Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-11-26

jacob was missing; ana ~ one kne"
where Jacob lived, so thai the mystery
OF his disappearance might have boon
solved by friendly call.
Hes dead. for sixpcnce, poor old
cove" said the junior clerk, pert and
slangy and over-dressed youth, whom
Jacob had in his heart disli1cd, despite
the offering of a penny now and then.
"Hc's of. depend upon il. Pm sorry
was hard on him last week."
Polly Baxter wondered moro about
him than the rest OF the community
aware of his existence. She did not
know why she should "bothor about the
old man." but she did. He was n
something removed from her life, a
regular customer gone; and that was TO
be regretted when regular Gus omers
were scarce. Whom she had bought
her flowers ut Covent Garden Market
in the early morning, and had taken
them to the little attic where she made
up her penny punches for the day, she
caught herself thinking of the "funny
little man." and of his grave, old-fash-
ionod ways. She had had father like
him once in some respects, and he had
died in the workhouse, praying that she
would keep good" which she had.
Polly was poor, ignorant girl enough.
who had never been taught to read and
write. and her father had been "a bad
lot" rs it was termed, and had not
cared to see her taught, or cared much
about anything save himself, until he
had become a martyr to rheumatism
and had lost his situation In the mar
ket, and had to go finally into the
house, leaving his daughter with ell the
world to herself and nobody in it to
look after her. Then the father was
sorry and woke up to some little
thought of his motherless girl, when he
could do little else but think. He was
one more of the big army OF plodders
who march under the banner of "Too
late"
Nevertheless, Polly Baxter earned
her own living honestly, and made the
best of her position by thrift AMI IN
dustry, coming very close TO starvation
once or twice in the hard times which
will turn ~ to the hard workers. Still
she fought on and had begun to teach
herself to read aud write of late days,
and 10 fin her way on Sundays 10 u
little chapel down back street, and
listen with much surprise to what they
told her there, and wonder why it had
been kept from her all these years, and
why no one in the highways and
byways of her life had said word
about il.
Possibly thinking of this had made
her think of other folk as tho light fill.
tered little through tho darkness oil
Polly Bakers life; but she did think a
great deal OF the poor. old-fashioned
little man, who seemed to have van
ished like n ghost, and it became a
matter of speculation why he had ever
bought flowers OF her at all, being q
man vino probably had not much 70
spend on the minor Injuries OF lie.
And so regular customer, too,
thought Polly, with sigh again.
Suddenly the regular customer, how
ever, appeared again one Saturday, six
weeks or two months after everybody
} thought he was dead. IL was like q
ghost rising up in Lombard street. and
even Mr.. Goldchest, taken unaware;
by this first appearance ut his carriage
door, gasped out: "Bless my soul!'
and slipped one foot off the curb stone
into the gutter in his first surprise.
He was even little curious for 81
great man, and said:
| 't1aNo you Deen Ill, jacob!
He did not know his other name, "Old
Jacob" was Mr. Cattley's cognomen in
, Lombard street-"Cranky Jacob some
times.
"No, sir"
Then
Jacobs rugged face twitched very
{ much as he touched his hat deferential
ly, and said:
I've had loss, Mr.. Goldchest."
"Oh! indeed"
Mr.. Goldchcst did not ask what OF
7 whom he had lost; he glanced at the
big rusty hat-band wrapped round the
$ rusty hat of his humble dependent
Y there was fugitive fear that there
: might la something catching" iron
A Mr. Cattley's close proximity, and he
: stepped with alacrity into his carriage
Q and drew up his window sharply. HI
Q did not reward Jacob on that occasion
t he gave no thought to the arrears which
might have accumulated during Jacob
4 absence from his duties; and the ole
! man walked home very thoughtfully
! anu VITA via a aIi0wncast expp;s-eeassion o
, countenance. On his way home h
x encountered Polly Baxter, who also wa
disposed to take him for ghost, anC
! nearly dropped her basket into the Lon
don mud at the first sight OF him.
Q 'Why. lor. sir! Who'd have though
t of itp' she exclaimed
: Thought of whatp" he asked,
a little curiously.
Il "Of your being alive, and movin.
about like this I'm so glad"
: "Glad, are youP What are you glat
. | forpf he iDulirel sharnlV
K Glad TO see an old customer turl
o up was the truthful reply.
! "Ah! Just So" Jacob.
Q "And not that exactly, mind you.
q added Polly, "but because you are here
you know. That's 1t. Where have YOU
J. been, sirp IllP'
o This was Mr.. Goldchest's inquir
$ also, but not conveyed with 80 much In
: terest. Ant his answer was the SAM
r as before.
; "Pve had loss.
: "Not-not moneyp'
y i've lost my daughter; all ] had II
!, the world to me; all cared for. child
q Good day." he said. with an excite
n ment for which Polly was wholly I'm
prepared.
}, Eyes; but here; hold hard" she cried
indignantly. "Ain'tyou agoing to hav
any flowers to-
: The old man hurried away from her
!; darted across the road under horses
D heads and omnibus wheels, with almos
tho alacrity Of youth, and il was not til
y he was upon Blackfr airs Bridge that h'
had recovered his composure, and quit
9 finished with ragged pocket hand<er
q chief, which was evidently a scgmen
8 of his winter wrapper, being OF tn
u same striking pattern and color. Whel
n he had crossed the bridge and Sou h
n wark street, and was turning into on
q of the little crowded thoroughfares OF
y the right of the Blackfriars Road, lead
y ing to the salubrious quarters of GRAY
ell Lane and parts adjacent, he was as
d tonished and discounted again to fin,
v Polly Baxter at his elbow, cxceedingl,
L. rod in the face and short of breath