Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-14

ne had found pipe in the street one night and ne
got tobacco by hunting cigar stubs in the gutter.
strong smoke will drive off hunger IL 10 tyus;
put 1t is bad expedent for hungry old meD-snd
Kelly hfty-hve The unaccustorneA tobacco
ana the cold night winds gave him a cough In hIR
throat The rheumatism attacked his Knees; n
acne came somewhere into the small OF his back.
and his nerves badly shaken by a oomphoA-
ton of all such things
One day he heard indirectly from Sam throuEA
another broken friend
Say, Jim SANS wOrk4n' over at Bloomington.
swifts! Sure. he's been there a week-rDors'n q
week. Amt you workin' nowr thought yeuss
two was bummin 1t together"
Well he's got the gift O. CAB" Kelly sxpisinsd.
kindly. Il guessed he could CAB himself into
JOB I'm goin' to work soon myself" he added,
with touch Of pride 81 amt got nothn' against
Sam Fact is, Tm-Im glad to hear IL"
me otner pointed over toward the statue "eon'
OVER he asked. hoping for affirmative Two
can shift the centre of gravity OF load Of shame
SO that it will weigh on neither's heart
Well. I guess mott" answered Kelly, with hns
toss of his head, lettering on his slim legs and
looking for the moment like gray, defiant old
coohsparroW You don't git dom that! 1
may be down, Bill, but I amt out-no sir-res I've
made up nay mind to accept charity.
That's what, now" The other skunk away
So Sam had dftched hint He hadn't anything
against him for it. though. It was all right; yes.
1t was all right he guessed He sat looking up a.
the stars for long, long time recasting IN his
nina what few poor little things he knew about
'"V huhidh oattIe going on Deneath that gntCeFlne
chandelier. For the first time he wondered with
vague fear what going to happen to him; he
felt the full contrast between SANS and
his own failure. Then he went 10 sleep beneath
newspaper.
He sat quiet in the sun all tho next day, Hks
man in a stupor His mind refused 10 60 out into
the busy world, his legs benumbed with ths
apathy OF defeat Though tho old DID NOT
know It, his consciousness had closed in upon Itself
and was busy with the useless little things pertain
ing TO Itself 1t was as II curtain had been pulled
Town between Kelly and life He stared at patch
on his shoe for three-quarters of hour he became
rapt in consideration Of his finger nails. OF vesS
button of a ravelling without thinning Of the
big necessities OF living. II is sardonc fact that
his brain was in the same lethal state in which u
would have been II he possessor Of all ths
imperial LUXURY of Rome. He dreamed poor COM
mon' dumb dreams, but he had desire for action
That night he in his old accustomed place
in Madison Square looking, looking always look
ing out into the street before him. BY the old
statue the clump of shivering stood clustered
together, awaiting aims They drifted bashfully
about, at least companionable in their misery, and
soon formed into ragged, shapeless line. Kelly
thought of the previous night under newspaper
OF the rheumatics in his thin knees. Of the ache IN
his back and bowed his head
Some swift impulse took hold of him and in1rne-
dlately that it had, curious warmth of haste
fear lest he be too late greedy desire to get into
the foremost rank made him hurry across the street
"Shucks," he murmured TO himself 81 might az
well go over there and git in with them fellers'
Oopgusht. Lyon rermisaDD