Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-11-18
JERRY, THE MIsER.

of small private houses, in shabby sub
urban street, is the scene of our story
How it came there nobody knew-what is
more, nobody cared.
Near the door, one afternoon, were two
lomaIe,. the one elderly, the other grace.
ia. and young, both in the deepest mourn
ing. In front Of it were two London
strrt Arabs, ragged and mirthtul before
i, stood the oddest being imaginable--a
little old man, about four feet high, with
a not over-clean face, iron-gray hair, on
which rested worn skin cap, shaggy
brows, rather bow legs, and dirty leather
apron. In irate tones he was addressing
the boys:
"On with you, you young rasca)s ! If
you come playing your hop scotch and
Sally come ups before my window again,
I'll fog you all"
Before the muscular fists the boys fed,
hurting back deri,ion Wen done,
Jerrv-old Jerry, the mi>er! Yah -
The cobb.rr-tur he hardly mclited the
more emphatic name OF >hoemal<rr-pa d
no heed, bat glancing sharply up from his
bent brow> Mt the two women, asked
" And what may you want ?"
We've see," began the younger,
looking timidly toward the square card
in the window, you have apartments to
let"
" No, I've rooms-rooms. | don't
know nothing of apartments amt up
to them, nor the rooms amt either. Do
you want to see 'em ?"
/" We did wish"
GAN right; come along ~ and the
little man swung around ON his heel
The two women, hositating, looked at
each other.
" We had better see them, MOTHER"
said The younger, with II wan smile of j.
coutugement. His bark may be worse
than his bite, and all the other places are
SO dear"
Following the cobblcr through the shop
he led them up stairs to the rooms. There
We're two communicating by door with
each other /; they were poorly furnished,
but clean. AS the women looked at them
the cobber stared at them silently.
"WeIl," he asked, what do you
think of them ?"
They will do very WE'LL" answered
the widow; " it is-only-the price ~
"Slx shilings a week-in advance"
"Six shillings % CALCULATED the girl.
" Do you think it too much ?"
" On the contrary, it is cheap"
" You know lot of the world to say
that. How do you know | shan't clap on
another shilling ?'
" | don't; but should not fancy you
would"
" About references" began the widow.
Don't want any-you pay in advanca ;
and IL, whenever you leave the house, it
must be through the ST op, you can't well
take out the furniture without my know-
ing. Is it settled ?"
"If you please, here is the first weeks
rent"
The cobbler took it, scrawled out re-
cept, nodded and lett his dodgers to them
selves. Seated again on his bench, medi-
tatively, he scratched his grizzled chin
and contemplated the vaCe Of the six
coins in his beeswax palm.
The cobblcr's lodgers proved very quiet.
The did not interfere with their landlord,
ard he apparently did not interfere with
them. Ills rent was paid to the day.
They rarely spoke, save exchanging the
ordinary morningand evening ,alutatous
when the daughter went through the shop.
The mother never left the house. Jerry,
like most cobblers, was man Of obser-
vation, and he made such comments as
the following:
e" She's beauty, but awful white ard
sad. It's my opinion it's hard times with
them up stairs"
Il'HI NH'h ltIt BllI WtHt 'hb '"i 'icl
and came home later, ever with u sadder,
more oppressed expression, he thought
,hc wa seeking work and could not find
any.
owe evening, few weeks after Mrs
Weston "ud her daughter rented the
apa tmcnls, the latter entered the shop
later than usual.
The yellow lamp was Aarng dismally,
and Jerry, with boot on his Enee, was
hard at work. After the customary salu-
tation, when the girl was passing on the
old cobbler's voice arrested her.
81 say. your mothers i'll. amt she ?"
be asked, with his elbows kissing his
knees.
/" Yes, Mr.. Crayshaw, | am sorry to say
she has been for some while ailing she
is very weak, ," and the young voice trem
bled with tears.
"Then you must give her lots to eat, :"
responded Jerry, staring out of the win
dow "The best thing for weak people
i, nice roast fowl aud bottle Of wine (;
Why don't you get them for her %
81 wish | was able, or even 10 provide
her with less expensive danties but, but
| caunot," and the tears fell fast.
"Ah, that's the fault, you see, of hav-
ing no money. Good evening""
He resumed his work, and the daugh-
ter, scarcely cheered By thi, little episode,
went with "A heavy heart up stairs.
Mrs. Weston was in bed, quite ILL
The candle was burning in the room, and
in the parlor stove few sparks Of fire,
over which was a small sauce pan. On
the table was tray and portion OF
previous days loaf. 1t was such de-