The Washington herald., 1914-04-26
(Copynght, WlD

misfortune
Ny name is Edward George Eden.
lost my mother when I was three years
old, and my father when I was five, my
uncle, George Eden, then adopting me as
his own son. He was a single man. self
educated, and well known as an enter
prising journalist; he educated me gen.
erously, fired my ambition to succeed in
the world. and at his death. which hap
pened four years ago, left me his entire
fortune, a matter Of about five hundred
pounds after all outgoing charges were
paid. I was then eighteen. had already
chosen the profession Of medicine. and
through his posthumous generosity, and
my good fortune in a scholarship compe-
tition. became a medical student at UNI
versity College, London. At the time OF
the beginning of my story I lodged at
LA University street. in a little upper
room. very shabbily furnished. and
drsughty. overlooking the back OF
Shoolbred's premises.
was taking pair of shoes to be mend
ed at a shop in :he Tottenham Court road
when I first encountered the little old
man with the yellow face, with whom my
life has now become so inextricably en-
tangled. He was standing on the curb,
and staring at the number on the door in
a doubtful way. as I opened it. His eyes
they were dull gray eyes, and reddish
under the rims-fell TO my face. and his
countenance Immediately assumed an ex-
preston of corrugated amiability.
You come" he said, APT to the mo-
ment had forgotten the number Of
your house. How do you do, Mr.. Eden?'
was a little astonished at his familiar
address, for had never set eyes on the
man before. He noticed my lack of cor
diality.
Wonder who the deuce am, Ell? A
friend. let me assure you. Is there any
where where can talk to you?"
1 hesitated. The shabbiness of my room
upstairs was not a matter for every
stranger. Perhaps" said I, I'VE might
walk down the street"
The very thing" he said. and faced
this way and then that. THE street?
Which way shall be go?" I slipped my
boots down in the passage. Look here!"
he said abruptly; this business OF mine
is a rigmarole. Come and lunch with
me, Mr.. Eden. I'm an old man. a very
old man, and not good at explanations,
and what with my piping voice and the
clatter Of the traf1c-'
He laid a persuasive, skinny hand that
trembled a little upon my arm.
He took me to BIavitski's; had to
walk slowly to accommodate myself to
his PAGES; and over such a lunch as /
had never tasted before, he Tended OF my
leading questions, and I took a better
note Of his appearance. His cIean-shaven
face was lean and wrinkled. his shriveled
lips fell over a Sc Of false teeth, and his
white hair was thin and rather long: he
seemed small to me-though, indeed,
most people seemed small to me-and his
shoulders were rounded and bent And,
watching him, could not help but OBJ
serve that he, too. was taking note of
me, running his eyes, with a curious
touch OF greed in them, over me, from my
broad shoulders to my sun-tanned hands,
and up to my freckled face again. And
now" said he. as we lit our cigarettes,
Il must tell you Of the business in hand.
Il must tell you, then. that am an old
man, very old man." He paused momen-
tarily. and it happens that I have money
that must presently be leaving, and never
a child have 1 to leave IT to. have weighed
this plan and that plan, charities, institu-
tons, and scholarships, and libraries and
have come 70 this conclusion at last
he fixed his eyes on my face-''that will
find some young fellow. ambitious, pure
minded, and poor, healthy in body and
healthy m mind, and. in short, make him
repeated, Give him all that have. So
that he will suddenly be lifted out Of all
the trouble and struggle in which his
sympathies have been educated. to free
dom and influence"
tried to seem disinterested. With a
transparent hypocrisy. I said. And you
want my help. my professional services,
maybe. to find that person"
He smiled, and looked at me over his
cigarette, and I laughed at his quiet ex-
posure of my modest pretense.
What a career such a man might
have"' he said 1T fills me with envy
to think low I have accumulated that
another man may spend
But there are conditions. of course,
burdens to be imposed. He must, for in
stance. take my name. Hou cannot ex-
pect everything without some return
And must go into all the circumstances
of his life before I can accept him. He
must be sound. I must know his heredity,
how his parents and grandparents died.
have the strictest inquiries made into his
private morals"
This modified my secret congratula-
tions little. And do 1 understand, -
said 1, that -
Yes" he said, almost fiercely. You,
You
answered never a word. Ny magma
ton was dancing wildly, my innate skep-
ticism was, useless to modify its trans
ports. There was not particle Of graft
tude in my mind-I did not know what to
say nor how to say it. But why me in
Particular I said at last
He had CHANGED To hear NJ mo from,