The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-23
KPaVnbroFing Inoidsnf.

of London, i have hsd occasion 20 see pain
full. and sometimes not unpleasing phases
of society. Just 70 give an idea OF what
occasionaily comes under the notice OF per-
sons in my profession, shall describe .
little incident and its consequences. One
evening I stepped to the door for little
fresh air and to look about me for mo-
ment. While / was gazing up and down
the road saw tidily-dressed young per-
son step up to our side door. She walked
like lady-and let me tell you that in
nine cases out Of ten it's the walk, and not
the dress, which distinguishes the lady
from the servant-girl-and FIRST she looked
about. and then she seemed to make up
her mind in o Hurried sort of way, and
in a moment more was standing at the
counter, holding out glittering something
in little trembling hand covered with a
worn kid glove.
My assistant, Isaacs. was stepping for.
ward to take the seal, when l came In and
interposed. The poor young thing was SO
nervous and shy, and altogether so unused
to this work that felt for her Is if she
had been my own daughter almost. She
couldn't have been above Is years old
too frail and gentle creature.
''If you please, will you tell me" she
said timidly, in very sweet. low voice,
trembling with nervousness, what is the
value of this seal?"
"Well, MISS" said, taking the seal in
to my hand and looking at tit was an
old-fashioned seal, such as country gentle
men used to wear, with coat OF arms cut
upon it-"that depends upon whether you
want to pledge it, or sell it outright"
az am married sir" and she said the
words proudly and with dignity, though
still 80 shy, and seeming ready to burst
out crying; land my husband is very ILL
and-and' And then the tears wouldn't
be kept back any longer, and she sobbed
as if her poor little heart would break.
'There, there, my DEAR" said to her:
don't cry: it will all come out right in
time" and l tried to comfort her in my
own rough-and-ready way. Il will lend
you, NAM" said to her at last, "a SOW
ereign upon this seal; and if you wish to
sell it, perhaps may be able to sell it fol
you to advantage" And so l gave her 9
pound: it was more than the thing was
worth as pledge, and she tripped away
with lighter heart, and many thanks t
me, and thought no more Of the matter
at the time. :,
The very next day, the day before
Christmas, there came into our place o.
business very eccentric gentleman, whC
had called upon us pretty often before, no
for the sake of paNning anything. though
he was generally dressed shabby enough
too, But he was collector-one OF thos'
men who are mad upon old china and curl
osities of all sorts.
Anything in my way to-day, Mr.
Davis2" he said, in his quick, energetic
manner, with jolly smile upon his face
and putting down the cigarette he wa
smoking upon the edge of the counter.
The Rev. Mr.. Broadman is a collecto
of gems, and rings and seals, and, in fact
of any stones that have heads or figure
engraved upon them; and l had been il
the habit of putting aside for him what
ever in this way passed through our hands
for he gave US better price than W
should have got for them at the quarterl
sales. 1.-THE fact is, DAVIS" he used to sa
to me, these things are invaluable; man
of them are as beautiful on small scale
as the old Greek sculptures; and some {
them even by the same artists. And the
are made no longer, you see; for in thi
busy nineteenth century of ours, time an
brains are too precious to be spent O
these laborious trif1es." Now, although
had no stones of the kind he wanted jui
then, it entered into my head that
would tell him about the seal which ha
come into my possession the evenin
before,
told him the story somewhat as I ha,
just told it to you. He listened to ali
said: II observe that it has the herald
emblem of baronet." He then congra
ulated me upon the way in which l ha
acted. He asked, too, for this your
lady's address, which she had given u
quite correct; and then he left the she
without another word.
You must give me leave to tell the re
of the story in my own way, although
it may be very different way from tn
which the reverend parsonage employ
in relating it to me afterwards.
1t seemed that it was a runaway mate
A country baronets son had fallen in 10
with the clergyman's daughter in &
had run away together and got marie
Then they came up to London, these t.
poor young things-for neither his fathG
nor hers either, for the matter of tn;
would have anything to say to the mate
he full Of hopes Of getting on in the lite
airy and artistic line, and she, poor ere,
ure, full of trust in him.
The project of living BY literature
not turn out what was expected. T
young fellow, without experience
friends, spent much time going about fro
one publisher to another, and sending |
writings to the editors Of the various ma
azines-which need not say were alwa
returned with thanks" And then
fell i'll; typhus, fancy, brought on by
sufficient nourishment, and bad drainal
and disappointed hopes. The registrs
general doesn't give q return of the
cases in any list that | am aware of, B
we see something of them in our line
business, nevertheless.
1t was Just at this time that Mr.. Broa
man found out Mrs. Vincent; for that W
the name of the young lady who came
my shop with the gold seal. Cambria
Terrace is not very far from the Angel
Islington, and there, in little back sire
of small, respectable houses, inhabited
junior clerks, with here and the lodg1r
house, in one of which Mr., and Mrs, vi
cent lived.
They were rather shy at first Of
stranger, and little proud and haugb
perhaps, People who have seen bett
days, and are down upon their luck, g
apt to be so. But the parson, with
pleasant ways and CHEEKY voice, soon ma
it all right; and, in jiffy, he and \
Vincent were talking about college,
they had both been to the same universe
And there was even soon a smile. too
wan smile enoueh-upon the poor invali
sharp-cut, thin face, with the hollow, e
away eyes, which looked at you as if out