The morning times., 1895-07-12
H6r LOu6 L6tt6rS.

Jeanie Campbell came back from the
talor's shop where she worked and found
a company OF boys and girls congregated
round the doorstep of the tall tenement
house ina which she rented a small back
room. They were hooting and ieering at
a man seated in his shirt sleeves on the door
step placdly smoking a huge German porce-
lainpipe The man did not seem in the least
disturbed at their icers and shricks, but
smoked on with hls eyes fixed upon the
strip of sunset sky visible above the grimy
roofs
Jeanie pushed her way in.
whats the matter?''
yah, Dutchy! INT e a bloomin soft?
Give boy q shillm' TO 90 and fetch m
somethin' to eat and is with ERE for 'em!
INT e a style? Wonder 'ow long
hen wite!'
who is he?"
"A blooming Dutchy! e carn't speak no
English, e cam't-'s TO mike signs-and
nobody ere carn't speak nothink else. INT
e "a softy."
The girl paused and looked AT the man.
There was something in his patient attitude
that aroused ser pity. Some softer re-
membrance of the days before she came to
tins great, wicked London came over her.
The mans eyes SO blue, clear and bright,
and the healthy tinge OF his wholesome face
smote upon her with pang OF recollection
OF the honest Scottish faces she had left
with contempt for their content when she
had starred forth TO see life in London
She went up TO the man and signed TO
him 10 follow her indoors. She tried to
make him understand that he had been
robbed. The soft gentle tones that answered
her We're quite uninteligible. He smiled
shrugged his shoulders, spread his hands
and looked at her with that calm trustful-
ness one sees in dogs and children.
she smiled, nodded, pointed up the
I stairs and then ran out OF The house. She
returned with a loaf OF bread and a half
pound OF sausages for him and roll for her
self she would make that do. He was
stranger alone and friendless.
She put the things III his hand, pointing
down the street as if TO Indicate that she
had brought the things from the boy. He
seemed 10 understand, took her hand and
raised IL to lis lips. The action was so
simple, so grateful that she felt ashamed
and ran up the stairs TO her own room.
Her ComfoTtless breakfast of n dry roll
the next morning made her little re-
grctful OF her charity the night before
He must shift for himself, as / have had
10 do She thought, and she went out to
her days work.
wien size returned IN tDe evening she
found him standing outside his door. He
bowed and smiled, opened his door and
showed his various purchases on his table
He had evidently found his way round to
shops. She went up the stairs, feeling the
least bit disappointed that he did not require
her help any more. He semcd different from
the Jaded, vulgar men and women she came
in contact with in her city life. The air Of
the fields seemed to cling to him still. She
thought as she toiled up the weary stairs
1 how sweet the country must be looking
now. Was the sun shining on the hills
at home and making the waters OF the
loch sparkle, the bonny hills that she
would never see again? Friends were dead,
and 10 q tailoreSs at twelve shilLngs q
/ week II was inded far cry 10 Loeb Awe
Something was on her table, little
sketch OF sweep OF wide hills, with fir
forests clinging to their sides, a little
cluster OF houses with wide overhanging
roofs and shutters 10 the windows a fig
ure was standing in the doorway of one
of the houses.
THAT is his house." said Jeanie to her
self What a funny thing 20 do, to give
me q picture of fl I wish / could send
him back one of Loeb Awe and our house
up on the braes."
The next day was Sunday She usually
passed the morning in bed, tired out with
! her weeks work When she came down
about the middle OF the day, she met him
/ coming in, evidently in his Sunday best
/ Could he have been to church? Well,
! It was clear be had not learned the man
neTs OF Eureka court yet
| She tried to express her thanks by looks