The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-10
JOHNSONS LITTLE ROMANCE.
From Household Words

From Household Words.
Dear old Johnson! Whenever
think of him realize that he was one
of the true good-hearted fellows we
only meet with here and there in the
world and not too often.
His name, by the way, was not
Johnson, but it will answer all the pur-
poses of my story to call him so.
1t was a name handed down through
many a generation of noble ancestors
that he carried across the channel
when he was nearing fifty years of
age, together with the very small
remnant of fortune which remained af-
ter one of his friends had swindled
him.
Johnson was exactly the person to
be swindled. His trustful, generous
herat made him an easy prey.
81 don't like leaving my native
land" he said to me day or two be-
fore his departure. But the fact is,
can no longer afford to live in Eng
land; so 1 must avail myself Of the in
expensive, continental style of exist
ence. I am bound for Paris, which,
after all, will not be going very far
away"
Johnson had been living abroad for
more than year, when I decided that
ii was about time l should be looking
him up.
He was not good at correspondence,
neither was I.
We exchanged occasional letters
which seemed to be full of nothing; so
1 wanted to see with my own eyes
how he was bearing his changed for
tunes.
1t was in the small "entresol" Of one
of the tall houses of the old Latin
| quarter of the capital that 1 found my
| friend established.
| He declared that he was very Jolly,
but 1 did not believe him. It was only
a sort of dogged determination to look
on the sunny side of things in general
that made him say so.
How could a man no longer in his
first youth, be "jolly" in a stuffy little
lodging where his head almost touched
the ceiling, and where his frugal meals
were sent in by 'traiteur?"
Johnson was just the fellow who
ought to be the head of an affluent
British household. with sons and
daughters growing up about him.
Or he should have been a wealthy
bachelor uncle, absolutely adored by
o large contingent of nephews and
nieces-soltude did not seem the prop
er setting for him.
However, he took for his motto,
whatever is, is BEST" trotted me
about Paris, with an air of part-owner-
ship which was Infinitely comic, in
fact, did his level best to make my
fortnight's stay pleasant one.
He would have insisted on giving me
up his bed, and migrating to unlet at
tic on the fifth fioor but l would not
hear Of it.
I was obliged to pretend that I
should certainly suffocate in the small
closet he dignified by the title OF
"shambre a coucher," and that l had
enGag ged quarters at one of the nearest
hotels on my way from the railway
station, and before found him out
Though we had known each other
during a good many years, it was only
when my stay in Paris drew very near
it's close that Johnson one evening
became confidential.
l am not very likely to forget that
evening either, for 1 had come out
rather sick aud decidedly shuddering
from visiting 1.-THE Morgue."
Declaring it to be one Of the sight.
of the city, which a strong mar
ought to see once in his life, l had pre-
vailed on Johnson to accompany me.
A group Of excited women and a mar
of two were standing by the entrance
they told us that the body Of girl-t
young and pretty girl-had been car
ried in not long before. She had beer
found floating in the Seine; a case O.
suicide, no doubt
Il think-Ill take your arm-m,
dear fellow!" stammered johnson al
we came out from this CHASTITY spec
tacle.
Then / felt sorry had urged hin
against his will for his face was a!
white as chalk, and his manner wal
that Of a man walking in a dream
"It reminded me-" he said, after w
had walked some little way, and H.
seemed better, "of a girl who wa
drowned a good many years ago. Per
haps I'll tell you about 1t by and by"
did not question him. The little ro
nance of his life came quite naturall
as We sat together in the stuffy "entre
SOL" waiting for dinner.
II am such a thorough fogy now" re
marked johnson from the depths of tn
} big Voltaire chair into which l ha
forced him. that I dare say, Franz
you could hardly imagine me younl
and fairly good loolSlng?"
you forget" ] answered, "but W
, were both tolerably young when W
first made acquaintance. And, in m
opinion, you are good looking now"
'Oh, yes, YOU, perhaps. But coul
you imagine me a man with whom