The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-13
THE ROMAN BATH * By '9:H :2:Ez:=EE! E 5&=EE! RIGHT

of brick covered with cement. At the point where the water from the Holywen Spring flowed in, Ralph could see the old Roman pavement. The water in the bath was clear, but 1t was dark and cold looking.
 As Ralph stood at the edge, re- 1uctant to spring in. he saw the young Englishman dart from his dressing room like a graceful spirit and make a beautiful dive into the pool. His slender body made no splash, but entered the water like R light, refracting as he swan a stroke under water.
 In a trice his face appeared above the surface, with no ripple or dis turbance of the water.
 T feel better already. he called out. T passed such a terrible night, almost as bad as poor Clar- ence's- How miserable | was last night when l lay downI I need not go into detail. A loss of prop erty: a sudden misfortune had up- set my hopes of career and of happiness.
 It was difficult to believe that night, so long to me, could be short for any one else. This consfdera- tion set me thinking, and thinking of an imaginary party where peo- pie were dancing the hours away | until that became a dream too, and I heard the music necessarily play l ing one tune, and saw Dora incee- sanity dancing one dance without taking the least notice of me" T too dreamed the night | through" thought Ralph. And am I dreaming now?"
 'I dreamed of poverty in an sorts of shapes. I seemed to dream with out the previous ceremony of going to sleep. Now was ragged, now ran out of my office in a night gown and boots. now I was hun grtly picking up the crumbs of poor mans scanty bread, and, still | more or less conscious of my own room, I was always tossing about like a distressed ship in a sea of 1 bedclothes. But come. my friend, plunge in, for if you passed any such night as mine, the clear cold ! water of Ho1ywell Spring has mar l vellous healing properties, and it will freshen your wits for whatever the day may bring for them to DUE gle over''
 As he spoke he drew himself up
 on the opposite side of the bath from Ralph. and watched the latter as he took a clumsy header, his
 body striking the water fiat, and
 sending great sp1ashes over the room. When Ralph, recovering | from his rude entrance into the
 water. looked for the other bather. | he was gone. The cold water did
 not invite a protracted immersion,
 so Ralph scrambled hastily out of 1 it, and after a rub with a harsh l towel, put on his clothes: then he
 noticed that the door of the
 strangers cubicle was open; he looked into 1t to say good-by to his | chance acquaintances, but 1t was empty, and in the corner he saw | the Ma12cca cane with the gold head. He picked 1t up and care | fully examined it; the head was of l gold in the form of a face, eyes
 wide open, spectac1es turned up on l the forehead.
 Great Caesars gf1ost!" sx-
 claimed Ralph, "O1d Marley!"
 The attendant just then appeared, Ralph handed him the cane, says
 ing: T found this cane in the otheH | gentleman'S dressing-room." The attendant stared at him and said grufffIy:
 None of your 1arks, sir; there wasn't no other gentleman, and
 that's no cane; it's my cleaning mop 1 that get under the seats with"