The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-07-23
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and breeding, whose war wounds
left him unfit for manual labor, re
turns hungry to his shabby lodging
house.
His landlady confronts him with ;
demand for the weeks rent-one
dollar. Being gentleman born
Ainsley is Inundated at being un
able to pay her on the instant. He
asks her for an hour of grace. He
decides to pawn an ivory miniature
of shis mother-the last of his pos
sessions-in order to wipe away the
debt and to get food for himself.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
saw myself, before l had oppor-
tunlty to prove those undeveloped
gifts, entering the French hospital
service at the outbreak of the great
war. l saw myself later, transfer
ring to the army, which later deco
rated me for valor. And then 1 saw
the months that followed the war.
wounded in the last battle before the
Armistice, was discharged, as
cured. six months later. Illness de-
vcloped, and the last of my fathers
estate went to pay my hospital bills.
l saw myself seeking work. re-
membered the sudden horror that
swept over me when discovered
that / was incompetent. was a
dilettante and the world refuses to
pay the amateur. knew no trade,
no profession. The only thing that
l could do better than most people
was the performance of certain
tricks in sleight- of-hand. That was
because few people practiced parlor
magic.
l had in me a streak of stubborn
ness, that l called pride, that for
bade me to trade upon my fathers
friendships. Like all youths who
have been brought up with the idea
that there will always be enough
money available for their wants,
was conceited. l thought that sue
cess was an easy matter.
l will not recount all the visions
that passed before me as l looked at
the miniature. Suffice it, that with
times hard, got no work. And when
finally had swallowed my pride and
was willing to work as a common
manual laborer, illness and priva-
ton had Slapped my strength l had
moved from the best hotel in New
York to as shabby rooming- house
as the city held. And now my land
lady threatened ME with eviction
Well, could at least assure
myself another week of shelter.
After that refused to hontem-
plate what would follow after the
proceeds of my transaction with
the pawnbroker were gone.
l had not eaten for forty-eightt
hours. Before that had eaten
scahtily, not more than once a day !.
for six months. As a sandwich man,
as an errand man when i could get !;
4 job, as guardian of motorcars
parked on the city streets, had
managed to pick up enough added to
he results Of frequent trips to the
'awnshop, to pay my small rental,
md buy myself an occasional meal.
But for the last two days had
armed nothing. And l was too proud
o beg. Today was starving.
/ recognized that fact at lest
starvation! That, unless l yielded
o the impulse Of self-destruction,j
vas my inevitable end. The battle
vas over, even though l might post
zone surrender for a few hours
onger. l, born and bred in luxury,
in the best university in
america, a connoisseur Of the fine
rts, would die in blacklist poverty!
md probably the only person to
lourn would be little Peter Cannon
he landlady's son, whom l had fire.
uently amused with tricks of leger-
emain. "
At least, though, I would die ow-
ng nothing. So I rose, putting the
miniature in my pocket, and I'M.
teadily descended the stairs to the
treet. l walked uptown to Wash
'gton Square, then crossed to Sixth
venue.
The oily gentleman with hard
lack eyes, with whom l had had SOL
any little transactions in the past,
'oked up as the bell on the door
lngled at my entrance. 1t was an
establishment that he
IN. l never was compelled to meet
lrious eyes. r.'@t
But this evening he was engaged
e leaned across the counter whis-
,ring to client who also looked up
my arrival. He looked away again
Witty, but not before had time to
lin an impression of shrewd eyes, a
't-trap mouth, diamond shirt
I'D. rich fur collar and general
mosphere of money. wondered
guely why one so apparently pros
'rous should be dickering with a 4
lwnbroker.
As | waited for my friend Vein i
rig to finish with the other man n
ID attend to me, somehow seemed
sense that, whatever had been
e subject of their conversation be-
re my entrance, their talk now Il
ncerned me. The fur-collared gem II
IMAM glanced over his shoulder at \
>, not once but two or three times,
d seemed to be putting questions
the paWnbrOker.
Then Weinberg's visitor, turning
collar up so that his flashy shirt i
I'D was hidden, nodded abruptly to
. proprietor and walked out of the
op. His hard eyes searched my1
20 as he passed. However, he did
t pause, and promptly forgot him
der stress of my negotiations with
had done too much business with
. pawnbfoker for him to believed
1t there was ally remote chance of
: redeeming the goods which L
dyed with him. / had every rea-
to believe that he took advantage
my property; vet /, was 500 proud
. open negotiations elsewhere. =
!, did not hassle. l asked for ten