A Daughter of Delilah — page 56: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“LOVE THAT HATH US IN THE NET?” 47 am not the Edward Hawley who was nursed in the lap of New York’s select! Iam obliterated, and the business of life is before me.”’ He groaned. ‘The business of life! A unit in the mad throng, who had no answer to the savage questioning glances as to his right among them! What was his business? He had none! ‘““‘What are you doing?’’ demanded Edgar Alston, sus- piciously. ‘‘I have a right to know—the right of a life-long friendship. ’’ ‘‘Nothing—yet!’’ ‘¢And what do you intend doing?’’ ‘I don’t know,’’ was the broken rejoinder. ‘Don’t torture me, Edgar.”’ Alston was silent. He realized his friend’s position far more acutely than if a volume of words had been ex- changed. “My father——’’ he began, but Hawley interrupted him. “T will have no man’s pity or patronage. You under- stand me? Why should I occupy a post, and be paid to be a stumbling-block and a nuisance because Iam pitied? I will not have it! I must feel that I am doing honest work —thatI am giving a fair equivalent for whatever I re- ceive. I have a slight thread of hope. I have this morning called upon a sign-painter—a man who makes a specialty of pictorial advertisements in oils, and he has promised to give mea trial. Iam fairly clever with the brush, as far as mediocrity goes.’’ “Good Heaven!’ ejaculated Alston. ‘‘Has it come to this?’’ | “Yes, it has come to this. I have to support my mother. ”’ Eomichbookssco