Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-04-27


very expensive, laughed rudely in an
swering, and went out to tell his friends
the good joke.
: The cab was procured, the Minister
being anxious to begin his work at once,
though he was very weary from having
travelled all through the night
The cab ratified on, over the stones.
It seemed long and weary time before
it stopped and the man opened the door.
Master Malcolm's heart beat as he rang
the bell. He had to wait some timesbe-
fore it was answered by a very shabby
looking woman, who looked sharply at
him as if to inquire his business.
When asked whether Mrs. Carol was
there (for that was the name poor AS
sunta had assumed) the landlady in
formed him that she was gone-had not,
in fact. stayed there more than a fort
night. The woman invited Master NAL
colin in, and sitting down opposite to
him, said she would answer anything he
chose to ask, for she had taken fancy
to the poor young lady, and would be
only too glad to hear of her welfare.
She had been very i'll there the landladY
said-delirious in her mind at first, and
then so weak that she could not set foot
to the ground; and before she was we'll
enough to do so, she had insisted upon
going, for she had to pay the doctors
bill, and her lodging and she could no
longer afford such lodgings, (which they
are very good, though I says it that
shouldn't" said the woman.
''She kissed me, she did," she con-
tinued, rubbing her eyes with the corner
of her ocket-handkerchief, land
thanked me for all the trouble I had
been at with the baby on my hands. She
was dear young lady"
"But can you tell me where she is
gomez" said the poor Minister,
''Yes, l think l could; but I must
think. 1t was Bill as took her box in a
barrow, and whether it was 8 or whether
it was 9, / am not sure; but respectable
street it was, and the lodging was kept
by the cousin of Mrs. Smith (that's our
bakery, and she married into the up
holstering line, and took nice house,
and lets it cheaper than / can do being
widow; and she went there, am sure.
because I know that Bill took her box;
whether it is or l can't say
'Ano the street?"
"Deal street; it is a poor neighbor-
hood, but respectable
hdu SIG lu0duS VI udh lllS uCA
own LIVELIHOOD" asked the Minister,
anxiousIy.
.'She taught Miss Smith, Ieastways she
was to have taught her, French and
italian, for five shillings a-week; but
what with her going away, and what
with her illness, that beginning were not
gone on with, that know Of
Master Malcolm thanked the woman
for her kindness, and went, out again
into the wet street, for the fog had now
changed into thick, drizzling rain.
ITO Deal street." he said and the cab
into his seat, and tucked his horse-cloth
tighter round his knees.
They tried No. first, then No. g.; Mrs.
Carol was not known at either house.
The cabman advised trying 10 or 10,
both fruitlessly; at last, in despair, they
tried %, and this time were so far sue
cessessful that they found that Mrs.
Carol had been there.
The Minister shvered as he saw the
dirty, poverty-stricken look of the place.
The landlady, an aggressive-Iooking wo-
man, with her black hair twisted into
curl.papers, parlor, a small room, with
huge patterned drab paper and two vases
of waX-fowers, yelled in coarse yellow
muslin.
She began talking at once.
eff you're the friends, sir, you ought
to look after her better-that's all l can
say. Here she comes. that weak and i'll,
as | thought she would have died on my
hands; but when I asked my rent, she up
and paid me a week in advance, which,
as she had no reference, is customary,
and"
But the Miniser cut short her endless
flow OF talk, asking
"Can you tell me her present address"
''Indeed and / cannot;which it's doubt
full whether any one hereabouts can, for
no one notices where them goes as have
paid up every penny they owes, for real
lady she was.''
"WhY did she leave you?" asked the
minister, his heart sinking very low.
"Well." began the woman, twisting up
her apron, "she was deal of trouble,
and the baby was handful, just begun
with it's teething."
"You sent her away?"
'No-not that exactly; but [ put on
sixpence for the child, and it's fresh milk
came to tenDence."
$50 it was want of money drove her
away" said the Minister.
He could hardly speak for sorrow and
indignation-he shook the dust off his
feet as he crossed the threshold of the
woman's house.
Where should he go next? how should
he pursue his inquiries? He had no re-
sources but to conflde to the cabman
that he was in search of a lady who could
not be found.
They went to all the petty tradesmen
near. consulted cabmen who might have
remem bered carrying lady, and her
child and box, somewhere; but all in
vain Assunta was lost in this huge Lon
don wilderness.
At last, weary and disheartened. Mas
ter Malcolm returned to his hotel. The
common room was now full of men, talk
ing and smoking, and he made his way