South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-02-27

Breakfast IN Coralio was at Il.
Therefore the people did not go to
market early. The little wooden
market- house stood on q patch of
short-tiimmcd grass. under the vivid
green foliage OF a bread fruit tree.
Thither ore morning the vendors
leisur ely corvzned. bringing their
wares with them. a porch or plat
form six feet wide encircled the
building. shaded from the mid-m0rn-
ing sun by the projecting grass
matched roof Upon this platform
the vendors were wont TO display
their goods-newly-kiilc beef. fish.
crabs. fruit OF the country. sacava,
eggs, dulces and high. tottering
stacks Of native tortillas as large
around as the sombrero OF Span
ish grandee.
But on this morning they whose
stations lay on the seward side OF
the market-hogse. instead of spread
ing their merchandise formed them
selves into a softly jabbering and
gesiiculatlng group. For there upon
their space OF the platform was
sprawled. asleep. the unbeautiful
figure OF "Beelbebub" Blythe. He las
upon a ragged strip OF cocoa mat
ting. more than ever n fallen angc
in appearance His suit OF coarse
flax. soiled. bursting az the seams
crumpled into thousand diversl-
fed wrinkles and ereasvs. incloseG
ren-
effigy that had been stuffed IN sport
and thrown there after indignity had
been wrought upon IL But firmly.
upon the high bridge Of his nose re-
posed his gold-rimmcd glasses. the
surviving badge Of his ancient glory.
The suns rays. rejecting CULVER
inEly from the ripping sea upon his
face. and the voices OF the market
men woke "Beelzebub" Blythe. He
sat Up. blinking. and leaned his back
against the wall OF the market.
Drawing n hlighted silk handker-.
chief from his pocket. he assiduously
rubbed and Furnished his glasses
And while doing this he became
aware that bis bedroom had been in
vaded. and tAat polite brown and
yellow men were beseeching him 10
Vacate ia favor Of their market stuff.
II the .sonorl would have the good
ness-a thousand pardons for bring
ing to him molestation-but soon
would come the cOmpre dores for the
days provisions-surely they had
ten thousand regrets at disturbing
him.
In this manner they expanded 20
him the intimation that he must
clear out and cease 10 clog the
wheels OF trade.
Blythe stepped from the platform
with the air OF a prince leaving his
canOpisd couch. He never quite lost
that air, even at the lowest point of
his fall. II is clear that the college
OF good breeding does not necessar-
lily maintain a chair Of morals within
its wills
Blythe shook out his wry cloth
ing. and moved slowly up the Gale
Grande through the hot sand. He
moved without a destination in his
mind. The little town was languidly
stirring 10 its daily life. Golden
skinned babies tumbled over one an
other in the grass. The sea breeze
brought him appetite. but nothing
10 satisfy IL. Throughout Coralio
were It's morning odors-those from
the heavily fragrant tropical flow
ers and from the bread baking In the
outdoor ovens OF clay and the per-
vading smoke OF their fires Where
the smoke cleared. the crystal air.
with some OF the efficacy OF faith.
seemed to remove the mountains al
most 10 the sea, bringing them so
near that one might count the scar
red glades on their wooded sides
The light-fOoted Caribs were swiftly
gliding 20 their tasks at the water
side. Already along the bosky trails
from the banana groves files of
horses we're slowly moving. conceal
ed, except for their nodding heads
and plodding legs. by the punches of
gTeen-gOlden fruit heaped upon their
backs. on doorsills sat women
combing their long, black hair and
calling. one 10 another across the
narrow thoroughfares. Peace reign
ed in COralio-arid and bald peace;
but still peace.
On that bright morning when ma
ture seemed 10 be offering the lotus
on the dawn's golden platter "Beel-
zebuh" Blythe had reached rock
bottom. Further descent seemed I'M
possible. That last nights slumher
in a public place had done for him.
AS long as he had had a roof 10
cover him there had remained. un-
bridged. the space that separates a
gentleman from the beasts OF the
jungle and the fowls OF the air. But
now he was little more than whim-
pering oyster led 10 be devoured on
the sands OF a southern sea by the
artful walrus. circumstance. and the
tmplacable carpenter, fate.
TO Blythe money was now but a
memory. He drained his friends OF