Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-20

:, cas- dead. The lamp was gut
- and there was no money for
are IN the stove was sinking to
rborc was no money for coal.
and cold are hard to bear, along
.b but not so hard as a thirst
ys nj YOUR gullet and sends your
,unr toward the qualification and
which at any cost must be yours.
a, laid his handful OF change be-
op the kitchen table; she had
rsrous, Annie, and this was the
N they had buried her decently
ght with rising anger OF the small
had played at the funeral. No
shaken his hand; no hnc had
n him. asked his advice. or his
10 But IL was they who paid. ne
edged grlmly. otherwise
lcd up the money. piece by piece,
in a little pile. sorted tho nicNels
ss and pennies put the one guar
swept tho whole into his pocl,-
osa TO his feet,
had more power dead than alive,
|red lie was afraid of hcr. y
Il, nmpcd from the winuow sill
had crouchcd and darte1 to the
roni OF him. Had he fed 1t since
90 II the rind Of pork that night"
NOT remember. The eat did not
inpry. but IL looked at him.
In the eyes. and waited. lie
he door to lei ii out. and stood
nto the night.
now fallen, covered the dirt of
giving IL an unwontcd calmness
|ity: dignity that would turn to
with the coming light; calmncss
mid drop when the quarreling
and scrccching children were
gain and abroad. There was q
the Mcpherson tenement across
the old man must be having
turn-save for that the RAM
houses were in darkness. lie
the cat as It picked It's dainty.
| ay; alert. suspicious, now hurry
waiting. tensely crouched, ever
|hadow. He saw it leap low
| d disappear into huddlc of
oxes, barrels and Cast-otf junk
description.
light at the corner sent strealSs
Nv dartinE back and forth as it
ken by the rising wind. \ gust
pclted sharply in his face. max
Vince and shut the door with all
|yth. The wind was strong; what
had he? The muscles OF the
| ms were soft and flabby as a
he great hand trcmbled as It
bolt. He was afraid-of what?
mn would not last for another
lies. The fire had died, He must
| |hing-hc could not stay there.
irrcsolute in the scmidarkness.
Ing smell Of the lamp filed the
ID the cold was creeping in at
s. What should he do? Where
go? The answer came duly
back of his brain. II had been
| n before he was conscious of
9 question. He had known when
bunting his money, and yet he /
His eyes searched the barren
was seized with a fit of shiver-
| mt as the ague.
are We herc?" he whispered !
|oping forward till ne reached the |
'teady himself by It.
yer came save the whistle of the /
the rattle of the window. His !
|dy listened. The thick drops /
his forehead, and his breath /
Billy and with effort His eyes ,
10 the row of pegs on the /
ide of the room; hanging from /
sombre. shabby row were all /
eft OF his clothes and AnEic's- .
at was left Of Annle's. He had /
lay they brought her home. kill !
eavy truck at an ley crossing, 1t /
the money he had got for his
that he had been bcsotting him
|orncy's that night. Annie had
for him. and he had shutiiod
next morning TO find the alley
| ith huddlcd, whispering women.
lk from him and watched with
rios,ty as he went I'm at his door
her laid out for burial.
pitfully. the man wrestlcd with
hg desire. Since Annie had come