horrible to laugh about. I'll tell you. | must
talk to some one. | will tell you the whole story
and then you will understand why | drink to the
Weaklng'"
You have often heard me speak of Maysville,
up yonder in Virginia, where l lived before COM
ing here | was born and raised there We were
all a pretty fast crowd of young fellows but was
the one there always is one in a crowd, who never
knew when to stop, rather never chose to stop
When we drank, | got beastly drunk, when we
gambled lost all my money, my jewelry and my
salary in advance before | ceased
"Well-the boys gradually found sweethearts
and dropped out of the crowd, settled down,
devoted their time and thought to money making
and home making. All but me. had no friends
among the girls They had long since ceased
speaking to me | a social outcast in every
sense of the word These conditions only plunged
me deeper into my designations
Il went from bad to worse | degenerated into
common gutter-drunkard Everyone saw me but
picked me up, no one cared least OF all
zone day was loafng around the station when
the train pulled in and among the passengers who
alighted were three strangers. New arrivals In
small town are always more or less OF an event.
An elderly lady and gentleman and young girl
lovely | staggered for moment. nad
always thought angels looked like that could
not believe my eyes, | actually frightened,