The Columbus journal., 1892-02-03
THE V~ENTRILOQUIST.

st. Nicholas.
|. THE ~VENTRILOQUIST.
Down at the famous Strand tavern,
the Cole hole, in London, we were
gathered together one evening, laugh
ing over the amusing scene OF ven.
triloauism with which that clever
comedian Toole had just been edify-
ing us.
A journalist present complimented
him somewhat ironically on what he
called his ..little society talents"
These same little talents" said
Toole, in a grave tone, -''have some
times a great utility in life; do not
despise them. An infinitely small
talent may save a world of trouble:
nothing is unproductive here below.
Let me give you a single illustration:
Some years ago / was passing one
evening'thrOugh Drury Lane on my
way to the Gaiety Theater, at which
1 was at that time playing a role.
my attention was suddenly aGtract-
ed by a pathetic voice imploring
charity. 1 stopped and looked
around me. The voice proceeded from
a mlsshapen being. apparently a
cripple crouched in the corner Of an
archway leading into n Of these
winding alleys 50 numerous in this
popular quarter. His white hair and
beard and cracked voice indicated
clearly that the beggar was an old
man..
"A few pence for a poor man, SIR
said the tremulous voice; 4 am cold
and hupgry-oh, 80 hungry! I have
eaten nothing Since yesterday
''The sight Of a young man, however
miserable he might have been, would
not have moved me-. Old cockneys
like me are too we'll posted on all
these borrowing schemes winch
flourish in our town, but this decrepit
old age and horrible def0rmity filed
me with compassion.
"'What misery l exclaimed, gaze
ing at the old man. is it possible
that you are condemned. to begging at
your age? Have you no sons nor
daughters
".Alas! yes, gentleman replied
the beggar in smothered tones, as il
ashamed to acknowledge the truth,
but they have abandoned me-
s. 1T is infamous..' l added.
Il drew from my pocket a half
crown.
"As I handed it toward the beggar
nv CUSTOMARY suspicious seized me.
Perhaps it WIS after all a made-up
cripple. y
az prefer to assist you more ef-
fectively,' I remarked, after an in
stant's pause.
"sYou have a refuge somewhere?
A home? Where do you live?'
"'Not over a quarter ola mile from
here replied the sEipple. 4 will
take you to my lodging, 81 if you
like
''The earnestness with which he re-
sponded occurred to me after the adj
venture was over. At the time l laid
no stress upon it.
every well go, ahead; l will fol-
low" I answered.
THE beggar started off on his
clutches, dragging after him two
stumps of legs, and with a hundred
protestations OF gratitude, maneuv-
cred rapidly along the muddy and
slippery sidewalk of Drury Lane.
lit was a dismal London winter
evening. A thick, humid fog hung
heavily over the macadamized pave
ment. BY the dull, yellow light Of
the street lamps the ~passersby took
on the aspect of phantoms.
"From the doOrsteps and windows
OF the miserable houses in the alleys
and courts through which we passed.
gaunt, paid faces gazed out upon US,
and cut-throat countenances with
wolfsh eyes glared out into the night
'tNot but that we must acknowl-
edge III police force is admirably
organized, for, considering the vide
spread misery and degradation in
London, it is only astonishing that
crimes are not twenty times as num-
erous as they are. But, despite this
energy Of the police, how many a
black deed rests hidden, buried for
ever in the slums of our great town!
"At last We crossed Convent Gar
den market and Long Acre and en-.
tered that hideous quarter which you
all know-Seven Dials. The adven-
ture commenced to only half please
me. |
".Are we far from your room still?'
I asked, catching up with the beggar.
4 haven't time to spare
"As / spoke / drew out my watch
an excellent chronometer of Dents, of
considerable value. Looking sud-
denly up, I surprised an ugly, cOvetous
glance beneath the beggar's bushy
eyebrows.
"sOh, no" I said to myself, that's
a mighty young eye for an old man.
my suspicious returned with triple
force; but often our paltry pride over
rules our better judgment. More
over, with the Seven Dials quarter re-
turned the hustle and noise of Lon
don life. Laughs and shouts greeted
us on all sides from the public houses
and bar-rooms Of the neighborhood. O..
II determined to push the adven-
ture to the end, and nor 70 as my
companion now turned to me and
said, in his cracked and f~1attering
tones:
".Here is my home, gentleman
He slipped through the balf-opened
door of a dilapidated building, and
started up a rickety staircase with
the agility / had before remarked. II
had difficulty in following him in the
%nauseating Obscurity. The smart rap
OF the clutches sounded on the step
and served as a guide.
At the third story the old beggar
STOPPED. ! heard him feeling about