The Democratic advocate., 1884-08-02
gelert gtorg.
DADDY.
Henry King, an Temple Bar.

feeblenesS was undenlably augmented by
the adventitious aid of much CRIME and
frequent fasting. Starvation is wonder,
ful engraver, and stamps indelible traces
The little flesh there yet remained on Dad
dys was lined and furrowed with seams and
wrinkles well defined by dirt. His sunken
eyes were blear and lifeless, looking about
with dull indifference to all ills surround
ing him. 1t was not difficult to imagine
him skeleton with bones rattling. Be
ing nearly toothless, Daddy mumbled in
his speech, though the language he used
was never coarse and unseemly, as that of
other dwellers in and about Linnet Lane.
For many years this old man had been
riverside loafer, carrying messages from
from wharf to wharf, and in days gone by
doing porterage, and even dock work. He
was we'll known on both sides of the river
up and down, though now regarded as a
superannuated laborer, not fairly entitled
to 90 on living At Lambeth, when seen
among coal barges, rotten timbers, and
crumbling wharves, Daddy seemed part
of the general going to the bad there, and
no one took much heed of him. But at
Southwark, and at the brisker points of ar
rival and departure, he was apt to get in
the way of bargemen, and to receive occas-
ioual ill-usage beyond much foul language.
Originally he had been stranded in Linnet
Lane, which regarded him still as one of
its oldest inhabitants. Yet there were in
tervals when he disappeared from this re-
gion.
No one knew what became of him on
these periodical absences from the riverside,
neither did any one greatly concern him or
herself with speculations regarding his
whereabouts or well-being. Life and the
matter of daily bread were things precari-
GUS to so many in this locality 1t was
nothing exceptional to be hungry, or for
one old and friendless to die of starvation
without roof to cover him. If Daddy
small spark had been extinguished during
his disappearance, none would have been
the weiser. He would not have been
missed. As it was, when he reappeared
in his old quarters he was generally greet
ed with surprise. 1t was marvellous old
head, in the estimation of the majority, to
keep itself above ground so long, and a
sort of homage was insensibly paid to his
tenacious grip of.life Vitality was cred
liable distiction.
At the Lamb of Goshen he was char
acter well recognized. The proprietress of
of this favorite clearinghouse looked favor
ably upon him. Mrs. Doc had been even
known to give him credit for nights
lodging, which went far to authenticate his
superior position of responsibility. 1t was
required of ordinary dodgers to pay before
even getting sight of their shelter.
1t was most frequently when Daddy was
suffering from an attack of ague that he
sought temporary home here. His
means did not always warrant the luxury
of roof to his head To the vulgar and
profane he went by the name of "Dad-
dy Long-legs" His lank attenuated limbs,
with a certain angularity of an elastic ma
ture about the joints, testified to some re-
semblance between him and the timed in
sect specified. Moreover, Daddy had a
similar weakness for light, being caught
nightly by the glare of gin palaces, and, in
spite Of his infrm appearance, he could get
over long distances in an incredibly short
space of time. Flags, the needlewoman
who resided permanently at the Lamb of
Goshen, and philosopher of no mean cal
ibre after her lights, had speculated for
years concerning Daddy's antecedents,
without arriving at conclusion anything
like satisfactory. He had been an institu-
ton beneath Mrs. DOCS roof-tree long be-
fore this astute young person had drifted
hither. She vainly endeavored to settle in
her own mind how this offshoot of high
er circle had come to take root among the
dregs of humanity.
Why had he lost caste and been driven
like pariah into this outer darkness ?
Certainly he must have known better days,
for miserable, drink -sodden wretch as he
was, he still retained an education manner
of. speech, and refrained from cursing and
swearing. Besides, Flags knew that he
could write clerkly hand, graceful and
easy, though the letters were sadly unsteady
in the up-strokes.
1t was quite true that, even in these
days of his fallen fortunes, certain traces
of refinement fingered about Daddy. Yet
surely his life for fve-and-twenty years
might have worn away every vestige of
delicacy aud gentle training.
Flags, who was compassionate as well
as philosophic, no common union of quail
ties, had also vein of romance in her or
ganism. She wove ealamitous history
about his past.
However, courteous manners and good
birth were not generally at premium in
Linnet Lane. Its people hardly knew
what such things signifed. He who
kicked hardest and fought strongest, gen
orally won the game as far as they knew.
None but Flags observed or admired the
vestiges of gentility lingering about Daddy.
Hers was a contemplative existence, for
she was paralyzed and unable to take much
part in the kicking and struggling for a
living. But she knew that even his ragged
clothes were worn in way that set him
apart among motley crew. To the last Of
their tatters there was an attempt at decen-
cy. Even piece of old sacking, to her
fancy, took look of apology when shield
ing his shivering shoulders. 1t was ap-
parent on the rare occasion that Daddy was
washed and shaved that he had once been
a singularly handsome man. The contour
of his face, the high-arched nose and thin
nostril were widely different from the type
prevailing at the riverside. Cnly the
wavering lips and spiritless glances betrayed
the weakness of the mortal man, partly
giving the clue to downward descent
/ Yet even the weakest of Gods creatures
may be helped on the wicked way by
! I -