Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-04

s.u'S.nd slouched cap, 50 there
was little chance for the 81 gentle ,'ss-
man t6(Ses what the face OF 'pe pr:
server Of his child was Ike. Da' |"
was evident to me, ss an interested on
,.olsr that the dilapidatcd-looklng
n,oss;np.sweepe had particular rea-
sons FOR desiring to avoid his glance.
mThe next moment he had turned
.vsy and walked swiftly into the
growing darkness. :, a..
".No doubt he'll turn up said the
gentleman. peering into the darkness;
sbut wish I'd stuck TO him. he
seems a queer fellow. However, IL nc
doesn't call can always find him here.
"Then he hailed four-whee,er.
They placed the little girl, whose clothes
were draggled with mud. in it. stepped
| in after her, and then they, too disap-
peared in the murky gloom.
And now it was my turn 70 giVea
start, for as the gentleman got into the
cab--he half turned his head-and the
ras-Damp shone straight into it, and
"The General, Of course" cried the
ssllow-visaged guest. with the ar Oh
having made discovery that only an
extremely hard-hsaded man could have
accomplished.
uNot a doubt about it. The same
stern yet relenting expression; same
square forehead; the same slightly
peaked nose; the same" i
"All right, go on" interrupted
"mine host" hIf it's the same man,
that's all we want to know" i
'..sI should like to see the end OF
thst.'I said to myself, as ] went on
nv way. That's only one chapter in
story that has a tragedy I'M Never
saw a crossing-sweeper refuse sover-
eign before, and yet his hand was ready
enough to take it before he saw the
Generals face. What's more l
said, and said it aloud, Shaping my
knees as | walked, that crossing
sweeper doesn't mean to follow up the
address d that card to-morrow--no,
nor tho next day, nor any other day
this side Christmas
IL passed the Parade as usual the
succeeding afternoon on my way to
Barchester Square. / looked in every
| direction.
"There was no crossing-sweeper, and
never saw him again in King George
Parade. lie had found another spot to
carry on his deadly-lively occupation,
and London is big place, and once lose
mans track and you're done for, SO
far as finding him again goes.
"s Another chapter ended in that
story said /; and though sometimes
thought of the incident as passed the
familiar spot, my interest waned, as 1t
was bound to do. There is some truth
in Dickens's remark that in London you
can't say you are forgotten when you
are dead, for the simple reason that you
were never remembered there. Atany
rate, one incident is ever coming atop
of another in the metropolis, and each
new flow ofthe daily tide wipes out the
traces of the last"
"But didn't you see him again? That
would be too provoking" said Sir
Robert. "I'm great believer in the
paltry proportions of this globe of ours,
and I've seen nearly every quarter OF
| it. But, 20 where / will, I'm always
knocking my head against fellows l
never expected to see again."
besides, believe in animal mag
netism, or mutual attraction, or electric
sympathy, or whatever you call it,"
said the sallow-visaged guest.
"And / believe in condolences,
said the master Of the home. In
deed, / shouldn't be surprised if the
last chapter were completed tonight
and the mystery solved. Some one
here may hold the mystic key. Who
knows?"
There was a hearty laugh at this,
and when it had subsidized the Doctor
went on. He told his story with GER
tain brusque brevity that added much
to the effect of his narrative.
81 did meet him again." he said
quietly.
That's right" put in. Sir Robert,
with satisfied air, as if the story had
been made to order like suit Of
clothes, and had threatened not to fit
quite so we'll as it ought to have done.
at was at Bedminton Corner. L
had a patient to meet in birmingham
Row, and, passing the corner one after
noon several weeks later on, whom
should | see sweeping away, or pre-
tending to sweep--lor the weather was
perfect--but my old acquaintance?
But that is scarcely the right word,
for | had never spoken to him, and
don't think he was aware of my exist
ence.
"Hello =" said, pulling up short.
".Right you are, SIR" he said,
without looking up-he was too busy
for that.
Go Weather dry" | observed
casually.
$3.50 am y" he assented, his pro-
fessional instinct seeming money in
stantly.
"sThat's the fellow, I thought, as |
caught the sound of the old, thick
) voice, for | wasn't quite sure Of his
identity before, the night being dark
t and slightly foggy.
t "'Cold, but freezing,' l added, to
gain time.
"sDon't suit me. There's too much
ventilation in these ere garments o.
. mine.' And to be sure he looked a
: forlorn spectacle, on closer scrutiny ;
!. nothing but holes, hastily tagged to-
= gether with string. In fact he seemed
= to be hung together with strings; a
Q pen-knife would have brought him to
pieces in half jiffy.
a "'Why, you must be half frozen j
q remarked.
# "By way Of reply he was seized
v with . hollow hacking cough that for
: professional accuracy in depth and tone
. / have never heard exceeded by
o any crossing-sweeper or street-singer
!. throughout the metropolis. Carefully
Is and judiciously employed, that mans
% fortune was assured.
q Al gave him cough-mixture pre-
" scription, written in pencil against I
!. lamp-post, and shilling to buy it with
tuas an Acknowledgement of HE ven