The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-07-23
John AinSlEX
W 3M aSteK Ihfef
s) Copyright 1904: NEA Service Inc :
TNhR CNullb tO& 0hnNeeWed MefN
Copyright 1914. NE

II took the five dollars that Vein
berg offered and went out.
The midwinter air had grown
chillier with. the later hours.
shuddcred as 1, stepped from the
close atmosphere of the pawnshop
upon the sidewalk.
! l had promised Mrs. Cannon her
money within an hour. I. could keep
my promise And still have time be-
fore paying her, in which to satisfy
my anguished stomach. walked
up Sixth Avenue toward mean lit
| tie restaurant where could dine
cheaply.
was as near to an animal as it is
possible for man to be. My whole
being was concentrated on the effort
to conserve my energies so that
would not collapse before reaching
the restaurant. SO, when man laid
hand on my shoulder, hating my
feeble progress, l turned on him
with snarl. I was at the door of
the place where l planned to satisfy
my hunger, and delay maddcncd
me.
LET go!" l cried.
| recognized my gentleman of the
fur collar at once. He stepped slight
ly back. then smiled ingratiatingly.
Take it easy son." he said. 81
want to talk to you"
| shook my head; the effort of
speech was too much; l moved again
toward the restaurant door. He
stopped me once more
"Wait, son." he commanded "You
want to be careful; you might kill
yourself ovcreating. Come along
with me, and I'll fix you up"
1t was bad enough that Mrs. Gan
non and the pawnbroker should
know my abject poverty; it was
shameful enough that l myself
should know Of my starvation; but
it was worse that a man whom | had
never seen, until twenty minutes
ago, should accost me thus and ven
ture lmpertincnt soicitude. For no
matter how kindly he may have |
meant it, | considered it an unwar-
rantcd intrusion into affairs strictly |
my own. Moreover, he had struck
at more than my pride; he was inter
fering with the qualification of my
appetite. AS | have said, ] had be-
come animallike. Reason had de-
parted from me; | was governed by
my belly, not by my mind. SO like
any animal baked of his food, |
struck at him.
Had / not known how weak priva-
ton had made me, ! would have
learned it then. For he avoided my
blow with ease. Exhausted by my
effort, | pitched forward and would
have fallen to the ground had he not
caught me. The next few minutes
were blurred. | dimly saw him sig
nal the driver of closed motorcar.
felt myself being assisted into the
machine; / made no effort to resist.
think / must have fallen into
stupor, for the next thing that | re-
mem5ered I found myself citing in
a huge armchair. Some one was
holding a spoon to my lips, and l
was drinking greedily of hot soup.
A few spoonsfuls must have rcviv-
cd me. l sat up. pushed the spoon
away and reached for the bowl from
which the fur collared gentleman
ne had DOTTED his overcoat now--was
feeding me. He did not resist and
lifted the bowl to my mouth. 1t re-
'ived me, yet merely sharpencd my
.raving for solid food.
Ny bencfactor-;,t the moment
him such smiled. There
vas neither mirth nor kindness pos
ible to those thin lips, but there was
4 certain bleak fricndliness.
"Feel better" he asked.
He knew my condition and l did
lot pretend to hide it,
He smiled 4, again., "Wait min
tie; let that soup get settled; then
veil see what you can do to a chop
/ tried to- return his smile. "I'll do
more things to it, than you can
.uess." l told him.
He glanced over his shoulder at
he opened door leading to the next
Dom. He called question, and a
nan-scrvant, correctly dressed, APP.
feared. He announced that dinner
vas served.
My host looked at me. "Can you !
make it," he asked.
watch me, | replied.