The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-08-14
A MANS A MAN.
A Short Original Story by Cabin.
W.;++an for tho Tn+ermoun+o;n Catholic

Written for the Intermountain Catholic.
1t is November's night in London, one of those
nights of the drilling mist and fog that makes the
streets of the great metropolis dreary and miser
able. You can scarcely discern the street lamps
three yards away and the pedestrians and they were
few, had to feel their way homewards. Big Ben
has just struck the hour of nine as a man walks
across Westminster bridge. He is in no hurry
seemingly, for he saunters slowly along with his
head bent on his chest and his hands stuck deep in
his trousers pockets The hat is tilted well down on
his eyes, and the half smoked cigar has gone out.
He passes policeman and the latter gives sharp
look at him, in fact turns his heel and glances
after the retreatng figure muttering as he does
THAT chap is out of luck his seems a good face
though. [ suppose its the old story, plunged his
all on the gaming table the course. Poor
beggar [ hope he'll steer clear of the river From
the cut of his clothes he looks like an American"
The object of the policemans solloquy has almost
reached the other end of the bridge when he sud
denly stops and turning to the river he takes the
half smoked cigar from his mouth and throws it
into the dark waters beneath with the words:
Bah! What fool l have been. Yes, burned
fool" he continues he rests his elbows upon the
bridge" To have wrecked my life and incurred
nv fathers displeasure and all for woman who
never cared for me. Marry Robert Ashley's daugh-
ter and I'll disown YOU spoke my proud father.
By George can never foget his look of scorn when
I told him that his personal animosties would never
prevent me from marrying girl I loved and then
when I had the manhood to tell him that [ had
proposed to Maud Ashley and was rejected, why his
face grew purple with rage as the pointed to the
door with: Go you are son of mine no longer.
You have disgraced the name of Hinton Yes two
old men have quarrel over money matters, and
thew expect their children to continue the quarrel
Richard Hinton if you are proud and hot tempered,
vour son has inherited the first quality from you
and little of the last and before would ask again
one crust of bread from you, would starve on the
streets and by Jove it does look like starvation
now and the speaker buried his face in his hands.
1nurruring as he did so: eff my sweet mother were
only alive"
The mist becomes thicker, and the light from the
1ans on the bridge grows fainter but Ralph Hinton
heeds not the mist nor the gloom. So deeply is he
absorbed in his own sad thoughts that he hears not
these words uttered in such piteous tone by some
one standing near:
ooh! Mon Dieu! 1t is so hard and L can never
do.it and my poor mother will die"
It is only when they uttered again IN higher
and more plaintive key that Ralph Hinton raises
his head and glances at the speaker few feet away
II Is a girl and she seemingly is unaware of the
presence of anyone near her. for her eyes are liked
on the door of house on the other side OF the street
Ralph Hinton follows her gaze, and in the dim light
of the gas lamp before the door, he discovers three
brass balls hanging above the entrance 1t is
nawn shop Ralph thinks, and the girl or the girls
mother is in want and she is ashamed to enter 1t
is so. for these words falling from the girls lips
settle all doubts on the matter.
NI must get the price of food somehow or other
or mother will die and the girl feverishly tghtens
the hood of her cloak about her head and makes