The morning news., 1894-09-09
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER O. 1894

The caretaker was found and enlisted
in our service. After much cropping
among the sheds and piles Of deals we
trlumphtly secured a ladder OF the re-
quired length. But here an unpleasant
obstacle confronted US. Great mum bers
OF heavy skids and timbers had been
piled against the wall and there was no
safe grounding for our ladder.
We worked Taliantly for another hour
and at last were able 10 stealthily hoist
the ladder in place, its Op rounds resting
few feet above the tiny black aperture
we could Just diDtinguisl, more than half
way from the ground to the dark wall
edge cutting against the family lighted,
sOmber sky.
keys bruises rendered it out Of the
question for him 10 ascend the ladder;
and per1Orce became the chief actor IN
the rescue OF the princess" from her
stately ''pallus' tower. The coster's eX-
element was intense and the novel situa-
tlOu had a certain touch OF danger IN 1t
which l remem -er spurred me on amaz-
lugly, as key held fast below, while
breathing hoarse coster plaudits and
terms Of endearment as | carefully tested
each round on my way upward.
When my head was alongside the aper-
ture l cautiously peered within. ] could
see nothing but a single strand of light,
which pierced the blackness through the
VI eeL4lLAA5 rum Vic QALL BS VI
lane.
1 waited for q time and heard no sound
With my closed penknife l softly tapped
against the wall and listened. l thought
i heard a slight rustic, but was per-
picked at securing no other manner of re-
spoEse; when l whispered impatiently
down to key TO sound his coster call.
Cherry ripe, you as it governor! Ere
she goes"
..Ta-ta-tai ta-ta: ta-ta-ta7"
1t seemed an uuearthly blast in the ST.
lences of the walled and deserted yard;
but l had scarcely time to reach the top
of the ladder when a little head popped
through the wall opening.
1t was instantly withdrawn; but in
flash little foot, then another, then
dainty pair of legs, and, finally their sub
stantlal upper belongings swung through
the aperture; and the girl hung there
from her finger ends without outcry or
apparent fear.
reached around her, getting firm
grip on her little Oody, and brought her
10 my own. Her splendid pluck, silence
and faith stirred me deeply; and kissed
her squarely upon her lips in impassioned
admiration.
Easy does it, guvernoro came
hoarsely and TREMENDOUSLY from Ikey be-
low.
But before the coster's protest had
reached either her ears or mine the girl
saVagely squirmed like cat in my arms,
and but for my best efforts would have
fallen headlong to the earth below, while
she hissed:
Mi dearie Dubbleskyi (Eor the dear
Lords sake) Hits tn bing's (devils)
lips, stead o. Ike'sr
1t was the only gipsy's kiss I ever
knew, this one snatched in the dark from
Phrony Plunkett's lips under the wiiest
OF false pretenses, and hope for never
another; for l was so startled and over
whelmed by her vicious strugglings that
swift consciousness of whose form
held, Of the real part / had been taking
and above all of my loyalty to one lowly
| friend working such treachery and havoc
! TO another, that ! know not how-for
key had desperately run up the ladder
to aid in our descent-we all came TO the
| ground together.
But there was brief whirlwnd Of 10y
in which 1 presume l became enveloped ;
quick and quiet replacing of the ladder
| in the shed; a stealthy leaving of the
/ locality; hurried whirl of carriages to a
/ place of safety; and in good timea penny
wedding in the ShUreditch quarter,
where gave the happy bride away, and
! the ecstatic lkey murmuered, "Strike
| lucky but hits tn FUNNIEST go o. me
! life Cor bli me, so hit is"
'And this is how it came about" con-
| cluded the Gypsy traveller, ''that before
! the Christmas bells had ruug l became
! further involved in the affairs of my
! humble friends, to the degree that, as the
! Co. of Pushbarrow, Plunkett & Co.,
saw with no little pride our faring sign
/ 90 up above the door of happy home aud
| prosperous cOster-Gypsy shop, where
| key and Phrony exist with their greens
! and donkeys in unalloyed domestic bliss ;
! where old Zeke rattles and clatters
merrily among pots and kettles, donkey
! harness and broken costers' carts, which
are increasing in number with prophetic
clamor of opulence; and whence, when
the nomadic hunger becomes too power
! full for restraint, a certain old Gypsy
tinker whom love sallies forth with me
into the pleasant pilgrim ways.