The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-03

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what he did with them after he got
home; he was so particular about the
bunch he purchased. and had SO strong
fancy for the brightest colors.
Suddenly Jacob Cattley was missed
from Lombard street, and from the
neighborhood of Ludeate Hill; and Pol
ly Baxter's basket blushed with flowers
in vain for him. Every day Polly Bax-
ter had been accustomed to see him be
tween four and five trotting homeward,
with his sharp face set due south; every
day he had said: '.Good morning." in
a grave, fatherly way, and with a sol
emn bend of his long neck; and on Sat
urdays, as we have intimated. he al
ways stopped to bargain with her for
her gayeSt penny-worth. And now
Jacob was missing; and no one knew
where Jacob lived, so that the mystery
of his disappearance might have been
solved by friendly call.
'.He's dead, for siXponce, poor old
cove." said the junior clerk. pert and
slangy and over-dressed youth. whom
Jacob had in sis heart disliked, despite
the offering of a penny now and then.
He's of, depend upon it I'm sorry
was hard on him last week.
Polly Baxter wondered more about
him. than the rest of the community
aware of his existence. She did not
know why she should '.bother about the
old man." bat she did. He was a
something removed from her life, a
regular customer gone; and that was to
be regretted when regular customers
were scarce. When she had bought
her flowers at 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-
toned 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 Il poor, ignorant girl enough.
who had never been taught to read and
write. and her father had been "a bad
lot" as it was termed, and had not
cared to see her taught, or cared much
about anything save himself. until he
had become n martyr to rheumatism
and had lost his situation in the mar
ket, and had to go finally into the
house, leaving bis 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 100
late.
Nevertheless, Polly Baxter earned
her own living honestly, and made the
rest of her position by thrift ami IN
lustry, coming very close to starvation
once or twice in the hard times which
will turn up to the hard workers. Still
she fought on and had begun to teach
herself to read and write of late days,
md TO find her way on Sundays 10 a
little chapel down back street, and
listen with much surprise to what they
old her there, and wonder why it had
been kept from her all these years, and
Why no one in the highways and
,yways of her life had SAID word
bout il.
Possibly thinking of this had made
Ter think of other folk as the light i'll
cred little through the darkness OF
Polly Bakers life; but she did think
yreat deal of the poor. old-fashioned
little man, who seemed to have van
shed like ghost, and it became 4
matter of speculation why he had ever
bought flowers of her at all, being
nan VINO probably had not much to
spend on the minor luxuries of life.
And SO regular a customer, too,
thought Polly, with sigh again.
suddenly the regular customer, how
ever. appeared again one Saturday, six
weeks or tive months after everybody
thought he was dead. 1t was like a
ghost rising up in Lombard street. and
even MIR. Goldchest, taken unawareS
Dy this first appearance at 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 a little curious for 50
great q man, and said:
Have you been ill, jacob"
He did not know his other name, "Old
Jacob" was Mr.. Cattley's cognoman in
Lombard street-''Cranky Jacob some
times.
..No, sir.''
Then
Jacobs rugged face twitched very
much rs he touched his hat deferential-
", and said:
I've had a loss, Mr.. Goldchcst.''
'.Oh. indeed"
AIR. Goldchcst did not ask what or
whom be had lost; he glanced at the
big rusty hat-band wrapped round the
rusty hat of his humble dependent;
there was a fugitive fear that there
might be something catching from
MIR. Cattley's close proximity, and he
stepped with alacrity into his carriage
and drew up his window sharply. He
did not reward Jacob on that occasion;
he gave no thought to the arrears which
might have accumulated during Jacobs
absence from his duties; and the old
man walked home very thoughtfully,
and with downcast expression of
On his way home he
Polly Baxter, who also was
disposed to take him for ghost, and
nearly dropped her basket into the Lon
don mud at the first sight of him.
"Why. lor. sir! Who'd have thought
Of it?' she exclaimed.
Thought of what?" he asked, a
little curiously.
..Of your being alive, and moving
about like this. I'm so glad"
.'Glad, are you' What are you glad
forH' be inquired sharply.
.'Glad to see an old customer turn
up" was the truthful reply.
.'Ah. :Gst So" Jacob.
.'And not that exactly, mind you"
added Polly, .'but because you are here,
ror, ynnw That's IL Where have Won