South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-06-24


count o. his small legacy-some one hun.
rei dollars. City in gold and fifty IN notes. II
,su II his pocket like a botted-up prolonga
1ufe. Never before had ne seen so many dreams
sttHln practical reach It produced in him
Gl-d OF h gh and elusive e1uitatiOn OF the spirit.
7r.m time to time he pat his hand down 70
lake the notes crackle and .et his fingers play
:1:oJgh the running sovereigns as children
say through sand
For twenty years he mad been secretary 20
.h'lanthropist interested in feeding-feeding
lie poor. Soup kitchens had been the keynote
IL those twenty years, the distribution Of
sictuas mis- sole objective. And now he had
It's reward legacy of $500 a year for the
balance OF his days
To him il was riches. He wore a shortish
trockcoat a low. spreading collar a black
Fade-up tie, and boots with elastic sides On
tnis particular day he wore also a new pair OF
rather bright yellow leather gloves He was
unmarried, over forty bald, plump IA the body,
and possessed Of a simple and emotional heart
almost chidlike. His brown eyes shone in a
face that was wrnkled and dusty-an his
dreams driven inward by the long years OF
uninspired toll fer another
For the first time in his life released from
the dingy pureus of soup kitchens and the
gay and lighted streets Of the West End
Piccadilly Circus, where the flaming lamps
positively hurt the eyes, and Leicester Square
I'm going to dine at restaurant tonight.
by JOve," he said 10 himself thinking of the
gloomy boarding. house where he usually sat
between a missionary and typewriter. He
fingered his money. I'm going to celebrate
my legacy. I've earned it."
After indecisiOn that threatened 10 be end
less. he turned at length through the swinging
doors a rather
rant. Only once before in his life had he dined
at a big London restaurants Railway Hotel
Passing with some hesitation through the
gaudy cafe where a number OF foreigners sat
drinking at little marble tables he entered the
main diningroOm, long lofty and already
thrOnged. Here the light and noise and move
ment daZed him considerably, and for the lie
OF him he could not decide upon a table. Inc
people all looked 50 prosperous and important;
the walters so like gentlemen in evening dress
the kind that came to the philanthropists
table. The roar OF voices eating, knives and
forks rose about him and flied him with a
certain dismay- 1t was all rather overwhelm-
ing.
he muTmured but still" And again he
fingered his money to gain confidence
The choice Of a table intimidating, for
he was absurdly retiring was Virgins; more
at home with papers aud the reports of philan-
thrOpic societies; his holidays spent In board
ing house at WOrthing with his sister and her
invalid husband Then relief came in the form
Of a sub-headwaiter who, spying his helpless
ness, inquired with bland grandeur or manner
# he looked perhaps for some one?"
"Oh, table thanks. only a table"
The man. washing his hands in mid-air, swept
down the crowded aisles and found one with
out the least difficulty. II emerged from no
where so easily that Virgins felt he had been
fool not to discover it alone. He wondered II
he ought TO tip the man half a dollar now or
later, but. before he could decide, another oc-
cupied his place bland and smiling with black
eyes and plush-like hair, bending low before
him and holding out a large pink programme.
He examined It. feeling that he ought to
order dishes with Outlandish names just to
show that he knew his way about. Before he
could steady his eve upon a single line, how
ever, third waiter very youthful suggested
in broken English that Virgins should leave
his hat. coat and umbrella elsewhere. This he
did willingly. though without grace dispatch,
for the yellow gloves stuck ridicuously to his
hands. Then he sat down and turned TO the
menu again.
Il was a very ordinary restaurant really in
spite OF the vast height OF the gilded ceiling,
the scale OF its sham magnifcence and the
excessive glitter of its hundred lights. The
menu disguised by various expensive and
recherche dishes (Which when ordered were
Invariably found TO be orr. even
ordinary than the hall. But to the dazed Wig
gins the words looked like a series of death.
sentences printed in different languages, but
all meaning the same thing: order We-OT die!
That waiter standing over him the execu-
toner. Unless he speedily ordered something
really worth the prOprietOrs while TO provide,
the headwaiter would be summoned and he
Virgins. would be beheaded Those stars
against certain cheap dishes meant that they
could only be ordered by privileged persons
and thOIe crosses
This is rQirV nice this evening sir. said
the waiter. suddenly bending and pointing with
dirty finger TO dish that Virgins found
buried In a list uncOmmOnly like Voluntary
Subscriptions" IN his reports 1t entitled
Lancashire HOtPot lie leaped at IT.
Yes. thanks. thatl do then-ior tonight
he said and the waiter ambled away indifer
entity. looking all around the room in search
Of sympathy.
BY degrees however. the other recovered his
self.possession. and realized that TO spend his
legacy on mere HotPot was 10 admit he knew
not the values OF life He called TIE plush
headed waiter back and with rush Of words
ordered some oysters soup, a fred sole and
q half a partridge TO follow.
Then re 'Ot-Pot sir?" querieJ the man. with
respect.
"Iu see about that later"
For he was already wondering what he
should drink knowing nothing OF wines and
vintages At luncheon with the phpanthroplst
he sometimes had a glass OF sherry: at Worth
ing with his sister he drank beer. But now he
wanted something really good. something gen
ANH