The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-29


the other of the virgin and her child
pushed and kicked into the corners the
debris which Uttered the room, and
finally placing five walls of dope
upon the center table, announced that
ell was ready.
Without the wind shrielSed, coming
bowling out of the teeth of the north,
and passing with an angered sob to
the limits of the south. Overhead dark
clouds tumbled among themselves
sliding silently over the face of the
inconstant moon. Men hurried along
the street The tamale vender shrilly
cried his ware. The Christians revel-
ers unmindful of wind and impending
storm celebrated in jingling bell and
jarring horn.
And within the dismal Castle of Rats
the dope fiends gathered. There was
no ceremony The first to come was
Richard Haas, the Harvard graduate.
He silently took his seat. Then came
Martha the old hag of Haggers
street. The third was Fred Wallace.
the young and almost debonnair, with
his still firm teeth and blowing au-
burn locks. Crippled Tom came next.
the Oldest veteran of the craze. A
young woman was the fifth. Finally in
all there were 10
No words were spoken. But when
the 10 had settled round, some in
broken chairs and bending benches,
and some nestled on tho floor. there
was restlessness. And Bill prepared
to serve. Each person barred his arm,
and each arm barred was gnarled and
SCARED with countless needle bites.
1t has never been explained how
Manuel found the Castle of Rats.
On Christmas morning, however, he
came to Birmingham from where no
man yet knows. Throughout the day
he walked the streets, checking his
precipitous gait only when he felt the
pressing need of shot" When late
in the afternoon, therefore, he rested,
leaning against the wall of a South
side store, he was in that state of
MIND so delightful to the "fiend' He
had passed the age of the novice who
despairs of shaking off the snake
which would strangle him, or the YER
min which climb in milion-column up
from feet to head and back again, or
who sees the flight of great winged
bats with eagle claws and blood-red
eye. But there was something which
held his heart i'll a titan clasp, and
checked the flow of blood, or sent it
crashing through the veins with force
cleared his mind of doubt. which paint
ed the future boundless field of gold
again out in the deep green trees
along the Rhine.
And then he turned down the alley
in which muddy water had gathered
in pools, and where barrels and Christ.
Through it all he pressed, stumbling.
falling, but making progress still. And
soon there loomed before him the little
cottage of the .'dopes." In the upper
story he glimpsed the beam of single
candle and heard the dscordant,
laughter-notes of those who cele-
brated. He caught himself wondering
how one little candle could laugh so
loud, or express itself in many thou
sand jarring keys. He hurled himself
upon the creaking hinges, He heard
the scamper of the rats across the
floor. He climbed the ricxety stair
way and disturbed the brooding bat.
From above there still came the jib-
bering chatter of the maniacs.
That candle. thought the man
again
II am Manuel of the Iphbergs.'
The unlimited guest stood within the
doorway. A strange and curious si-
lence fell upon the ceebrants, half
drunk with dr,lo
Il am come to preside tonight
back to my kingdom and my sub
jects.''
The tall gaunt figure raised its
head proudly. His eyes were fired
with an unn4ural light His voice
rang clear. A bit of color crept into
his sallow cheeks. But for the clothes
which bagged about his frame his
would have been a majestic figure
AS 1t was he lowered above his fell
lows, and they knew that into their
midst had come their master mind.
Walter cried aloud-"All hail, your
majesty"
And Bill exclaimed-"The king has
come!'
Tonight we will rejoice" declared
the king. and from that moment he
was one of them.
AS a special mark of favor, Bill
yielded him the position of master.