The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-22
A LONDON ADVENTURE.

late an adventure "AiSA DOAoiA A--S w s
time, which came very near having serl
GUS termination. lean not even nowthinl
OF it without shudder.
was vending my way in the early par
of the evening toward Drury Lane Theatre
a famous temple of the drama, known the
world over. when my attention was sud
denly drawn to an appeal for charity mads
by figure crouching In the doorway OF
house.
looked at the applicant. He appeared
to be an elderly man, attlred IN manner
which bespoke the extreme of destitut1on.
His coat was soiled and ragged. From be-
meath shocking hat could see gray locks
stealing out. His form was bowed, and
Judged from his general bearing that ne
must be at least sixty years OF age.
"A few pence, sir, for poor old man,
ha " hisperei. II am cold and hungry.
have had nothing to eat since yesterday"
NV compassion was stirred. Had he
been in the prime of life I could have pass
ed by his petition unheeding. But age and
infirmity make poverty pitiful spectacle.
care YOU indeed, so poor2" asked,
stopping before him.
II am too feeble to work" he said II
depend on what gentlemen give me. Yet
should not care so much for myself, but
INV poor child am obliged to leave her at
home sick while I come out to beg.
was on the point of giving him shll-
ling when an instinct of caution stepped
in.
cater all, thought, she might be an
5rnnostor In that case should grudge
the shilling, small as it was, which IN
tended to give him. But II things were
really as he said. | should ne willing to be-
stow on him larger amount
elbow am I to know whether your story
ID true?' / said, stopping in the act OF
drawing shilling from my pocket. chow
am / to know whether you have sick child,
as you represent"
..If YOU VIII come home with me, he
said. in a tone of subdued eagernessQ re-
,membered this afterward), Il will convince
you" Ill.
ssfeelInp confident that will not accept 1t.
Ne shall find himself mistaken this time.
sm resolved for once to satisfy myself,
and if it is as he says, he shall have crown
instead of shilling
AWhere do you liver" asked, after
short pause.
about a quarter of mile from here,
was the reply.
sLead on then" said ], 81 will accom-
pany you home and satisfy myself that your
story Is correct If you are needy as you
appear to be will do what l can 70 heip
F. you
The old man was profuse in his protest
ations of gratitude. In fact, he seemed so
willing to comply with my request that
again there was a revulsion OF feeilng, ana
felt ashamed that questioned his hon
esty. i inwardly resolved to make 1T up to
him y{no
1t was dismal night. The air was damp
and misty, and the occasional street lamps
revealed dis greeable neighborho9d. On
either side / saw wretched tenement houses.
AT the doors were gaunt faces, sometime .
wearing a fierce and despers to look. 1 felt
that should not like to pass through these
streets at late hour of the night. Yet it
Only fair 10 say that London is toierabiy
well governed. The police are numerous,
and, SO far as my experience extends, are
polite and attentiyeto strangers. Consider
ing how great an amount of utter destitu-
ton and poverty there is in this great city,
1t furnishes matter of surprise that the
harvest of crime, great as tits, should not
be even greater Yet doubtless, as the IN
,cident am relating serves to show, there
is MANY crime committed that never sees
the light and never becomes known to the
authorities. i1iIAE Ill ls35tls
Ny glance fell thoughtfully on my guide.
He was tolling along, apparently with dlf1-
Guilty. little ahead of me, and from time
to time looked back TO see if was following
him. Once when helooked back l had my
watch out-a valuable gold chronometer-
from which was endeavoringi TO ascertain
the time by the light of neighboring street
lamp. Perhaps was imprudent in making
so suspicious neighbofhoOd. My guide
looked at the watch greedily. j
ssPoor fellowl" thought. Evesy sVid-
ence of wealth aud comfort must no doubt
fill him with envy" I don't know why no
suspicion of the mans faith had thus far
entered my mind. If there had, the sight
of his feebleness would have led me to smile
with contempt al the thought that he could
do me anv harm.
Still he hobbied on.
We had by degrees got a considerable
distance from the place where first en-
countered him. thought that should DC
late for the play, and thought OF dismiss
ing him with a gratuity of half crown.
ssAre you far from your room-from
whore YOU liver I asked. ssWe must have
gone half mile instead of quarter"
esThat is the house, said he, pointing to
"a wretched house only few steps dis
tant
SIN for penny in for a pound, thought
I. 81 will see this adventure through, even
if ann late for the theatre.
Nv guide entered the house, and l fol
lowed him up d rickety staircase rather
nm three-until we reached the fourth story
1t was dark all the way. When he bad
mounted TO the. third landing he tumbled
at the door and opened it. l followed
him in.
ssStop a moment, kind gentlemen, and
will LIGHT a candle, said the old man.
I stopped, and in a moment the din
light OF farthing dip illuminated thu
apartment.
had scarcely time to take hast.
clar,cs at the room and its appurtenances
Fhan the old man stepped behind me ane
cIesed the door. There was click audible
It fastened as it closed. What did see
OF course / expected to see Q mlserabi
den. with broken down furniture and ever.
evidence of the direst destitution au'
wretchedness. Instead my eyes rested o.
room comfortably furnished q hidder-
Minister carpet, not much worn, covere'
the Hoor. There were few neat chairs,
mahogany table, and comfortable bed.
uYou have deceived me, said 4, turnln
to the old man. i turned as | SAID this
but what was my bewild erment at perce1y
ing that the old man had disappeared, an,
in his place stood before nae quite oil