The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-21

 THE MAN 5 WHO ROSE AGA|N= ...... by...... JOSEPH ROCKING Copyright, 1909, by George H. Doran : Company =

essssesssSesoseeSeeoe eoeeseooooooooeeoeeOO - species behind. And so the farce will go on, until the earth grows cold and the race dies. Well, and what then? Whether one dies young or old, what does it affect? Who cares? Nothing cares.''
 He looked up at the great dome of blue, and saw here and there star. "As though, if there is Anything at the back of all things, the Force which caused those worlds could care for a paltry little earth-worm like I am."
 | He laughed aloud, and then shud- dered at the sound of his own voice. The city seemed like somee huge phantom which had no real exist ence.
 | He turned into one of the many ways which led from Fleet street to the river. If possible, t seemed more silent that ever here. The lights were less brilliant, life seemed to be ex- tinct.
 "Oh, what a coward, a poor whin- 1 ing coward I am,' he said. 1T think, and brood, and drink, and dream, and curse; but I do nothing. I, who used to boast of my wil1-power and my determination. I livnlike rat in | hole; I dare not come out and show myself, and I dare not put an end to the dirty business called life, because I have a sort of haunting fear that should not make an end of myself even although this carcase of mine should rot"
 Presently he reached the Embank- ment, and he walked to the wall which bounded the river and looked oveC The tide was going out. The dark, muddy river, carrying much of the refuse of London, rolled on to- wards the sea. Yet the waters gleamed bright, both in the light of the moon as we'll as in those of the lamps which stood by it's banks, but the water was foul all the same. foul with the offal of a foul city. He turned away from it with a shudder.
 Why haven't I the pluck to take the plunge, instead of being the whin- ing, drivelling idiot I am?" he cried Nothing care, nothing would hap pen-except nothingness.' | He walked along the Embankment. And yet I told her that could be | What if she were unjust? Was such 9 creature as I am fit to be the hus- band of pure woman? See the | thing I have become in less than a ried her, have become tired of my rev role, and drifted?- Well, if I had I should have dragged her with me. Did I really love her? Did I not of her I thought. It was all of my miserable, sordid little self. Still, if there is an Almighty, He made a mistake in treating me so. But T there, as though an Almighty cared about such as I. If He does, He re- gards us all as a part ef grim joke"
 Int got a bit a bacca on yer, ave yer, guv'nor?"
 | man rose from seat as he spoke, and shivered. At the other end of the seat lay a woman asleep.
 'I cawn't sleep, I'm so bloomin' cold" went on the man, .'and I'm just dyin' for bit a bacca."
 why do you try to sleep here?" asked Leicester.
 '"Cause I int got no weers else, guv-nor. That's why. Besides, my hinsides is empty, and yer cawn't sleep when yer empty. Tell yer, I'm fair sick on it.''
 "Why don't you make an end of it?"
 l ''Wot yer mean?" l Leicester pointed to the river. Would for tuppence." said the man.
 l Leicester put his hand in his pock- ct and took out the first coin he felt. | II WdS e IWO-SuIIIlIlS piece. l Here's a dozen tuppences," he said, "now let's see if you've got the pluck"
 The man snatched at the coin, ex- amined it in the light of the lamp, and spat on it. Then he went to the woman and shook her.
 Cum on Mord," he said. l "Weer?" said the woman sIeepily. l "Dan ter ole Jerry's doss-aas." 1 'We cawn't; we int got fo'pence" "Yus, we 'as; a swell hev chucked me two bob. Cum on.'
 The woman rose and prepared. to follow the man.
 | But you told me-
 That I'd do it for tuppence, bu. not fer two bob, guv-nor Goodnight, and thenk yer.''
 Leicester laughed. He had not ex- pected the man to throw himself in- to the river; indeed, had he attempt ed it, he would most likely have stop | ped him, but he laughed all the same. Two shillings meant food and a warm place to lie, and the tramp clung to life.