Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-27


He cast a critical eye on sleek horse
in the shafts. and smiled pleasantly at
the driver
Good gracious. Vale" he said, your
cattle are becoming as fat as yourself"
IAN your fault. SIR" was the cheer
ful reply. You don't use EN- arr
enough"
Il can't pass my time in being driven
about town to reduce the weight of my
coachman and horses. VALE II you't
don't do something desperate there will
he an h after the w in your name"
He sprang into the vehicle. with a
lively kim up" vale got his stout
steed into a remarkably fast trot.
A tall man who had been lettering
and smoking beneath the trees across
the road for long time sauntered to-
ward a bridesmaids cart which was
standing near the area gate of the next
house. while the man in charge gos-
siped with Il dtchenmaid
Beg pardon" he said to the couple.
"is that Mr.. Philip Ansons place."
with an indlcatory jerk OF his thumb.
Yes" said the man
AN was that Mr.. Arson himself who
drove away in private cab?"
Yes" said the girl
Thanks. It does one good TO see a
young chap like him so jolly and com:
Portable, and provided with everything
he can want in the world, eh?"
II wish | ad bit Of rs little lot,
sighed the green grocers' assistant
with a side glance at the maid.
The stranger laughed harshly
IT'S hard to say when ye're well
Off. he growled up one day and
down the other. You never know your
luck"
Away he went, southwark His long
vigil on the pavement near the ratings
seemed to have ended In Picadilly he
took an omnibus to the Circus. and
there changed to another for the Ele-
plant and Castle.
He walked rapidly through the con
geries of mean STREETS which lie TO the
east of that hustllng center, and paus-
ed at last before a house which was
occupied by respectable people, Judging
by the cleanly curtains and general air
Of tidiness
He knocked a woman appeared. Did
Mrs. Mason live there? No. She knew
nothing of her, Had only been in the
place eighteen months.
The man evidently appreciated the
migratory habits of the poor too well
to dream Of prosecuting further in
quiries among the neighbours. lie
strolled about reading the names over
the small shops the corner public
house. the dressmakers" semi private
residences
At last he paused before somewhat
grim establishment. an understaker's
office. He entered. A youth was whis-
ting the latest music han song
"Do you know anything of Mrs. Ma
son, who used to live in this locality
about ten years ago." he asked.
Mrs. Mason? There may be forty
Mrs. Masons. What was her Christian
name an address,"
Mrs Hannah Mason. No. IA Fred.
erick street.
The youth sklllfully tilted back his
stool until he reached ledger from
shelf behind him. He ran his eve
down an index, found a number and
pulled out another book
We buried her on the Goth of Noyen-
ber nine years since" he said coolly,
rafting both tones back into their
places.
You did. eh? Is there anybody here
who remembers herr"
Something in the husky voice OF this
stark. ill-favored man caused the boy
TO become less pert.
Fathers in." he said I'm ring for
him."
Father came. He had vague mem.
DRY OF the woman, widow with two
children--boys, he thought. Somebody
helped her in her last days, and paid
for the funeral-paid cash, according To
the ledger He did not know who the
friend was, nor had he any knowledge
OF the children's fate, Workhouse. most
probably. What workhouse? Parish OF
southwark. Easy TO find Just turn so
and and so-and-so.
With grunt of Acknowledgement,
the inquirer passed into the street He
gave an eye to the public house. but
resolutely quickened his pace. At the
workhouse he succeeded. with some diff
lculty. in interviewing the master. II
was after office hours, but as he had
Journeyed long way an exception
would oe made in his case.
Books were consulted to ascertain the
fate of two boys. John and William
Mason who would now be aged 20 and
IL. respectively Youthful Masons had
certainly been in the schools-one was
there at the moment, in fact-but none
OF them answered to the descriptions
supplied. The workhouse master WAS
sorry, the records gave no clew.
Again the man sought the dark seriu -
SION ot the street He wandered slowly
y'Nard q main thoroughfare, ana en-
tered the first public house he encoun-
lered lie ordered six pennyworth M
brandy, ami drank IL at gulp. Then
ne lit a pipe and went forth again,
That was an ugly loolIin' customer .,
Saiu an hahitue to the harman.
e ad a nce like NTH act at the