The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-24
Johnnie


-, cold evening In the merry month of
a., looked down into the kitchens OF the
-, houses in Queens Gate and wished
49,. he were going TO dine in one of the
,,,,aeonely curtained dining rooms above.
:. v,,s ocIoek. and the most savory odors
.,r,e floating up from the areas and in
one kitchen the wayfarer could espy splen-
80 f,iut hanging before the IRE. and in an
o..r the cook could be seen beating
,eothsome custard. But. whether the
Glands we're visible or not, il was evident
that. all along the line. people were going
- dine. and 70 dine well, too.
II was tantalizing thought for hungry
,oan. and Johnnie was very hungry man.
rrr,s he had dlned of mutton chop about
bsIf-past l. but ne had had no extras TO
tbis simple fare. and Of the luxury OF after
noon tea he knew nothing. Indeed. of any
eastronomic luxuries he was ignorant
breakfast of coffee and bread and butter
with perhaps a dried haddock or a slice of
cold bacon. dinner at a restaurant. and
when he got home a meal which was called
supper. hut which consisted Of tea and
toast. garnished with a sardine or spoon
ful Of grated cheese. this was what John.
ne had grown tall upon.
RE was abnormally tall-a great deal too
tall for his width, and he did not look ro-
bust Nevertheless. he was five and TWEEN
~. and his health had never yet failed him.
and he had worked hard since he was six
teen. and had supported himself and helped
70 support his mother and his delicate sis
ter.
Johnnie never complained. He had his
day-dreams, of course. and his fine aspira-
tons. He wanted TO dine in great houses,
h.. Ionged To associate with gentlemen; in
fine. he craved society, but he never
showed any signs of discomfort He came
Of the grand old stock that has made Eng
land what she is. and, though he could not
count a hundred earls among his forbears
he was as stauneh and brave as if his
shield had had twenty-four quarterings.
But on this evening. as he walked through
Queens Gate TO his mean little home be-
yond Lille Bridge, he was seized with what
n was wont comically TO CALI 'the tenth
comm andnaent disease" He was restless;
his heart was full: his intellect was quick
in short, he coveted.
he saw other young men, fresh from
their Bond-street tailors. dashing about in
hans0ms. and he envied them. He longed
for some OF their opportunities. their pos
sibllities. If he could change places with
one OF these only for week, If he could
only so in and out of these high, wide
houses, call hanson a dozen times a day,
wear a good hat and neat boots, above all.
dine AT such a table as he had read of in
novelettes and talk on equal terms to the
gilded youth whose easy airs he so much
admired, Nay, nay, He must not be a
prince unless his mother. who worked so
hard In her wretched little Select School
for Young Gentlemen" which was attend
ed by the sons of greengrocers and fish
Inongers. might be a queen and cease from
her labors, and unless Bessie might be a
princess, with fur boa round her neck
and guineas in her pocket to get advice for
her cough.
He was good fellow. and unselfish to
the core. and his mother and Bessie reigned
in his heart He was cultivated enough. be-
ing an assiduous reader of newspapers and
a freauenter Of the free library. and he
felt that he could mold his own intellectu-
aHy among the rich and educated Queens
Caters; but to climb. like Jack, up the
beanstalk. and leave his mother and sister
behind-oh. no!
Suddenly, as he pondered over these
lilu5Sr tue door Oh Il HOuSc OpSiACo, anu a
man came rushing down the steps
"Hullo, Vincent. old man. You're just
the fellow l want
You mistake. My name is Wright,
Eaid Johnnie, mildly.
1ne stranger recoiled He was a hand
some man of the vulgar type. hashily
dressed. about ten years Johnnie's senior.
lie stared at Johnnie for moment. Then
he put his hand on his arm again.
Surely 1 can't be mistaken he said,
earnestly. Hang it. man. there can't be
two vincents. / never saw such likeness.
You're pulling me by the leg, my boy!'
My name is Wright" repeated Johnnie.
Again the stranger went backward.
"Odd,' he muttered. And the very fac
simile Might be his twin. Well. can't be
helped. I'm in pretty fix" He glanced
al his watch Must be off in couple of
sifs"
What is it?" asked Johnnie. good-na-
turedly
~ deuce of a nuisance, said the man.
'Tm ali alone in here with little kid of
mine that 1 can't leave 81 don't want to
take hanging around a station. Fact Is,
I've got to go and meet my wife al Vic
toria. and 1 don't know what to do with
The youngster, and when / saw you coming
along 1 said 10 myself, 'Vincent's the best
chan alive He'll stop with Percy And
then blest if you say you're not Vincent!
I'm not Vincent. But if l could be oil
any USE" began Johnnie. unguardedly-
Gould you? Would your cried the man
eagerly. Would you stay with the kit
while I fetch his mother?'
How ion0pf askad Iohnnie
Ar hour. An hour and half at tbs
outside"
al: right"
~ thousand thanks" The stranger drew
Johnnie inside the house, and shouted
Percy" Then a little boy. four years oil
came out Of the back room, holding hi:
frser shyly in his mouth. The man tool
him up and kissed him. Then he put hin
fnto JohnnieS arms.
BE a good boy. and do what this gertle
nan tells YOU till daddy comes back HI
said. He won't be any trouble, he added
licking al Johnnie There's supper some
Where about; help yourself. In two hours
a. the very stretch. Au revoir. Mr. Wright
IN a moment he was gone. The door
slammed behind him. and Johnnie. making
dash after him. saw him disappearing