The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-18

picion that the last train had gone and I Get
out to walk home. might have taken q
but was young, active and not
averse to seeing the lights Of London. My
route led me through Whitechapel, the
London hl Bowsry, and can aseoltsos
stranger, gazed upon the teeminR popu-
lace that was pursuing its marketing by the
flare and hiss of the midnight kerosene as
busily and unconcernedly as il it were high
noon. Such scenes of squalid wretchedness
never wish to see again. Drunken men,
tie waits, the offspring Of the gutter, all in
one motley medley! The whole very hot
bed and nursery of crime! While paused
for the cessation of . drunken row that
blocked the sidewalk, I found myself stand
ing by q second hand book store, and al
most unconsoiously picked up a volume
from the stall outside, wondering, as did
60, remember, what class Of literature
could be in demand amid such surround
ings. With shock I came to myself; the
volume was an actual Elzeyir; my Horace;
be no possible doubt. My hands
excitement that actually had to put the
book down, gazing anxiously around mean
while for the rival who must be waiting to
pounce on my prize. A moments delay in
some measure treasured me; assuming q
courage and look of indifference was far
from feeling, entered the store with knees
that were positively trembling and in a tone
which was intended to be careless, but had
q most suspicious quaver in it, asked the
price. The shrivelled old man peered at
me in suspicious kind of way from over
should ask what was doing there and why
at that hour was buying books. Clearing
my throat with an effort, I was about to
repeat my question, when the clumsy
scoundrel actually allowed the book, which
fs haa ss do9 WITH s.eo
I restrained myself from dashinR forward,
thrusting him out of the way, and rescu-
ing my precious treasure-trove. He sup
posed he saw chance of an exorbitant
profit. he supposed it was worth twenty five
cents. Thrusting dollar into his hand, I
passing hack. No more walking for me
that night; Whitechapel, reasoned, had
no great reputation for honesty; murder
had been committed there before my time
for objects of less value than bore with
me. l am older now, and ! have often
that reserve price of two cents for that or
any other book would have been looked up
on as an attempt at barefaced robbery and
imposture by any of the dwellers in that
savory neighborhood. should be afraid to
tell You how often in the chiaroscuro of that
A0Oh ooOA my "a AAOAA NY pOoAoU OAAy
to return it after vain efforts to see more Of
it by the feeting light of the street lamps.
But what pleasure was mine when I was
safely housed, had lit the gas, stirred up
the sea-coal fire, and in the depths of a cosy
chair had sat down with real Elzevir,
my very own, that had cost me but one dol
lar! can sympathize with Stanley when
he found Emin!
Once every year, in my most polished
dictionary German and in right ceremoni-
GUS fashion, I indite to the "High-well-
born Baron Won Koch-of course, that is
not his name but it will serve my purpose
and yours-a letter, in which enquire most
solicitously.. howiit fares with the High-well-
born's' translation into German hexame-
ters Of the niad and the Odyssey. The
baron cultivates his ancestral acres and the
muse, has neither kith nor kin, and-is the
fortunate possessor of a small mine Of
Elzevirs. 1t was my fortune once to
spend summer in western Prussia and
there met the baron, whose home lay at a
distance of several miles from that of my
host. I was literary; 80 was the baron. The
baron must meet me: I must be introduced
to the baron. And after many delays, for
in those languorous German summer days
we INDUCED in maximum of talk
to the accompaniment of mini
mum of performance, ! found myself
one afternoon riding slowly
up the avenue of pines that led to the baro-