eatric gold. I looked down upon it, dreaming of my
future fame, my great poetic and literary career ... my plays that would
some day be announced down there, in great shining sign-letters.

* * * * *

The sound of an employee's beating with a heavy stick, from door to iron
door, to wake up all the Mills Hotel patrons, bestirred me at an early
hour.

* * * * *

I meditated my next move, and now resolved on another try at community
life.... The Eos Artwork Studios, founded in the little New York State
town of Eos, by the celebrated eccentric author and lecturer, Roderick
Spalton.

I was in such impatience to reach Eos that I did not cross over to
Haberford, to drop in on my father. I feared also that my leaving school
the second time, "under a cloud," would not win me an enthusiastic
welcome from him.

* * * * *

By nightfall I was well on my way to Eos, sitting in an empty box-car. I
had with me my new clothes--which I wore--and my suitcase, a foolish way
to tramp. But I thought I might as well appear before Roderick Spalton
with a little more "presence" than usual. For I intended spending some
time in his community.

Characteristically, I had gone to the office of the _Independent_, had
not found the editor in, that morning, and had chafed at the idea of
waiting till the afternoon, when I might have had a fruitful talk with a
man who was interested in the one real thing in my life--my poetry.

* * * * *

I reached Rochester safely. It was on the stretch to Buffalo that I paid
dearly for being well-dressed and carrying a suitcase ... as I lay
asleep on the floor of the box-car I was set upon by three tramps, who
pinioned my arms and legs before I was even fully awake. I was forced to
strip off my clothes, after wrestling and fighting as hard as I could. I
floated off into the stars from a blow on the head....

When I came to, I was trembling violently both with cold and from the
nervous shock. My assailants had made off with my suitcase ... I was in
nothing but my B.V.D.'s and shirt. Even my Keats had been stolen. But
beside me I found the ragged, cast-off suit of one of the tramps ... and
my razor, which had dropped out of my coat pocket, while the tramp had
changed clothes, and not been noticed. Gingerly, I put on the ragged
suit....

* * * * *

I st