New-York tribune., 1901-09-01
HER POOR OLD LAD.
From Macmillan's Magazine.

From Macmillan's Magazine.
You were just remarking" said the doctor
raising MS voice and looking at the three friends
seated with him in the library after dinner 'On
the phenomenal character Of the life in a large
seaport city like this, and wondering whether
the customs of the poorer classes are affected TO
any appreclable extent by the speech or manners
OF The foreign sailors who continually among
theIn L myself incline to think that such in
huence Is not so formidable as might be sup
posed, but incredible things happen at times in
tAe obscure parts of our maritime cities. | can
tell you story which came under my own OBJ
SerFaton not very long ago. You know that
Tor soma years was house surgeon in the s.
hospital Well to-day l have been looking at
the alterations they making between that
institution and the Dukes Dock. and | see that
among the buildings which are being dismantled
there Is an old lodging house called The Rovers'
Return, in which a strange incident occurred
durIns my stay in that part Of the town.
mis- house which on account of its situation
near the dock gates was frequented solely by
seafaring men and emigrants of the poorest
type, was kept for many years by old woman.
theh slAlS-hNe years OF age-a good humored,
eontented soul. who could neither read nor
write. and who never in her life had foot
heyOnd her native town. Whether the stories
which filtered 10 her through her seagoing eli
ents from all quarters Of the globe had been
much for her ! cannot 81 V: but she was known
TO have a strong pre- ejudice against those strange
and wicked lands beyond the sea, and had been
often heard 10 declare. when any spoke in
her hearing OF foreign people that Thank Hea-
ven. she knowed nothing Of them and Please
God, shed live and die in a Christian cOun-
Try. Sne was a faTorlte in the district, since
she was chatty. good natured- and in no way
held herself 10 be better than her neighbors and
had besides what l have often noticed in il
hterate PEOPLE. extraordinarily tenacious
memory for all the family histories and interests
OF the district
Her husband was a norose old Scot. once.
believe a weaver. but at that time earning ten
shlhinss a week as a night watchman in the
streets Wrinkled like seaweed. with a mouth
so contracted that his nose and chin almost met.
and with an inscruta bic expression OF the eyes,
this man. who scarcely ever spoke. had been IN
his youth = strong Radical. a member Of several
societies for the destruction of society. and act
ually al the time Of his marriage laboring to
save the required sum for admission 70 some
utOpian colony in America whose chief law was
to De community of goods. But he had met MS
fate and married. and nothing further heard
Of this land Of promise. The ten pounds which
he had Scrdped together for this project re-
manned in the savings bank a provision for
old age This strangely mated couple had
son a hunchhacked ccbbler. who had hard
work TO live, and who cherished secret dislike
toward his father.
The old man was should think the most
silent person under heaven; but certainly, for
who said so little. he appeared 10 have
fin planted on end. in which he sat out the night
behind his braZier OF glowing Goals, so attractive
q sight in the cold dark street. seemed TO be
meeting place for wanderers and odd fish of all
kinds. Out OF the darkness of the overhanging
storages these night birds would appear sinEly.
in twOs and threes. sometimes in whole com
panies attracted like moths to the irresistible
centre OF light and warmth Watching this
circle OF haggard faces under the inpish freaks
Of the freight. might have thought that
this gathering in the midst of heaped timber
spiracy, as if some dark understanding drew
these aliens together
AS might be supposed the queerest wander
ers aioat came TO lodge in that part Of the town.
mariners who appeared at night from one end
Of the globe and in the morning for the
other; and afternoon in winter two men