Connecticut western news., 1885-03-04
A LONDON ADVENTURE.

Three years since had occasion to pass few weeks in London. am about to relate an adventure which befell me at this time, which came very near hay ing very serious termination. I can not even now think of it without shudder.
 Twas vending my way in the early part of the evening toward Drury Lane Theatre, famous temple of the drama, known the world over, when my atten- tion was suddenly drawn to an appeal for charity made by figure crouching on the doorway of house.
 looked at the applicant. He appeared to be an elderly man attired in manner which bespoke the extreme of destitu- ton. His coat was soiled and ragged. From beneath shocking hat could sSa gray locks stealing out. His form was bowed, and I judged from his gen. eral bearing that he must be at least 60 years of age.
 "A few pence, sir, for poor old man" :" he whispered. "I am cold and hungry. I have had nothing to eat since yester- day."
 My compassion was stirred. Had he been in the prime of life could have passed by his petiti on unheeding. But age and infrmity make poverty pitiful spectacle.
 "Are you, indeed, so poor9" I asked, stopping before him.
 "I am too feeble to work, " he said. 'tI depend on what gentlemen give me. Yet I should not care so much for my self, but my poor child-I am obliged to leave her at home sick while come out to beg"
 I was on the point of giving him a shilling when an instinct of caution stepped in.
 "After all, 1" I thought, Che might be an imposter." In that case I should grudge the shilling, small as it was, which intended to give him. But if things were really as he said, I should be willing to bestow on him larger amount.
 "How am to know whether your story is true?" I said, stopping in the act of drawing 8 shilling from my pocket. "How am I to know whether you have sick child, as you repre- sent ?"
 "If you will come home with me-" he said, in tone of subdued eagerness q remembered this afterward), 'I will con. vince you"
 "Perhaps he makes this ofer," I thought, "feeling confident that I will not accept it. He shall find himself mistaken this time. I am resolved fol once to satisfy myself, and if it is as he says, he shall have crown instead oi shilling."
 "Where do you liye?" I asked, after moments pause.
 'About 8 quarter of 8 mile from here, was the reply.
 "Lead on, then," said I. "I will ac company you home and satisfy myself whether your story is correct. If you are needy as your appear to be will dC what can to help you"
 The old man was profuse in his pro testations of gratitude. In fact, h. seemed so willing to comply with my re quest that again there was revulsion o ;. feeling, and I felt ashamed that hat questioned his honesty. l inwardiy re solved to make 1t up to him.
 It was dismal night. The air was misty and damp, and the occasiona street lamps revealed disagreeabl neighborhood. On either side I say wretched tenement houses. At the door were -gaunt faces, sometimes wearing fierce, almost desperate look. fel that I should not like to pass througl these streets at late hour of the night Yet it is only fair to say that London tolerably we'll governed. The police ar numerous, and, so far as my experience extends, are polite and attentive t. strangers. Considering how great al amount of poverty and utter destitutiol there is in the great city, it furnishes matter of surprise that the harvest o crime, great as it is, should not be evel greater. Yet doubtless, as the inciden I am relating serves to show, there many a secret crime committed ths never sees the light and never become known to the authorities.
 My glance fell thoughtfully upon m guide. He was toiling along, appal ently with difficulty, little in advanc of me, and from time to time locke back to see if I were following him Once when he looked back I had m witch out-a valuable gold chronomete from which I was endeavoring t ascertain the time by the light of neighboring street lamp. Perhaps was imprudent in making a display 80 suspicious neighborhood. M guide looked at the watch greedily.
 "Poor fellow p thought. ''Ever evidence of wealth and comfort must n doubt fill him with envy" don't kno' why it was that no suspicious of th mans good faith had thus far entere my mind. uthere had, the sight of h feebleness would have led me to smil with contempt at the thought that | could possibly do me any harm.
 Still he hobbled on.
 We had by degrees got considerabl distance from the place where I fir encountered him. I thought that