The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-09-04
Saved by His
Wife,
The professional "loafer' sees more life

dies which work themselves out day ny
day.
1t was while ! was 'loating' that | saw
a strange drama IN real life, which | should
certainly have missed had not been Goa
scientiously idle.
One afternoon | fell into conversation
with a little man who was likewise busy
in the almost forgotten art of doing nothing.
He was neat little man; his mustache
was neatly trimmed his figure was neat
and compact, his clothes were neat.
We were watching girl fall off her
bicycle. There were several people looking
on, and we all enjoyed it very much. The
girl kept falling, hut whether she did it
for our amusement or because she couldn't
help it don't known.
We discussed the new woman" and
was glad to find he didn't approve of her,
because | do, and it gave me chance of
airing my views.
And so a kind of intimacy sprang up be-
tween lis We met nearly every day, and
bit by bit he told me his little story.
His name was Smollett, and he lived in
a flat near the park with his wife and child.
He told me in confidence that his wife was
the best little woman in the world, and
limited that his child was within trie of
being the best little man.
Mr.. Smollett had been a clerk in stock
brok er's Office. But the stock broker had
taken wrong view of the South African
question, and, after being hammered, had
gone through the bankruptcy court and re-
tired into the country to live in content.
ment on his wife's settlement. Mr.. Smo.
lett was In search of fresh appointments.
''You know he said one day, "I'm not
a greedy man. don't look for a large
salary. Three or four pounds week would
satisfy me very we'll for the present. You
see, my wife is such splendid manager"
| believe he spent his mornings in the
delightful occupation Of answering adver-
tisements and hunting up friends likely to
be of service. In the afternoon he lounged
in Battersea Park.
But the weeks slipped away; and spring
was converted into summer. Mr.. Smollett
still made his appearance in the park, near
the boa.house, with unfailing regularity
He had not found employment.
at strikes me, " he said with kind OF
out for something at about two pounds =
week. A small loaf is better than no bread,
isn't it?''
Quite So assented, "and so is bis
cult"
"And do you know" he ran on, I'VE a,r
getting quite hard up. We are indeed"
He said this with an air Of surprise, il.
if | could scarcely be expected to belirN t
it. But as had suffered from the com.
plant for many years, found no difficulty
in graspng the situation.
AS the autumn approached he began to
look gloomily anxious The scraps of COM
monplace philosophy with which he favored
his conversation became more cynical and
less humorous.
AREN'T you going to smoker" asked
one day. noticing the prim little cigarette
was not forthcoming.
NO." he said doubtfully. 81 don t
think so. Pm afraid | shall have to give
it up; it doesn' altogether agree with me. "
He tapped himself on the chest as he
spoke, to signify, l suppose, that it affected
his throat. But l had my doubts, and per-
suaded him to try my tobacco.
The little man began to be trhe less
spruce in his appearance. He had managed
to get wet through two or three times; at
one time he had an UMBRELLA don't
know what became of it, and his clothes
seemed to shrink, and make him look
pinched and thin.
By the time the autumn had set in, and
the number of cyclists was diminishing,
verify believe he was short of food. At
any rate, he seemed to be very glad to join
me in few sandwiches at small public
house had discovered in Vauxhall, where
the sandwiches were fairly good and only
a penny each. He told me, in strict con-
fdence, that he would jump at guinea a
week, ''iust to keep the pot boiling, you
know" he added, with cautious wink.
One day we were sitting i'll the park
watching a six-foot policeman manage a
mob Of three very small boys, who wanted
to climb the ratings and destroy some
flowers, when man looked hard at Smol-
lett, and then spoke to him. | strolled
away.
He was well-dresscd man of about
twenty-eight or thirty, with the appear
ance of one who is prosperous, aud treats
himself well. 1t struck me at once that
he was the kind Of person who has a
proper regard for his own interest, so that
if he had to choose between going to the
wall himself and sending another man
there, his choice would certainly fall on
the other man.
However, he seemed to treat Smollett
with some cordiality, and could see from
my friends manner that he was trying to
converse with him, and at the same time
was nervously anxious to secure his help.