The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-09-04

languished plane-tree and some lilac
bushes of rather wan and sickly appear
ance. In the rooms above, / was given
to understand, the brothers Reklam re-
sided, still among stores OF treasures
similar to those crowding the shop be-
low.
Aaron Reklam did not quit me until
/ had pledged myself to become the
tenant of the vacant first floor. What
moved me to this step l do not even
now clearly understand. 1t was true
that was at the time under notice to
quit the lodgings l had occupied dur
ing some years. The house was to be
pulled down, so that new street might
be constructed, or some other metro
carried into effect. For this purpose
an act of Parliament had been obtained,
and all due forms observed. And was
in a sluggish sort of way-for there was
no special need for haste had still
some weeks before me-looking out for
lodgings. Still, as 1 have said, en-
gagged to be the occupant of the apart
ments.
Next day, repenting of the bargain, /
entered the shop again, resolved to ex-
cuse myself, and now, for the first time,
saw Nathan, the elder brother, who re-
ceived me with all politeness. To get
off was impossible ; besides L saw that
the rooms had their advantages. In
short, | took possession of them, trust
ing to have some degree of comfort.
After day or two's experience, had
nothing to complain of but n certain
Il Df IL
vaded the dwelling. One or other of
the brothers was often hanging about,
as if listening or making observations !;
and occasionally there were loud and
unpleasant quarrels in an unknown
tongue, which, for anything l knew,
might be Hebrew or Polish.
They were certainly strange people
l had got amongst. At times Imedita-
ted running away; but such step would
have involved forfeiture of all my goods.
L therefore held on. Some months had
passed in this fashion there had been
no change in the situation of affairs,
and 1 had added little to my stock of
observations concerning the Brothers
Reklam, their proceedings and ways of
life, except in this respect: | had not
failed to note that all their collection of
treasures, Notwithstanding their bust
still. They were tradesmen apparently
possessed of an abundance of wares,
but they really traded in nothing. No
customers ever entered the shop or if
they did it was only to quit it again
rapidly, without any sale or purchase
having been effected. Sometimes, in
deed, the shutters remained closed for
days together.
Another thing / remarked, too, was
the late hours they kept. They were
seldom absent from the house, and they
never, so far as | could ascertain, re-
ceived any visitors. Yet they seemed
to be moved by an extreme repugnance
to retire to rest At all times of the
night / could hear them stirring in the
house, restless in the shop, or passing
up or down the staircase, or pacing to
and fro the floors above me. Their
kind, as though they were seeking to
make as little noise as possible; it
might be out of consideration for my
comfort. But now and then their dis
position to quarrel asserted itself
The domestic arrangements were by
no means effective, but they answered
my moderate wants. There was no
regular female servant-only sort of
charwoman, who came in the morn
ing to prepare breakfast, and again APP
peared for g short time at night. This
suited tolerably well, for l did not dine
in the house. ODD Jobs and errands
were executed by small Jewish boy.
The disappearance of this little fellow
was the first thing that struck me with
surprise. Then, / had fresh cause for
establishment in seeing that the shop
shutters were now very seldom re-
moved. My landlords mad, as it seemed,
abandoned all attempt to carry on pub
licly their trade as dealers i'll antiqui-
ties and curiosities. But they watched
me, / felt persuaded, more closely than
ever. was conscious that my resi-
dence under their roof was becoming
more and more painful and unendur-
able.
The summer time had arrived, and
for some days the weather was insuffer-
ably sultry. 1 could scarcely breathe
in my murky, oppressive apartments.
The nodded ceiling and the parched
walls seemed now to absorb all the air
as well as all the light.
/ was sitting in the third room at the
back of my bedroom, / remember,
which was comparatively cooler than
the others. for it was not subject to
the fierce glare of the afternoon sun, as
they were. 1t was night very still,
airless, summer night. The moon was
shining through sultry mist. / was
smoking cigar. l had abandoned
article after article of dress, and was
certainly in an unattired condition.
But clothes were not to be borne
in such weather.
In quest of more air, / had stepped
from my window on to the leads beneath
the roof of Messrs. Reklam's back
shop. The plane-tree and the lilac
bushes, looking more pallid than ever
as the moonlight blanched their leaves,
were on my left hand. Before me was
the raised skylight of the shop below,
the dusty panes Redeemed by the gleam-
ing of light burning beneath. Scarcely
thinking what of what l did, as /
smoked, / leaned over the sky-light and
endeavored to peer through its glass. /
could discern, but only in a vague sort
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