The Detroit times., 1912-06-10
MeMANIm Me..
BROWN DERBY
&,
WELLS HASTINGS
s1D Author Of ceSo
The Professors Mystery
(Owishtl9llH Bobbsllema "a
CHAPTER XVI.
(contInued.)

We had been walking rapidly. and,
as We walked. the old gentleman be
side me had Strengthened up, ard was
pouring forth his torrential eulogy OF
his chosen fad With quite unex.
pected fire and rapidly; and. as he
spoke. my wonder grew until for a
moment | almost doubted his sanity.
But although his blue eyes had lost
their mildness and now sparkled with
strange youthful vivacity, yet they
were steady and their look contained;
so that the old gentleman, l concluded,
was merely an eccentric enthusiast
joyously astride his rearing hobby. At
Second avenue we had turned down
town, and now, as my companion con-
cluded, he stopped me with a large
gesture before the dark door OF a
rather dilapidatcd tenement
Here" he said. 'is tho palace of
the pauper, the parliament house OF
mankind's majority"
He dived into the doorway like an
aged, but nimble, white rabbit.
Better keep your hand on the
wall he said, as | stumbled on the
first step. Some of us have been
rather short OF 6rewood OF late, and
we have been forced 10 sacrifice the
balustrade
did as | was bid, willingly enough,
although, even through my gloves, the
wall felt dirty, cold and greasy; so
that at the first touch shuddercd
with repulsion. For the stairs were
In almost total darkness, save here
and there, where some door, left open
on small and tumbled apartment,
let some Of its meager and needed
light escape.
You will notice." the old gentle
man called back TO me over his Shout
der. that the higher we go the more
balustrade we have. What heat there
is rises, suppose, or it may be
chance 1t may be just chance. We're
making q long climb, you see. AS yet
live on the top floor, as | have u
taste for seeing the sky. probably
could never grow accustomed 10 liv-
ing without sight OF it. This mex to
the last step is broken; you'd better
skip it."
He paused before his door little
out of breath, fumbling in the dark
ness for the lock When IL had clicked
back, he still held the knob for a
moment.
Perhaps | should say" he said,
that | have allowed myself 10 live a
little better than my neiGhbors. \
man, take IL. has right TO what he
can get in life" and with that he
swung the door open.
The room before me was the most
amazing one | have ever seen. The
sun flooded into il, brilliantly. for its
two small, differentiated windows
faced the south. and overhead he
larger part of the ceiling had been
replaced by giant skylight, with a
rolling shade. like that of studio.
A single Bokhara rug covered he
| floor. The walls were lined with
shelves almost to the ceiling. where
books disputed space with a bewild-
ering miscellany; Oriental curios and
European objets dart jostled one an
other anonymously, and, here or
there, some cheap German or Yankee
gimcrack rested with all the imperti.
hence OF smart and interesting mod
| ernity. In one corner a large, phono-
graph stood with great heap OF
disks beside il, while its other side
pIOpptu DlB lItlltu anu
like a colored minstrel's. AS we came
blinking into the room, three birds
! fluttered up from the Uttered center
table.
Don't keep them in cages" the old
gentleman explained, chirping to them
as they settled on his shoulders. I've
never been able to persuade myself
that a bird really liked a cage. This
one" and he stretched out a hand on
which was perched big, long-billed.
wicked looking bird with irridescent
plumage and yellow legs and wa.tles,
lis a Mino bird. 1t comes from Java,
you know. Ii talks sometimes when
1t feels like II ="
The bird eyed me wickedly with It's
head on one side. Welcome" he
croaked once, moro3ely.
The other two are canaries." said
the old gentleman. 1T is really sur
prislng ana delightful to hear their
varied accompaniments when the
photograph is running Would you
like TO hear a tunc?"
IF you will forgive mo-" said, 81
am very anxious to get at the bust
ness in hand. You see. have a very
particular reason for finding Mr.
Pond, so that fear you would find
me a poor listener. DO you really
know something about him."
The old gentleman looked a little