Evening star., 1901-11-16

like their father and their grandfather be-
fore them. They must become servants all
their lives, unless they list and follow the
colors, go out to the plantations, where
they will be little better than negro slaves.
The girls cannot marry-nay, they cannot
learn housewifery; they are sunk beneath
the notice of honest tradesmen and are
yet above the craftsmen, they are exposed
to the dangers and temptations OF the wick
ed town. Think of them when they go 10
church. Formerly they had their own pew
and walked out after the quality, respected
and envied; now they sit unconsidered on
the benches among the charity children and
the almswomen and the servants, ashamed
and scorned-madam," she stopped and
took breath-"you know not, believe me,
how dreadful a thing bankruptcy is to a
respectable tradesman of the city, nay, how
i. drags down him and his family ard
makes them the most miserable of NOR
tails. You have compassion for that young
gentleman in the kings bench: you give
him money and food-it is very well; you
are not in trade-I declare, madam, truth
fully that / should like to fog that young
gentleman who is so free with his kisses
and his mumblins and mouthing over la
dies hands, and his kisses-aye-to fog him
from the temple to London bridge and back
again. 1 would do it myself would lay 1t
on with a will, joyfully, 1 would-joyfully.
/ would
hackney coach rumbled over the narrow
way of London bridge and presently down
Cheapside and Fleet street till it came to
Newgate-
WELL" she said. when at length the
coach stopped before the heavy portals Of
the jail, there Is one more chance for
you. purpose soon to marry you to a
villain who will be hanged in a week. 1t
Is comedown; to marry a broken lawyer
of the temple would have been better if it
came to be talked about And he would
have been dead in a few months. Dear
dear He would have been dead so soon I,
/ Avo1
| sion."
But you promised it should not be talked
about. cried Isabel in alarm.
1T shall not. But certain things must be
| done; your creditors must be informed of
! the transfer; they must learn that the
| debts are now due by one who is condemned
| to die They will rage; they will curse and
! swear; they will weep; poor wretches! They
will weep and wiring their hands. Perhaps
they will seek your lodging in order to
| upbraid you. Yet you are within the law
| and can defy them. Change your lodging,
| madam. for time. Let the thing blow
over"
But you said that no one would know"
mo one of any Importance. This draper
| of Ludgate Hill will run round and tell
| the other shopkeepers. What will they
| care II We owe them nothing? Your name
will be heard and forgotten. They have
| lost nothing. Do you think they feel any
| pity for unfortunate brother in trade ?
Not so. Madam, again, there is no friend
| snip, tnere Is no compassion tnere are no
| excuses In business. If one goes under
| there Is one the fewer among the rivals.
What matter how the poor man talks? No
| one will heed. no one will listen, and
| then he will shut his shop and send home
\ his apprentices and he will sink ana be no
| more seen. A man who Is a bankrupt is
like stone dropped Into pond. There Is
| at first circle round the spot where 1t
fell. Then the circle rolls away and there
is nothing. If your draper becomes a
bankrupt he will make a circle. talk for
a day or two; then there will be silence.
| From the depths, from the starving garret,
| from the prison, there is more sound or
| utterance than from the bottom of the
pond. or from the grave. Madam, you
| are quite safe. No one will know"
| Isabel shuddered. Her conscience, smote
| her sore for the mischief she had done.
| Despite the scourge of conscience, she had
to save herself She looked out Of the win
| dow at the dreary portals Of the prison.
| The door. studded with square iron nails,
| stood wide open II to admit whole
| army of felons. stream of people was
| going in and coming out; they were chiefly
| Of the lowest kind-foul Ia clothes and in
| conversation. ragged and dirty and un-
combed. These were the friends Of the
prisoners. Mrs. Brymer gave the name of
the prisoner she wanted to see one
the masked lady with some curiosity and
smiled Perhaps he knew very well the
| errand on which she came. They passed
through the gate and found themselves in
| small room. where a woman felt their
| pockets-it was mere form-and let them
| through. They were now In a corridor
from which grated door opened into q
prisoners and their friends.
There was strangely cold, damp and
eis-mmy feeling In the air. with a sour
Trough the grating upon the crowd A few
OF the women were crying: some OF them
were laughing; some Of them were stag.
gerins about, drunk with beer; some "a,