The Tupelo journal., 1916-11-10

But the offer was not to Johns lik-
ing. 1t Savored too much of the very
inquiry which vas torturing his soul,
and he knew from sad experience that
he had been an abject failure as a
philanthropist. The missionary prom
Used to give his case some consider
alton on the morrow.
Brother Billy rendered his new
friend an immediate service by direct
ing him to a lodging slightly superior
in quality to any place which Burton
might have found otherwise. 1t had
been erected as a studio building, but
an Industrial wave had submerged the
district, and art is a tender flower
which seldom thrives in such cOndi-
tons.
Still, the muses. had not wholly de-
parted, as John learned while bar
gaining with the %janitor for a sparse
ly furnished room A pretty girl
passed on the landing. She was carry
ing a bottle of milk and a box of
crackers, and John was vastly sur
priSed by noting the way in which
the man scoWled after her.
81 don't mind a chap like you bein'
a few days shy with the rent" came
the janitor's prompt explanation. You
can always make good after a weeks
work, but who's gOin' to buy little
images of soft clay, the same as she
turns out?" and with a jerk of the
head indicated the r%etreating figure.
"Why, h can't even raise the wind
to buy a block of stone. I'll go and
fire her right away"
John had caught a glimpse of a
sweet face, with big, artistic eyes Of
myosotis blue; eyes of that wonderful
tint which becomes a deep and ten
der violet when shaded, and wished
that he dared intercede in the de-
faulter's behalf.
The weather being warm, he left
the door ajar and soon became aware
that a somewhat lively crew occupied
a suite on the same landing. The
%janitor's heavy footsteps sounded or
the stairs. Apparently he had gone
straight to the girls apartment, and
John guessed, quite accurately as it
happened, that a gruff warning had
been given and te~arfully received.
Seemingly a similar errand was i'm
minent for the noisy, laughing young
fellows whose chatter reached John
clearly through the open door.
Indeed, he heard the man say loud
ly:
I'm bringing you fellers a final no
tice. You're three weeks behind now,
and if l amt paid tomorrow"
"Hush.'' gurgled a rich, futelike
voice. Don't utter another word, and
IN show You where We keep the
demon"
Johns curiosity was aroused. He
rose and went to the door. and saw
Il very tall and phenomenaly thin
young man leading the janitor into
the opposite llat. The uncouth Irish
man was somewhat startled by that
word demon and his guides sat
urnine air was m~ystifying. At any
rate, he was Silcnced for the moment
and suffered himself to be taken
across the room towards a cabinet
which the tall young man suddenly
threw open.
The %janitOr stepped back a pace,
evidently expecting to see something
uncanny, but his fascinated eyes mere
ly rested on Il few glasses and a big
black bottle labeled 1.-THE Demon
Rum"
A ribald yell from some unseen
spectators greeted his surprise. But
the Irishman took the situation and
the rum good humoredly, and went
u without delivering the ultimatum.
John could not help ~overhearing what
followed. He became aware that the
lanky person flourished a f~ive-dollar
bill, the sight of which evidently in
duced a momentary stupefaction in
his friends.
"Tell you what, boys" chortled the
youngster, well celebrate tonight.
I've actually disposed Of a master
piece"
Bring Mary" shouted someone.
"She's as hard up as we are"
The suggestion was acted on in
stantly, and John knew that a pro-
testing but laughing girl was being
dragged forcibly downstairs. But the
brotherhood of the arts did not end
there. He heard the tall young man
saying:
''That's four of us. We want a fifth,
since there's luck in odd numbers, as
witness the five in this bill. There's a
new ledger across the way. Perhaps
he's hungry, too"
Thus it came about that John found
himself in Bohemia, and was 500
shaking hands with Mary Ames, sculp-
tress; Reggie Burke, cartoonist Tom
Delaney, writer, and Charlie Pierce,
musician.
The three men had been dubbed