Jewel Weed

an Early, now that the last of his guests had withdrawn the silken wonder of her

s that it seemed, according to the engaging pictures and verses in the street-cars, to simplify most of the sterner problems of every-day life. As its lineaments began to stare at passers-by from thousands of huge bill-boards over the length and breadth of the land, dimes turned to dollars in Mr. Early's ever-widening pockets, and f

He yearned for fame, not for his product, but for himself, and the same ability that led him to serve the wants of the public in hooks now drove him to study its social demands. Like many another unfortunate, he began to perceive that dollars alone were n

hose purse was, so to speak, regilded by mind. He spent six months of hard work as a student of the situation and then he made his début. He selected a few gems of half-forgotten eighteenth century literature-gems that deserved to be given life-preservers on that stream of oblivion into which they were too surely being sucked. Thes

casions when one must make a small gift to a friend. Scarce a center-table in the country but held at least one. The beauty of it was that the

hic forms were commingled with forms that never man saw before; and these also took. So the cir

to say. He grew a peculiar ability for self-glorification and for slugging the other man. Particularly caustic did his pen become in respect to those, whether painters, musicians, poets, novelists or reformers, who had endeared themselves to the great mass of the public. The Aspirant always called the public "the rabble," and you can't damn hum

him. The great ones came to St. Etienne. They ate and drank and were exhibited to an admiring throng. They gave lectures, introduced from the platform by Mr. Sebastian Early; they went away and The Aspirant chronicled their satellite excellences. No

gentleman frequently blessed himself in private that his first commodity had been put upon the market as the "Imperial,"

more money. To get it he kept his hand in many a business enterprise and his eye on many a speculation of which the gaping world did not dream. Even his right-hand editorial writer knew not of his left-handed dip into an electric light company here or a paving contract there, for his left hand had assistants too,-quiet, un

felt justly proud, was in his usual element when he introduced to the society, in which he was now a fixed star, a light from the Far East. And

urban proved himself to be the best of table companions, suave, courteous and sympathetic. He seemed even to take a kindly interest in such matters of a day as Mr. Early's incurs

e, all mystery. As Sebastian studied his companion, he told himself that this simple creature was after all a man, perhaps adapt

ng a novel thought. "With your gift for expression, and your-ah-i

tention," sa

aken aback, but brightened

of the house all to yourself. That gives you perfect solitude. I should be delighted to have you for my guest

elf-vigorous, and needs no

red cheerfully. "But one may boost i

ked up, his spiritual eyes were narrowed to a speculative slit, and

ee some of the brothers of my soul. I must saturate myself with repose and with the underlying-with Karma. Also, in this too-vigorous country, that is unattainable. But here, in this place, one who is filled with the message might give it for

He was thinking how well a picturesque cut of the Hindu's head would lo

i smiled

arther one of these rooms is bare and but slightly furnished, though my bedroom is sumptuous like that of a maha-rajah. Still the bare small room pleases me best. If I might have this room when I come again! If I might keep the bare room sacred to my meditations, all unentered save by myself! It means to me much that no alien min

nking that a guest who spent most of his time alone in an

u bid me write and instruct in the sacred truths. That will I do when I come again; and my consolation shall be t

help it, spent a half-hour in either

tainly, c

rn, noble friend. And now I will

ntal surveyed the quarters which were one day to be his. The Swami strode at once across the bedroom, across the little passage that opened into the garden, into the unused room beyond. Here with a swift thrust he turned on the electric light, then moved from window to window, opened them,

uate," he muttered with a frown

ut out the light, stepped to the gard

should he have been listening, could have heard no wa

una peeped into the luxurious

ge hands folded over his stomach, and large eyes narrowed, while a kindly smile spread over his face, and his head nodded at rhythmic intervals, fo