The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-12-18
OUR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR.
CHARLES DICKENS.


The next applicant
for the vacant first floor was of very differ
ent character from the troublesome single gen
tleman who had just quilted it. lie was a tai
thin young gentleman, with proiuslon OF
brown hair reddish whiskers, and very slight
ly developed mustache. He wore braided
surtout with frogs behind, light gray trousers,
and wash.leather gloves, and had altogether
rather military appearance. So unlike the
roysterlng single gentleman. Such insinuat'
ing manners and such delightful address !!
So seriously disposed, too
When he first came to look at the lodgings,
he inquired most particularly whether he was
sure to be able to get seat in the parish
church, and VIXEN he had agreed to take one,
he requested to have a list of the different 10
cal charities, rs he intended to subscribe his
mite to the most deserving among them.
Our neXtdoor nelghbor was now perfectly
happy. He had got lodger at last, of just
his own way Of thinklng-a serious, well-dis
posed man, who abhorrcd gaicty and loved re-
tirement. lie had took down the bill with a
| light heart; and pictured IN imagination II
long series OF quiet Sundays, on which he and
| his lOdger would exchange mutual Clvllitlcs
and Sunday papers.
The serious man arrived and his luggage
was to arrive from the country the next morn
ing. He borrowed a clean shirt and prayer
book from our nextdoor neighbor, requested
that he might be called punCtually at ten
O'Clock next morning-not before, rs he was
much fatigued.
He was called, and did not answer; he was
called again, but there was no reply. Our
next-dOor neighbOr became alarmed and burst
the door open The serious man had lett the
house mysteriously, carrying with him the
shirt, the prayer book teaspoon, and the
bedClOthes.
Whether this occurrence, coupled with the
irregularities of his former ledger, gave our
nextdoor ncghbOr an aversion to single gen
tlemen, we know not; we only know that the
next bill which made It's appearance in the
parlor window minated generally that there
were furnished apartments to let on the first
floor. The bill was soon removed. The new
| dodgers ut first attracted our curiosity, and al
forwards excited our interest
They were young lad of eighteen or nine
teen and his mother, lady of about fifty, or
1t might be less The mother wore widows
weed, and the boyiw also clothed in deep
mourning. They were poor-vcry poor; for
their only means of support arose from the
pittance the boy earned by copying writings
and translating for booksellers.
They had removed from some country place
and settled in London; partly because it af-
,"iueu VeI'ei onan1Ia Vi o',p'oy ,i'en, w. Wv
BOY, anu Pa'uy lolhalS' WIN 'l1 na'u ,' ai NC
sire to leave place where they had been in
oe''cr circumstances, ,,,, "uu "noio ''i1l po'oy
was hho"n' incy WIZ p'ouu u'iuoi 'neii ~
verses, ana aoove revealing .ne,l wants anu
pri'"'iohS !" s''anSeis' ~" o''Ie' '"oso pr,
f"'''ns "c', "'' Nv" no." w
10 remove 'he.i'' 10 one eyer hne" ou' ''ieh'-
Selves NlSht n'pvi p'Su,' IVY, 'n,oc' ioui
hours atter iiiu'lgu,' oou'u We ueai III, ooI"s ,
ionai rakinS up ol thc scan'y htc' or 'ne n n;
low, nun st,hcu I'usu; Mnieu iii'uoa'ou us !,
oeihg sun AZ worh, anu uay alei aay eoulu
we see more plalhiy 'l"' na.uie n"u SCI ,iia'
uheart'liy ligh, III n,s !'in'lse 'so' "h'oh 10
inc Deacon u her "ors. u'sease' --,.I
Actuateu, we nope, oy hIshe ice,ihg lnan
mere curiosity, VIC co,iti''cu W es'"'lish, hls'
an acquaintance, anu '''en ciose Intimacy,
WIN the poor a'rangets' Uui wo's' ie aaI were
realized; tle BOY was sihhihs last through
a part OF Tic winter anu inc wnoie oi the ioi'
lowing spring ana sumner MS laoors were
Increasingly prolonged; ana the motner ~
tempted 10 procure heeule-"ork, emoroidery-
anything ior bread. ,,
a lew shiiilngs no" ana lncn were all she
icould earn. Inc Ooy worked s'eauily on; uy
ing by minutes but never once giving utter
ance to complaint or murmur.
One beautiful autumn evening we went to
pay our customary VISIT 10 the Invalid. Ills
little remaining strenglh hau Deeh decreasing
rapidly for tive or three days preceding, and