Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-17

| out Mrs. Heath.
Got a job," he announced trium
phantly A rare smile lit up her war
face.
I'm glad" she said simply.
1--WE got to live in" Bliss explained
but OF course, I'll pay you full
weeks rent instead Of notice. But
wanted to know whether I could take
my things away, and bring you the
| money next Saturday or Sunday
Theirs no weeks rent for you tc
/ pay, Lor nothing of the Sort" Mrs
Heath declared warmly. II can lei
your room in five minutes, although
I'm sorry you're going. Mr.. Bliss. Can
/ help you put your things together
sir?"
ut isn't five minutes job" Bliss
assured her. holding out his hand
Goodbye. Mrs. Heath. You've been
quite a friend to me. l shan't forget
Very likely l shall be back soon."
There's always your room, sir,
when it's convenient she promised.
Bliss packed his few belongings and
returned to Poplar. The house and
shop were still in darkness.
He climbed up into the loft where
he was supposed to sleep. and by the
light of candle looked around him.
The uninviting-looking bed, the alb
sence of any washing utensils, the
torn and filthy piece of linoleum upon
the floor, its only covering sickened
him.
He turned out again into the streets.
For an hour or so he wandered aim
lessly about. He seemed, just for that
one evening at any rate, to have lost
all consciousness of his own identity;
to have become. indeed, one Of the
waits and toilers with whom he rub
bed shoulders all the time.
He felt the attraction Of the gaily-
lit public houses, with their sugges.
ton of warmth within. The boisterous
gan girls he met, walking arm-in-arn.
past the picture palaces, even stirred
In him some faint desire for adven.
ture.
He lost himself in the crowded
thoroughfares where he hardly heard
a word of English; where sallow-faced
STOPPING men passed by like yoke
bearing animals, talking Yiddish or
Russian; where the women leered at
him from dark, mysterious side
streets, grimly fascinating in their
suggestion of crime and mystery.
He felt the thrall Of alien London;
something of the terror Of it crept in.
to his blood He seemed to be among
a race beaten in a futile struggle to-
ward humanity, beaten back into the
semblance Of the animal
Even his miserable stable seemed
like a refuge. when at last he crept
back to it and munched the food
which he had bought. That night he
found no consolation, even. in the
thought Of the freedom which must,
some day, be his.
Overanxious not to be late, it was
only little after three o'clock when
Bliss, after that long drive through
the emptying streets Of London. took
up his appointed place in Covent Gar
den market.
The darkness was unbroken; the
lamps Of the city We're still throwing
their lights onto the low-hanging
clouds.
Only once had Bliss smiled since
the wretched moment when he had
struggled into his clothes and with
blue fingers harnessed the pony, and
that was when. seated upon the troll
ley. he had driven his stran ge-looking
aquipage down Gracechurch street,
past the premises Of his ck-brokers
whose strong Golfers were laden with
MS securities; past the Office Of his
solicitors, where black box after black
box with his name upon it lined the
shelves.
The depression of last night. how
ever, still fingered The sense of ad-
venture which had sustained him at
first had become curionsly dormant.
The sordidness of poverty had caught
him for the once, in its tolls.
He fastened the pony to weight
by one of the reins, and, crossing the
street drank a cup of coffee at stall
The coffee was hot and strong and
refreshing. Something
like new life crept through his frozen
veins.
He stopped to listen From afar
came the sound of music.
"ThereIl be some Of them swells
round presently" the stallkeeper re.
marked. There's one or two of EN-
never miss. ball nights, coming to
ave cup of my coffee.
as it a fancy ball tonight Bliss
asked.
The man nodded.
They've been going up yonder in
streams" he declared. "All at a
guinea at a time, too. Ny word!
There's money about If only one
one could get hold of it."
Bliss wandered back to his stand
Some vans were unloading round his
.rolley. One of the men who recog-
nized the pony spoke to him.
You'll be from old man Motifs"
ne remarked. What's the good of
coming here at this hour?"
Am too early?" Bliss asked
AYE full hour" the man replied.
we amt got the stuff off yet"
Bliss strolled away once more. He
illed his latest purchase. a shilling
pipe, with the remnants Of pouch OF
and. lighting 1t, wandered
through the shadowy streets and mys-
:erious allies, region which seemed
,1wayc full NJ cfraOpe noscihi1ifieS