The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-09-26
CHAPTER xv-Continued.

CHAPTER xV-Continued.
It was the less satisfying because ne
foresaw the end OF a chapter. He mad
spent himself: In body-he was no
longer capable Of long intense appll-
cation, he had fallen back upon the
invalids last resort, drugs; in mind
the creative faculty seemed dead, that
very morning young man In the mills
had announced an important invention
that was to have been Truths mag
mum opus and upon which his sterile
brain had labored In vain: In soul
he could no longer dream. And for
reward he had-the dry fact of tri-
umpb he could not sense and the pros
pect of an empty. useless, discontinued
future.
He was a critic. you see; but not
OF himself. The world was out OF
joint.
Passers-by were diverted from their
own cares by the sight Of we'll
dressed man stamping his cane on
the pavement and muttering aloud:
An evil fate pursues me. Other men
do as ! do, desire as ! desire and find
content. Why can't / be contented-
and happy"
A thousand faces streamed past him,
unrecognized and unrecognizing. Then,
at q corner where two currents
damned each other, appeared one
that seemed oddly familiar. 1t was Of
Asext ehal tu
pale. morose. matching we'll the gen.
eral shabbiness of its owner. At first
Mark, confused by the dirty brown
beard, did not recognize him.
The man had no doubts. At sight
of Mark an evil glitter sprang into
the sullen eyes.
"You!"
BY the hate that had lived through
fifteen years Mark placed him.
"Piotr Andzrejzski!"
Peter Anderson" the man cor
rected him.
That's a good American name. Id
forgotten you had preference" Mark
smiled and held out friendly hand.
How are you, Peter Anderson?
The hand was ignored. When Peter
Anderson sneered. his LONELINESS be-
came almost grotesque.
Since you're SO Interested. I man.
age 20 keep alive"
How do you manage it,"
I'm a compositor on the Outcry-
when there's any money for an ISSUE"
The Outcryr'
You'll hear Of 1t yet It's the paper
Of our Cause"
Mark knew Of but one cause that
employed the capital Socialism.
suppose" He smiled indulgently. Il
hope it's In funds sufficiently often"
Il look 1t. don't II"
The answer was SO obvious that
Mark avoided It. How" he asked
hastily, lis Roman
He breathes and sleeps and eats.
But he's dead"
rs that a Socialist parable? I'm
not Q Socialist, 80 you'll have to ex-
plain"
His minds gone. 1t began to 90
soon after you stole his job. But prob
ably you've forgotten that, too"
Il have no recollection" said Mark
coldly. of any such occurrence" With
curt nod. he passed on.
He had gone but few steps when
he halted and looked back. Peter, un.
mindful Of elbowing pedestrians, was
still at the corner, glaring at him.
lmpulsively he turned and retraced
his steps.
See here, Piotr." he said. Let us
not use hard names There are a good
many things we'd never agree on. But
We can agree on this-you're hard up
I've been luckier than you. What can
/ do to help your
Piotr's lips formed a surly. Moth.
ing" But the refusal did not fall. A
look OF transparent craft displaced
malevolence.
DO you mean thet?" he asked sus.
piciously.
I'm not in the habit"
Il don't care about your habits, "
Piotr interrupted ungraciously. III
you want to do something. you can
lend me hundred dollars"
Lend" evidently, was a euphem.
Ism.
What win you do-still, that's your
business. OF course, / will. / wish
you'd asked me something harder
Come along to the bank"
The bank was q few blocks away
IN ark improved the time by asking the
re .ails Of Romans circumstances.
3oaiotr. sullenness not lifted by the
Of money, answered shortly.
itleowas q pitiable story Of descent-of
,oard t',dual dissipation Of the savings
3 vots .eafs active years and the swift
,ugh idleness and too much