The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-09-08

HNo uso? TaIa't no more use thau
wbistlin' pheasant back to- coop. when
lie oaco skulkod IN cover fur only arr 1
dayp
Il vas long add dusty journey Into
London; bat .Iearly tho whole day on
deavored on toe one hand to dissuade
the GIpsy girl from purpose which
felt sure would os,raclse her from CON
pRnionBhtp with her race, and on the
other, tried hard 70 reconcile poor old
Zeke to the NECESSARILY lonely life he
must lead among HE own people soon,
or the changed condition OF q kaiE
rajah, or city Gypsy. which I could soc
was az almost unbearable outlook TO
this bronEed old pilgrim Of the roads.
We came by way OF Holborn and Il
was late at night when we reached this
popIlous thorougbtRra.
Zeke and Phrony Hospitality invited
me to accompany them TO their GIpsy
quarters, but Gipsy quarters on the
pleasant, highway aud GIpsY quarters In
great city are 90 startlingly different
In nature that I left them with pleas.
ant goodnight aud the agreement DO.
tween us that when they were we'll
settled for the winter they were to let
me know at my lodgings, when ! would
certainly at once visit them.
Perhaps two weeka had passed, aud
az no tidinHs had yet come from tinker
Zske PlunEett and his daughter So
phronia, / began % feel n sense Of
anxiety and forebodlne regarding their
welfare. This go grew upon me that
resolved 10 make IN effort to find them.
Ono evening / had set out from my
inn in the "joyous neighborhood OF Co
vent Garden" for an aimless stroll, when
the sudden impulse seized me 10 peno.
trate few Of the London Gipsyries I
knew. in the hope OF accidentally hear.
ing some word from my Romany iriends.
l passed through the deserted market.
place, wandered along the broad Piazza
and finally turned slowy into Drury
Lane.
Here at a noted top, chiefly patron
ized by coetermongers and Covent Gar
den porters, encountered crowd OF
costers making merry over the fine ap.
pearance OF one Of their number who
was arrayed with unusual gorgeousneSs.
His natty scull cap was perched on
the very side OF his head, its huge visor
pointing straight toward the sky. His
silk "kingsman" or neckcloth, was OF
red and re,plendent with tiery disks Of
deeper scarlet, tied in an ample sailors
knot, tho ends tucked In his gay wooden
shirt; tho whole exposing o fine, we'll
corded neck and chest
His coat was carefully folded and held
across his arm; but his waistcoat was Of
gray corduroy, aa long as q Jockeys,
with capacious pockets and huge lapels;
and his trousers, OF the same material,
wore half Mexican in cut, aud their
bottoms tapped over as 6ne a pair Of
ankle boots as could be found In all
London.
But this was not all. The buttons
upon THE rich coster attire wero some.
thing marvellous in their number md
Dimensions. They wero OF shining'
pearl, at least an inch in diameter, and
wore set their polished edges touching,
around the cap.band and visor-odge.
down the edge Of tho waistcoat from
throat to point, above every pocket and
on the edges OF lapels and along the
wide plush side.stripes OF the trousers
from Just below the knees to tho very
edge OF the trousers' hem, go that tho
last buttons clicked and patted merrily
against pavement and shoes.
A hasty glance revealed all this; aud
though anxious to avoid the harum-
scarum lot and their lively tongues,
there was o strange familiarity in the
face Of the splendid coster hero OF tho
moment, who was paying back the rich
badinagc Of hia fellows with lusty inter-
est
Whom turned TO look again saw
sudden breaking Of tho group, and In
instant more my old friend Hey Push.
barrow-Ikey, who had ct one time
fallen, through thirst for challdnch-
pcsging fame, to the lowest depths OF
coster penury; key. who had lost
credit, standing, even companionship
among his follows, until no could not
borrow basket, barrow or greens; key,
whom had few mouths before como
upon in this doleful strait, and, with
only few shillings. sont on the bright
or road TO coster opulcnce and success;
had leaped beside with me, and with
eyes glowing his unspeaknble gratitude
and friendship. stood grasping my
hande with both his huge and knobby
fists.
"ohy.ikol-an' Lor' love yo, 'ow air
20, governor"
hWhy, key, this can't DO your I
returned In surprise and admiration at
his imposing appearance.
"Me2 Hit arn't no bother, guvornor.
Wy. hits blcedin' 'appiness t glim ye,
so II isl"
"well, we'll. we'll! 1kcy Puohbarrow,
then2 And how goes It these duys,
1key. lad?"
"Goes it, governor? Coos 1t? Cherry
rIpel--cigaruet! Strike me lucky! soft
dor
(which way tonight, key, in all
that Anery?" asked as he fell In DO.
side mo radiantly.
"vich way, is III Chy.ikel vich
way does any coster 90 in 'is toys, Ct
for b!oomin' marks, an lie art pog-
gin rs wais.cut buttonsH Governor,
toll mo thatl"
Hc said this almost archly and with
such wholesome oarnestness that l
could not but humor him with the an.
swer.
"Oh, to his sweetheart, suppose"
"strikc me lucky! You've 1T IL
cherry ripci" no answered, boiling ovor
with admiration at my apparent won.
derful knowledge Of human nature.
Then little cloud came over his face
aud no looked up at mo as II ubashod ut
some request which fingered unspoken
on his inpetuous costor tongue.
"out with it, key" chcorily COM
nnndah