Evening star., 1896-12-26


"call that cnristiAnItyr' Belcher would
them near St Martyr's-"a-puttin: a SQUIRT
in water-pump in there to tyke tn bread
out q pore mans mouth. an a-cuttin'
down O ifs Twin wygeI Yus. an the lawr
a-foredn' US to support the church. too"
But Belcher was really of a forgiving
spirit, and should not be judged by his
harsh language toward the establishment
which he was under the Impression rigor-
Gus legal enactment compelled him to SUBJ
sldize; for he so far overlooked Langly's
conduct IS to call upon him occasionally
and ACCEPT fews pence as conscience
money. ri
II don't blin1e 'im," said Belcher, mag
unanimously, over HIS pot Of beer, ''as much
as do the mean Old duffer wot breaches
there. e put me on the Cart
|. Langly as has been said found 1t neces-
sary to secure cheaper lodgings, and this
was his own fault as much as 1t was the
fault Of his limited income: A London
carries on a constant fight against circum.
stances. Her tenants pay her as seldom and
as little as they can; sometimes they dis
appear and. she loses her money; while II
they stay, there are no chances of extract
ing extras. those elastic exactions which
often watt a West End boarding house
keeper to affluence. Terms are close and
invariably Inclusive. The organists con-
duct toward his numerous and successive
landladies admits Emo defense. These good
women, when he had taken his departure.
SpOAP DuleT1y Oh HiS SnGaky ana QeCeDt1Ve
ways. an indeed they had just cause to do.
On first arriving at q new place he was so
apoiogetic and anxious not to give any
trouble, so evidently person who did not
really live In bustling, elbowing London,
but in some dree my mental world of his
own. that his good. hostess, merely as an
experiment and entirely without prejudice,
as the legal man puts IT, tentatively placed
on his bill for the week some trif1ing item
that, strictly speaking, was merely placed
there to be taken off again if complaint
were made. or allowed to stand il overlook
ed. OF course, under these circumstances,
the landlady was IN expectation of a. row
during which epithets rejecting upon her
financial probity might be hurled at her,
fortunate mistake, would correct the error
and assure the lodger that such a thing
would not occur again. After few essays
OF this kind, all perfectly Just and proper in
a commercial country, and, in fact the only
means OF discovering to what extent the
lodger could be depended upon as an asset,
LIE would flow on with that calm serenity
which adds so much to the comfort and en-
joyment of furnished apartment in the
borough or palace overlooking the park.
But Langly never took q straightforward
course with his landladies. Instead of find
ing fault at the proper time he meekly said
nothing and paid the bills as long as ne was
able-bills which mounted higher and her
each week. Thus the deiuded woman had
no chance, as she could not be expected to
know when she had reached the limit of his
weekly income. At last the organist would
take his bundle of music under his arm,
and would sneak away like a thief in the
night, in search for q cheaper abode after
leaving a weeks money in lieu of notice.
wrapped In q piece of paper, in conspicuous
pace, TOT he never had the courage to face
landlady and boldly tell her he was going
IN Rose Garden court there was more
than one family that might be likened to
an accordion, because of the facility with
which 1t could be compressed or extended
The Scimmirs household could occupy the
three rooms 1t rented in the court, or 1t
could get along with two, or even one. IL
gea Wbenever e nhe spare space was sublet
Laneiy found lodgings that had at least
the merit of cheapness The policeman at
u, the @ entrance Of the court looked suspicious
an eye on him. ThesoCganist had a hahit
OF muttering truct3sntly to himself as he
walked the streetS2and his nervous hands
slim he aerers herer mn mSnsut at rest the long,
chords, inaudible outsfde Of his own mu-
sical imagination. ~
A., Wnen the already Suspicious policeman at
come out, clawing the, empty air With th,
.wo Iorenngers of Eeither hand crooked like
.aions. fearful. fTpwn on his brow
ocsr an aid oinous 10 mttesing in his throat, the
mere goes a hanarchist, II there evar
was one. not knowing that the poor nttIe
MANS, man was merely pulling the stops of a
heavenly in tone tFhspoIice alwaNs Iood.s n9
ashance at Langly, when he moved int
2 new locality, untiifhsy learned that he rvas
'ae 10 olsanlst % at st. Martyr's-fn -the-East.
One night, shortly after he took the ha .t
room Two nlghts'up at No. g. LangIv came
oown the common stairway, and paused in
anna amaze "a at the landing opposite Braunts
iearfully numbering Chopin's ~EHna.ai
March, part first. The sound made him
a' MlNne' ana ne crouched by the door. his
nasei sels rans mscnanically drumming against the
81.
cry out against the proclamation of a b,r'
hony mat seemed sacred to him IT,
arone stopped suddenly, and next instant
amazed ain o istsnsr @as 'erked e open: causing the
wnere' ' as 1t seemed to him, a giant nouncadd
hown, @ ciutched his shoulders, and flnna
wall rhen neap p,on,tn on the floor by the opposite
giant with fists cIenched and faac .he
torted tort with rage, lowered over the nrns-
o.,a. You miserable, sneaking scoundre,r.
cried Braunt so that's why Won tons
room with the Scimminses-fo fer-et LUZ q
spy On me. I've seen you crawling un thass
sa sha s.ca AFRAID na,t to look any honest man in
GIBBONS wants to know how uua dy, iay,
ne! I'm up to his tricks. You're GIhhonss Ues
spy: ana ne has sent you to live with that
was afrsid f' ssermmins ser nj scimmins himself
Braunt." rolling up his sleeves. ..I'm ..I'mn'imued na
you as oid Scimmins. I'll fhrow 80
over tne banisters. and you can renort ,ho. yut
10 eanpons, and tell him to come h;,,sa1e
body "ohe IN his
Jessie chung to her father. begging h,,,
M tears not to hurt the poor man. Rramn,
snook her Off, but not unkindly. aunt
SIT thee down. JESSIE lass. and dom.
worri- me. I'll but drop the bag ~ honas "m
on the stairs and serve him right for 3
Lansiy, encouraged by his antasonis,.s
change OF tone in speaking to the eir;
Ventured to falter forth: e'
Il assure you, sir"
Ion SIR me, you hound" cried Braunt
turning nercely upon him, "and don't dares
10 aeny you me one Of Gibbons spies
caught you at 1t, remember
LII oeny nothing If it displeases Won. hut
L never heard of Gibbons in my life. and
m only poor orgahist I stopped at the
ooor on nearing the harmonium For no
otner reason, l assure you. I know
oughtnt to have done 1t, and 1 suppose 7
am sneak. I'll never do it again. never
II you Will excuse me this time"
mere was something abject In the
musicians manner that Braunt's resent
ment was increased rather than dfminished
ny the appeal. He had a big mans con-
Tempt Tor anything small and cringing.
q n mia