Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-26
0 | D N 0 K E J..

WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING STAR BY
r. ALEX. DOUGLAS LITHGOW.
| Copyright. 1893. by the author.I
CHAPTER l.
| For five and forty years Job Mokiss had
| lived in two rooms in Welland street, off
Soho square, and for five and forty years
he had walked daily. morning and evening.
IN all kinds Of weather, to and from the
large tobacco mandatory of Messrs. Turn
er and Moffat in Pulford Square, where he
| was employed.
he had come to London when about
| twenty-one years of age but where he came
| from or under what circumstances nobody
knew. as Job had always been very reti-
| cent when questioned, and remained u mys-
| terry to all who knew him.
Beyond a few people in the works and q
few of those who lodged in the same tene-
ment he seemed to know nobody, and even
those with whom he had been acquainted
for many years were never permitted to en-
Joy anything like familiar intercourse.
His neighbors regarded him having
been crossed in life," but beyond this sup
position they knew nothing, and he al
ways paid his way punctiliously and was
scrupulously regular in his habits they were
forced to content themselves by regarding
him oddly.
Not that he was churlish or nl-natured
by any means. for In times of difficulty or
trouble there was no one in the neignbor-
hood whose advice was more sought after
and no one who could give 1t either so just
ly or judiciously
Job. in his appearance. was also some
thing OF an anachronism, reminding one
of the good old days when George the III
| was king. as he invariably wore a very
long cloth coat, with a large velvet collar,
and whatever color 1t had been originally
IT was now of q sombre brown, and more
than little the worse for wear: added to
this his hat was of beaver, with low
| crown and broad brim. and had once been
| white.
He was about the medium height. and
although his hair was white and rather
long, ne was active and why and walked
as oriskly as many a much younger man.
In repose his face was wan, deep-1in ed
and antious-looking. as If he had suffer.
| when In conversation a sweet and tender
smile stole over his features, and his stead
1ast blue eyes gave his listener an impress
sion Of sterling nature and an honest
heart.
He was much respected at the works in
which the greater part OF his life had been
spent. not only by his employers (of whom
he had served under three or four genera
tions), but also by all the employees who
were brought into contact with him, and
| although somewhat quiet and taciturn
Oid Moke as he was Familiarity called
by everybody, was looked upon by all as .
man OF strict integrity and high principle
as true and faithful friend who never
made an enemy.
Unfortunately. when comparatively
young man. he sustained a slight attack
OF paralysis, which left his right hand and
arm forever useless, and this had mill
factory. as otherwise there was no posi-.
| ton to which he might not have attained
IN It, But such d was his force Of character
a few years he could fold up and seal the
packets Of tobacco which were handed tc
| him far more quickly than anybody else in
| the works could do with both hands.
Such was the humble position he occu-
pied and the duties of which he had faith
| fully discharged for over thirty years with.
| out a break of a single day
But the serenity OF his peaceful life was
at length rudely broken by a circumstance
| OF terrible and perpleXing reality.
| After his eventful and tranquil five-and-
| forty years he returned one evening as was
his wont, to his quiet fireside and frugal
evening meal AS usual, he dotted his
| beaver hat and long brown coat. and await
| ed the coming of the aged Abigail who
| administered to his domestic wants.
| Scarcely, however, had he seated himself
In his accustomed corner when a low and
mysterious sound greeted his ears and sent
| the blood wave through his heart with sud
den and increased rapdity.
| God bless me! What was that?"
But again the sound was repeated with
| unequivocal and unmiStakable intensity.
| Poor Job sat bolt upright, and gave a
| quick glance round his humble abode vet
searching enough to recognize the cause
or the commotion as proceeding from q
| hamper in one corner OF the ROOM which
| must have somehow been placed there by
mistake.
| The sounds now succeeded each other with
| such marvellous rapidity as to constitute
one uninterrupted wall, and Jobs instincts
| prompted him, with fear and trembling
to investigate the contents of the hamper
Even the lid was not fastened. and as he
gently raised it his action was rewarded by
his seeing laid upon a pillow. and with
half-emptied bottle of milk beside it, a
| lovely, healthy looking baby.
| At this moment Mrs. Judkins entered to
| Jobs hOmPlV
"Oh, Mickey. Mickey, what do / see and
hear, and whatever have you been dom
Of to bring this blessed babby into such
II assure you, Mrs. Judkins 1 know moth
Ing of 1t. more than you do yourself" said
"Oh, very likely" said Mrs Judkins.
| i've heard that tale afore!'
At this moment. however. the baby gave
| a piercing shrek, as much to say, do
stop jabberng. and attend to me at once"
Mrs Judkins accordingly lifted the baby
that there was nothing else in it, took up
the pillow on which it had reclinci and
was astonished to find a letter pinned to
| one side of it addressed to himself.
| To slip this into his pocket for future
consideration was the work of a moment
as. for obvious reasons, he thought 1t expe-
dent to keep the contents Of the letter TN
known, for the present, at any rate to any,
one but himself especially as it was evil
IDENTIFY intended that he alone should re-
"Well. this 'eres a nice job. Moke, and no
mistake: ana l must say that I'm sur
prised at you, and at your age too, What
will the neighbors say? 1 calls it wicked
| scandal, L do!'
Job. however, said little in reply, but let
his old factotum run on, hoping she would
stop the sooner.
Its a purity little dear, at any rate,
Look at its lovely blue eyes, and its beau
| t;ful hair! Did it want it's bottle Door
dear? 1t shall have it, then that it shall Z"
Here she busted herself in preparing a
fresh supply of milk for the little angel
which said angel vigorously imbibed and
almost Immediately fell asleep Judkins
looked at Job as she crooned to the sleep-
ing infant on her lap, and at length as If
unable to contain herself any longer ex-
claimed:
why do you sit there. Moke, never say
ing word and the blessed hinfant brought
ONE to you? What L wants to know is
whose is it, where did it come from and
what are you going to do with it? Lawks
a massey me! l never could ha' believed tina I
a reg lar old bloke like you would have led
some silly wench away and become a fill
alive father You needn't shake your head
that's what the lawyers win call you; least
WISE they did when Billy Skidder got poor
Sal Grogan's Marian into trouble. But you
again l asks you whose it is and what are
You going TO do with it?''
| Poor Jobs expression was really most
pitiable to behold, and much as he resented
Mrs. Judkins' imputations as to himself he
was really more eager to find out something
about the poor stray little lamb from the
missive in his pocket. He could only deny
any knowledge whatever of the infant In
hllt Ind col