The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-08-14
A MANS A MAN,
CONTINUED from page ~

AZ inc mention OF the word stranger the r,o+bor
likes her eyes on Ralph He bears her a
does saying as she
May God bless you for your goodness . o,d 49,
ing TO her daughter, Lucille tell me how tb; co.
tlenan has befriended youn ~" .iii' gen
Lucille then relates all the circumstances of h.,
meeting with Ralph Hinton upon Westminster
Drluge anu whlle she is speaking Ralph's eyes wan
der around the room. 1t is small and poorly fur
nlshed, but every article in it is clean and neat
Lucles mother, Ralph thinks as his ewes rest ON
her is very near her end. She is evidently in the
last stages OF consumption and at most it is only
matter OF a few days until death cleans her and
Lucille herself as Ralph gets good look at her in
the light seems to have the sweetest and sad
des face of any girl he has ever met So interested
Is he IN the study of Lucille that he does not hear
her words OF praise and gratitude in regard to the
incident OF the pawn shop and it only when
violent lit OF coughing seized her mother that
lialphs attention diverted from her Having
made mother and daughter as happy as circum-
stances could permit Ralph turned to 60 but before
ms departure he took the sick ladys hand in his and
said to her with deep emotion:
Mrs. Davout from my heart I pity Won Your
lot is a hard one, but God has blessed YOU with an
angel in the form of Lucille. She has taught Ralph
Hinton a lesson tonight that he can never forget
Good-by, and in your prayers remember me. Good
by Miss Davoust" and Ralph turns to the daughter.
Before L met you L was weakllng, a coward, now
I a Kind fate brought you across my
path and if ever we meet again may it be in more
happy circumstances"
Goodbye, Mr.. Hinton" answered the mother
and daughter and may God bless you forever"
"21 Sims court" said Ralph Hinton by the aid
of the Pickering light of the street lamp mentally
taking note of the place where Lucille lived. by
Jove!" he mutters, as he made his way to Trafal-
gar square, what an idle, badly spent life [ have
lived Gay companions, suppers, gaming tables,
theatres and the course one week and sleep
ing the fatigue of all off the next. What an amount
of money l have uselessly squandered and got for
it in return only He's jolly good fellow, uttered
bv some fop as brainless and dissipated as myself
Pshaw, the thought of it sickens me and when my
wishes thwarted when Maud Ashley refused
to marry such a worthless fellow / am, why, |
thought the most Ill used, the most miserable
being in existence. / knew not then the devotion,
the sacrifice of Lucille Davoust. I knew not then
the struggle the heroism of the poor, the misery
of the pawn shop. l know it now. You were Ralph
Hinton a weakling coward You have now to face
the world to earn honest living. Be man.
Yes, have begun to be man tonight. have done
the first good act in my life by AIDING"
"Look out there! Ali"
A motor dashes around the corner of the street
The driver makes frantic effort to steer clear of
Ralph Hinton and partly succeeds but the hind part
of the car hits the latter lightly the shoulder,
knocking him to the pavement.
The car stops and lady hurriedly descends from
il, and rushing to where Ralph has fallen breath
lessy asks:
II hope you are not hurt, sir Z"
"I'rn all right, thank you, madam" and Ralph
regains his feet. It close shave and your
driver ought to be"
"Ralph Hinton"
MAUD Ashley"
When both had gotten over the surprise of seeing
each other Miss Ashley extends her hand to Ralph
and in an eager tone asks him:
Ralph what has brough you here to LondonW
E!Follv Miss Ashlev' answer Ralph coldly
Eyes folly Ralph I have heard how your
father quarreled with you because of your love for
me- Look, Ralph and Miss Ashley seized him by
the arm told you I did not love you. That by
marrying you [ would make both our lives misera-
be [ am but a woman, Ralph, but lam woman
enough to canddly tell you that would die sooner
than marry man did not truly love, Go back to
your father, Ralph, and forget me"
"I have forgotten you, Miss Ashley"
"You have forgotten. Oh! Ralph! For your own
sake I hope that your words are true. We will be
friends, ever firm friends"
eve will be firm friends, Miss Ashley"
"Ralph. can help you in any way You
know"
"Ny help for the future, Miss Ashley, is my own
head and arm No, you cannot help me- but by
assisting another you do me favor which L
will never forget"
II viii gladly do so, Ralph.
Thank you Miss Ashley. Call as you
can, tomorrow if possible, on the bearer OF this
address" Ralph writes a name ana ADDRESS on
leaf from his pocketbook. do what you can for
the two you will find there and you will have my
lasting gratitude. Good-by now, Miss Ashley, and
may your life be happy one"
@Good-by Ralph, and if ever we meet
"Ah. If ever we meet again Miss Ashley you will
meet a changed Ralph Hinton"
Il was late when Ralph Hinton reached his room
in the hotel. Though wet through and through
and exhausted still he did not seek his bed. Seating
himself at the table he took sheet of paper and
wrote on it the following:
Dear Miss Davoust-,-When you receive this let
Ter / viii be far away. You will forgive a little
deception practised on you last night entered
the avn shop but did not part with your fathers
ring enclose it with this letter If l offered you
-, xro,1d MT accent hence nv