The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-21
Down and
Out
n NeeO Years
Story
By AGNES B. COLDWELL
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

i Copyright, 1910, by American fIeSS
Association.
| It was the last day of the year, and
! Marcus Eldredge had determined that
! its closing hour would mark the end
Of his earthly career.
'I'll wait until midnight and go out
with the old year." he muttered as he
pressed the weapon tentatively against
| his head. AS he stood there in the
gaslight his Unmatched door swung
slowly open. and a girls face ap-
peared, startled and pale as her eyes
met his reflection in the glass. His
glance met hers defiantly.
"Coward!'' she said sharply.
"How do you know that I ann" he
demanded without turning around. His
face slowly redeemed as the contempt
deepened on hers and involuntarily his
right arm was lowered and the revolv.
er was placed on the bureau. "How
! do you know that I'm a coward" he
persisted.
Because you were going to do that"'
She nodded toward the weapon, and he
could see that she was afraid of it..
mo one but coward would destroy
himself
"What do You know about itT' ell
dredge flashed around and faced the
| stranger who had SO unexpectedly
meddled with his affairs. do you
know what it is to try for years to
| reach a certain goal and then fail? Do
| you know what it is to work and wait
and starve and suffer privation-and
| then fail in the end? Then, added to
the failure, do you know what it is to
| tramp the streets looking for any sort
| of work without even. measure Of
success? What do you know about
these things"
'You are coward. as said before
| the biggest craven ever met You're
.fraid catv" The girl ended with a
childish angry sob.
"You don't understand" he said. a
sullen look creeping into his face. IF
a fellow can't get work and hasn't got
cent Of money there's only one de-
| cent thing he can do, and that Is to
get off the earthr'
1.-THE New Year holds no promise
for you?" she asked softly, with a
note Of courage In her voice.
"Not thingv
els there anybody dependent upon
you?" she asked.
II haven't a relative or a friend In
the world-nobody who cares hang
what becomes of mew
the trouble it would make. If you
harmed yourself herein this board
fng house?' She shivered little, and
her eyes, evading the vicinity of the
revolver, met his inquiring glance.
II suppose you mean it would make
Mrs. Jones a lot of trouble-notoriety
| and what not'' -
81 wish you were not such cow
ardr' she cried scornfully. IF you
only had the making of half man in
your
81 have the ingredients to make a
successful man if I can have the
chance" he retorted.
"What sort of a chance do you
want?" she asked, with sudden eager
ness. "What is your business?''
He hesitated an instant, and then he
| admitted half defiantly, "Tm an art
ist.''
''Why have you not succeeded? What
| do the critics say?"
1.-THE consensus of opinion was that
I'd missed my vocation; One man said
did chairs and tables so well In my
pictures of still life that really ought
to go into the furniture business
That's a sample of the knocks I've
been getting"
'What do you really think about 1t?
she asked in a low tone.
about my own workT' he said,
looking up quickly.
She nodded.
Il know it's rank trast-no good" he
said honestly.
"Now you've made a new begin
| ming. You can eliminate art. Why
| don't you go into the furniture BUSH
ness-design chairssand tables or sell
them-or anything? You've got to
start somewhere. you know" she
urged.
you don't know the disappoint-
ments I've had" he objected uneasily.
"a girl doesn't understand what it is
to have to face blank destiny-on an
empty stomach
You haven't anybody but yourself
to take care of, and I'm ashamed of
you. So therer'
Marcus Eldredge looked down at the
graceful form in his doorway. 1t was
strange situation. He who had been
isolated III the midst of the great city,
friendless and forsaken. seemed to
have found q friend in this eager, gray
eyed girl, who, passing his doorway,
had CHANGED to see him rehearsing his
cowardly part in the little tragedy he
had determined to play that New
Years eve.
"I'm ashamed Of myself he said
suddenly. II don't know what has
made me so blue unless He bit off
the words and evaded the questioning
of her eyes
"1t's getting late. and I must be go
ing. I wonder if you'd sell me that
revolver. | want it for a certain pur-
nnSo Ho SOf1