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

attached to the establishment us mes
senger, though he had never ''signed
articles with the principals, and was
Just barely tolerated outside on the
pavement, at an acute angle of the
building and three feet from the street
doors, where customers and clerks
were not likely to tumble over him. He
had been hanging outside this big bank
for many years now; and it had become
a custom, of late days, to send him on
little errands which were not within the
province of a regular clerks duty, and
which clerks of Parkinson, Goldchest "
Co. would have scorned to perform ut
any price whatever. Ii anybody re-
quired cab, Jacob was sent for one; il
a country gentleman with big bal
ance on the books wanted to be shown
the way to the Bank of England, or
Billingsgate, or the Tower, Jacob was
told of as guide if something was
wanted surreptitiously by the clerks, in
the shape of newspaper or ham
sandwich, Jacob was sent for it; and
there had been times when it was con-
sidcred safe to trust him even with n
telegram.
Jacob received no salary, but was
supported by voluntary contributions,
like hospital; and what these contri-
buttons amounted to in the year there
had been much speculation concerning
at the bank, amongst the clerks. 1t
was set down by young and imagina-
tive minds as Il ''pretty penny, take It
altogether. But taking Jacob Gait
ley altogether was, to the ordinary
observer, TO set him down as
a poor, half-starved, ill-clad, misera-
BILE old man, struggling hard to
live, and always on the brink
OF failing at IT, A shabber old gentle
man was not to be found between the
bank and Houndsditch but he was
never in rags, and he always boosted n
clean face under his rusty-brown top
hat, which he poised at the extreme
back OF his gray head. He did not ap-
pelr to flourish on his contributions,
but grow thinner and more pinched
with every week of his outdoor service
there. "You can sec him shriveling
away" one young man had seriously
asserted. ''Ho's regular miser, I'll
be bound" And with his hollow
cheeks, and peaked nose, and promi-
nent chin, ground fine TO match that
poor pinched nose of his, he might
have been taken for miser, or n pau
per, or, indeed, anything deplorable.
Still he had what the clerks called
his tips; and Mr.. Goldchest, every
Saturday morning, when he left the
bank and before he stepped into his
carriage, the door of which Mr.. Cattley
always opened for him, gave him some.
thing, it was noticed; but whether a
sovereign or threepenny piece was &
matter of uncertainty, the claw-like
hand of Jacob closing so quickly on the
gift. The junior clorks thought il
would BIO ''threepenny, Mr.. Gold
chest not being u liberal paymaster. in
their humble OPTION. forcibly expressed
each quarter day; but Jacob, proDaDiy
OF reticent disposition, never let them
know, and at all events he did not waS
fat on his emoluments, and in the rainy
and frosty seasons caught many cold
and cough, and wore, winter and sum-
mer. the same suit OF gray threadbare
clothes, to which, in very Indictment
weather, red cotton neckerchief, re-
loved by white lozenges, aud tied in 9
strange knot, was added, by way o
protection TO gira6e-like throat.
Jacob was considered poor hanger
on, but Jacob had his hangers-on, too
and people whom in his turn he tool
upon himself to patronize. There are
Always depths below depths in this &c
centric world of ours, and always some
poor brother and sister to whom hanC
can be held out, or q little kindness
rendered, and Jacob Cattley had his de
pendent in the background, and one
who waited and watched for him a.
regularly after banking hours on Sat
urdays, as he waited and watched fol
Mr.. Goldchcst about noon and this de
pendent on Mr.. Cattloy was dark
haired, dark-eyed purveyor of penny
"button-holes" and two-penny bou
quets; apoor hower-girl, who regarded
Mr.. Cattley as regular customer OF
Saturdays, one who was always gooc
for penny, sometimes even two pence
when he had been extra fortunate il
the city.
Jacob, it may be said. never pur
chased his flowers In Lombard street
no one In that busy center had ever secr
Jacob Cattley spend a penny-piece OF
anything; but once away from the city
proper, and hurrying away TOWARD
Blackfriars Bridge-on the Surrey sid'
of which he lived, and which he crossed
regularly twice day to and from hi
! 'place OF bushes" any one who hat
taken tho trouble TO watch him-whicl
no one ever had-would have seer
Jacob somewhere in the neigbborhoot
of Ludgate Hill bargaining with Poll,
Baxter for a nosegay every Saturda,
afternoon.
Jacob Cattley would even condescen,
TO patronize Polly Baxter, and to occa
sionally pass remark upon the wealth
or, or the extent of her stock in trade
but all this was done in an austcre
stand-oflish way, which did not cncour
ago conversation in return, and whicl
was a washed-out copy of the grea
| Goldchcst manner, when the big bank
CT skated across tho pavement TO hi
carriage. Polly Baxter did not know
this, and thought il was very kind o
the old gentleman in the queer-lookin,
comforter 10 say word or bow TO he
now and then words which. with al
their GOODNESS, had little ring in then
OF interest o. sympathy, or somethin,
not easy TO comprehend and which tn
fiower-girl did not attempt in any wa,
10 account for. Sometimes she won
dered why he bought her flowers, O
what he did with them after he 90
home; he was so particular about tn
bunch he purchased, and had SO stron,
a fancy for the brightest colors.
Suddenly jacob Cattlcy was misse
from Lombard stree, and from til
nclghborhood of Ludgaio Hill; and Pol
ly Bakers basket blushed with flower
in vain for him. Every day Polly BaS
ter had been accustomed TO see him be
tween four and five trotting homeward
with his sharp face set due south; ever
day he had said; Good morning. 4
grave, fatherly, way, and with sol