Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-10
does the mnse., 1ut.yoi can ...a.. he

l denly.
I said could. and 20 convince him read
on the names Of several Of the volumes
| before me. I remembered afterward that
instead Of looking at Them to see il 7 read
Alright ad he KEEP. his bis eyes o on my face
had deciphered half q dozen.
You do your scheolmaster credit. my
lad Such man should not want. and yet
gssd lo 90 fSnd are you in
He asked the question with SO much
benevolence, and looked at me with 60
good-natured twinkle in his eyes. that
had had much ado to answer him; YES"
Indeed. indeed" quoth he. "WeIl. ]
must do what 1 can. Andt irst you may
do me small service, which in any case
shall not go unreauited. Come this way"
Without waiting for an answer he led
| me Into the mouth of a court hard by,
| where we were less open to observation.
There. pointing to a shop at a little dis:
me. he explained that he wished to- pur-
chase a copy Of S,lden's "Baronage" that
stood at the front Of the stall, but that the
tradesman knew him. and would over
me, my friend" he continued. chuckling
at his innocent subterfuge with q simple
ity that took with me immensely ut
should be half guinea. There Is a
the book and bring the change to me, and
| 1t shall be something in your. pocket Alas,
that the muse should be so ml-but there.
go. go, my lad" he continued, land re-
member Selden's 'Baronage;' half a
| guinea"
Delighted with the luck that had found
me such patron, and anxious to acquit
myself to the best advantage, hurried to
| do his bidding, first making sure that I
knew where to find him. The shop he had
| pointed out, which was surmounted with
the sign of a gun, and appeared to enjoy
no small share of public favor, was full Of
In ND toll tr,v olr,
the first book On which my eyes alighted
was Selden's 'Baronage,' and the trades
man, when 1 applied to him, made no diff
Guilty about the price, saying at once that
1T was half a guinea. l handed him my
money, and, without breaking off his talk
with a customer, he was counting the
change. when something in my aspect
struck him, and he looked at the guinea
On which he muttered an oath and thrust
1t back into my hand.
ut will not do he said angrily.
l was quite taken aback, the more as
several persons looked up from their books,
and his immediate companion, a meager.
dry-looking man in snuffcolored suit
fell to staring at me. What do you
mean?' 1 stammered.
You know very well,' the tradesman
besone! And more. tell you, If You want
hemp collar, my man, you are in the way
| to get one
Clipped" quoth the dry-looking man,
curtly.g
New clipped and bright at the edges"
the bookseller answered. Now, go, my
man, and be thankful l don't send for q
constable" 80
At that shrank away, two or three Gus
! toners coming to the door to see me out
and watch which way I turned This,
suppose, though l was then and for little
| time longer in doubt about him, was the
reason why l could see nothing of my
charitable friend when 1 returned to the
place where 1 had left him. l looked this
way and that, but he was gone; and
| though not. knowing what else to do, and
fingered about the mouth of the court for
an hour or more, he did not return.
AT the end of that time the meager, dry
man whom had seen in the shop passed
after a moments hesitation. stood and
spoke to me. How now, my friend?" said
he, looking hard at me. Are you waiting
for the halter?"
who had given me the guinea to change
had hidden me return to him there
And he is not here?" he said with a
sneer. y
NO." I said.
He stared at me. i suppose at the SIM
plicity of my answer; and then: NV ell, you
are either the biggest fool or the biggest
knave within the b:lls!'', he exclaimed.
Are you straight from Gotham"
NO" I told him. From the north"
And that wanted employment
You are likely to, get hat the planta.-
tions! he answered, saxasely, taking snuff.
l remarked that Heither his hands nor his
linen were of the cleanest, and that the
former were stained with ink. What are
you?" he continued. in the same snappish,
churlish tone. 80,
I told him a schoolmaster.
Exempt gratia," he answered. quickly,
turning to the nearest stall and indicating
the title page of a book. Read me that,
Master Schooimaster."
I did so. He grunted, and then: "You
write? Show me your hand
said I had no paper or ink there, but II
he would take me
Pooh. man. are you fool?' he cried,
impatiently. ''Show me your right hand.
middle finger, and will find you scribit or
non scribit. So! And you want work."
YES" said.
lizard work and little pay?"
I said 1 wanted to make my living.
LAY. and perhaps the first time you come
to me you will cut my throat and rob my
desk" he answered gruftiy. Him! That
touches You home, does 1t? However. ask
for me tomorrow at in the forenoon-Mr.
Timothy Bronze, at the sign Of the Black
Now I was overjoyed, Indeed. With such
| a prospect Of employment it seemed to me
small thing that I must stop in the
streets, but even that escaped. For when
Inc what money had. None" I told him.
except the clipped guinea" "And sup
pose you expect me to give you a shilling
earnest?" he answered, irascibly. But no.
no, Timothy Bronze is no fool. See here"
he continued, slapping his pocket and look
ing shrewdly at me, that guinea is not
worth a groat to you, except to hang you."
NO" I said, ruefully.
"Well. will give you five shillings for 1t
as gold. mind you; as gold. and not to
pass. Are you content"
"It is not mine." said, doubtfully.
'Take 1t or leave it, he said, screwing
up his eyes, and 80 plainly pleased with the
bargain he was driving that I had no
inkling of the kind heart that underlay
that grabbed manner. take 1t or leave it.
my man." 80. ., ,-..
Thus pressed, and my mind retaining no
real doubt of the knavery Of the man who
had intrusted the guinea to me, i handed
1t to my new friend. and received in re-
turn a crown. And this being my last and
final disposition Of money not my own,
think 1t Is a fit season to record that from
that day to this have been enabled, by
Gods help and mans kindness, to keep the
Eighth Commandment, and earning honest
ly what have spent, have been poor in
deed, but never a beggar.
In gratitude for which, and both those
good men being now dead, here conjoin
the names OF Mr.. Timothy Bronze Of Fleet
street, newsmonger and author, whose
sharp tongue and morose manners cloaked
| a hundred benefactlons. and of Charles,
Duke Of Shrewsbury, my honored patron.