Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-25

New Brooms had moved into some
comfortable lodgings in the city of
Westminster, within stones throw
of Saint Stephens Tower snug quar-
tiers, but not very easy to find, and dis
agreeably close to some of the worst
Sums Of London. Hugo paid his visit
In the morning, walking across Saint
James Park. AS he strolled leisurely
along, he noticed the many loafers
upon the grass, enjoying sun-baths,
probably the only baths they ever
took. 1t was midsummer, and very
warm, slight steam rising out of the
ground still moist from a shower
which had fallen during the night.
One of the loafers, spying a toff, ap-
preached Hugo and asked for aims
The man had fairly honest face and
a stout body.
why aren't you at work?" said
Hugo
"'Cause car'n't get none," replied
the man shortly. IF yer think l like
to do nothink yer maxim an error.
Look at my 'ands!" He held out a
pair, palm uppermost, with the signs
of hard work feebly imposed on them
i've 'ad ter do nothink fer a week
And ate it. Yer can't get no taste
outer nothink."
Hugo presented him with half a
crown.
Il wish could give you a job in
stead"
Thank ye, my lodr, I wish to Gawd
you could
Hugo strolled on, muttering to him
self: Eyer car'n't get no taste outer
nothink"
He paused for a moment, after pas
sing through Storey's Gate, gazing at
the Houses of Parliament. Instantly,
ne was seized with a passionate envy
Of Burgess, who had found his Job, the
Job he loved, something really worth
while, with taste to it likely to last
as long as he lived. Hugo had no stom-
nch for politics, but he had known pol
lt1clans intimately, and always he had
noticed with what zest and energy
the better sort tackled their work, re-
gardless of the sacrifices it entailed.
The better sort! Who were they?
Those who justified existence by doing
something, no matter what, with will
ling hands and brains.
Not being in any hurry, he crossed
the road and stood by the statute of
Boadicea, looking down the river to-
wards Hungerford Bridge. His eye
frightened as it followed the splendid
curve Of the left bank, dwelling for a
moment upon the great ducal house in
the foreground. and wandering on, till
1T finally rested upon the dome of St.
Pauls standing out against the azure
sky and dominating triumphantly all
other buildings. The sun shone upon
its gilded vane. which seemed to ra-
dfate quivering lines of light. Could it
be possible that the foundations of
this monumental pile were insecure?
Gould one conceive this superb mast
terpiece crumbling and collapsing into
ruin and chaos? Or suppose = a more
poignant thonaht- the collapse of
what 1t represented, the crumbline of
the faith preached beneath its dome,
leaving the temple empty, mere
Valhalla of the mighty dead within
its tombs!
Well, If such a catastrophe came to
pass, it would be for the unanswerable
reason that the FOUNDATIONS were rot
ten, or, if solid in themselves, laid
upon sand instead Of rock. Time was
VIZ ihicbillDiC lSSL vi tdCil, Tie UllN
touchstone. AS Burgess said: Let the
truth prevail He could hear the younq
fellows ringing voice and see his
eager, flushed face. And after all had
been said and done, and really ones
brains reeled at the mere thought of
what had been said and done during
the last six thousand years or so, the
one inevitable conclusion was that
nothing false endured For that reas-
son the two great parties in Westmin-
ster were doomed. The country, as a
whole, was sick to death of their in
terminable Misrepresentation and
evasions and obscurities, and the mem
bers Of both houses, those, at least.
whose Judgment was not hopelessly
discolored by inherited prejudice. were
sick to death OF running mute, hound
ed to the divisions of the Whips, for
hidden to give tongue as individuals,
commanded to bark out the common
cry of pack.
Hugo was forsaking Boadicea, when
his attention was arrested by a num-
Der OF padle steamers anchored In
mid-stream. These were the boats
which mad carried as passengers moth
ing more remunerative than the ex-
Itravagant hopes of the London Coun-
ty Council, and as ballast their coag-
ulated inexperlence and ignorance.
Here they lay, a fleet of pretty vessels,
practically derelict!
He began to feel irritation, because
every object bristled with moral les
sons, each with personal application.
Was he anchored in mid-stream CON
demned to rust out?
With a shrug of his shoulders he
walked rapidly towards Burgesss
lodgings
The Hope of New Brooms received
him frostily, but with civility. He
looked rather pale and thin, as if he
were overworked He admitted that
he was up to his eyes in construction,
which, indeed, is q pleasanter and cas-
Ter task than reconstruction. Bit by bit
he thawed out, for Hugo discreetly