Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-07-07
Jopbams Chance
BY George Gissing.
Chapter 1.

Chapter 1.
On a summer afternoon two surly
men sat together in London lodging.
One of the men occupied an easy chair,
smoked a cigaret, and read the news
paper; the other was seated at the
table, with a mass of papers before
him, On which he labored as though
correcting exeI Uses. They were
much of an age, and that about 80,
but whereas the idler was well
dressed, his companion had a seedy
appearance and looked altogether like
a man who neglected himself. For
half an hour they had not spoken.
OF a sudden the man in the chair
jumped up. well, | have to go in
to town." he said gruffly. land it's un-
certain when l shall be back. Get that
stuff cleared off and reply 10 the urg-
ent letters. Mind you write in the
proper tone to DiXon-as soapy as you
can make it. Tell Miss Brewer we
can't reduce fees, but that we1l give
her credit for a month Guarantee the
LeicestershiTe fellow a pass if he be-
gins at once
The other, who listened, bit the end
of his wooden penholder to splinters.
''All right he replied, But, look
here, l want little money"
so do T.
Yes, but you're not like me, with
out coin in your pocket Look here,
give me half a crown. Ihave absolute
need of it. Why, I can't even get my
hair cut. I'm sick of this slavery"
''Then go and do better" cried the
well dressed man, insolently. Its no
good your looking to me for money. l
can do no more myself than just live;
and as soon as 1 see a chance you may
be sure I shall clear out of this rot
ten business"
He moved towards the door, but
before opening it stood, hesitating.
Want to get your hair cut, do you?
Well, there's six-pence, and it's all
can spare"
The door closed And the man at
the table, leaning back, stared gloom
lily at the sixpenny piece on the table
before him.
His name was Topham: he had a
university degree and damaged rep
utation. Six months ago, when his
choice seemed to be between staying
IN the street and turning sandwich
man, luck had made him acquainted
with Mr. Rudolph Starkey, who wrote
himself NJ A. of Dublin university and
advertised system of tuition by cor
respondence. In return for mere board
and lodging Topham became Mr..
Starkey'S asSistant-that is to say,
he did by far the greater part of Mr..
Starkey's work. The tutorial business
was but moderately successful: still,
it kept its proprietor in cigarets and
enabled him to pass some hours a
day at a club where he was convinced
that before long some better chance
in life would offer itself to him. Hav-
ing always been a lazy dog, Starkey
regarded himself as an example of
industry unrewarded; being as self
ish fellow as one could meet. he
reproached himself with the unworld-
Illness of his nature, which had so him
dered him in a basely material age.
One of his ventures was half moral,
half practical little volume entitled
Success in Life" Had it been
either more moral or more practical
this book would probably have yield
ed him a modest income, for such
works are dear to the British public
but Rudolph Starkey, NJ. A.. was one
Of those men VINO do everything by
halves and snarl over the Intellectual
results.
Topham's fault was that of man
who had followed his instincts but too
thoroughly. They brought him to an
end Of every hing, and, as Starkey
said he had been glad enough to take
The employment which was offered
without any ineonvenient inquiries
The work which he undertook he did
completely and honestly for some
time without 8 grumhle. Beginning
with a certain gratitude to his en-