The National tribune., 1903-03-12

making, and without love 4 story is moth
ing. / should never know, for instance,
what to make May and the Doctor say TO
each other. So L had better put down
Thomas story just as it all happened, and
leave fiction to cleverer folk.
Twenty years ago and more, after m!
husband died, lived in what was then a
new street near Westbourne Terrace. 1t
consisted of two rows of houses-very
ugly houses outside, though inside they
were comfortable enough. l had three
little girls: the eldest, May, was just five,
u pretty little thing, with golden hair ard
blue eyes; often wish l had had her
portrait painted. The others were quite
tiny-four, and two and half. The last
was born a week before the news came
from India that her father had died OF
sunstroke.
Oppcsite to us there was a house to be
let For Il long time it was quite empty,
bill in the window, dirt on the windows,
dust on the steps, dreary and deserted
Suddenly one morning, though the bill was
not taken down, the windows were
cleaned, the steps swept, and small cart
load Of shabby furniture carried IN. Evl-
IDENTIFY a care-taker had been put III
charge. and l was glad of it, for it is
never very safe to leave house absolutely
empty.
i used to sit by the window good deal
and knit. l had so much to think about
that l could not settle to anything else.
Books We're never much in my way, and
as for going out l never cared for IL
much even as girl. So l used to sit and
knit, seeing through the thick screen of
plants on the window-sili all that went on
in the street. Sometimes l saw the care
taker opposite going in and out, he anu
his wife and their two little children. He
oh IL hut t,rnI -nn
and terribly thin; he was evidently far
gone in consumption. The woman seemed
worried and anxious, as well she might,
Door soul: and in her arms there was al
ways a skinny little baby, her third child
They were of the artisan class, and, of
course, very poor, or they would not have
been taking care of an empty house.
used to wonder if they had enough to eat,
for they all looked white and thin and
half-starved.
The next time 1 went to the landlords
Office l asked about them, and was told
they were respectable Cornish people, but
Cornwall was starvation now, and there
was nothing for anyone to do. They had
come to London a few years before, and
the man, who was mechanic, had kept
his family well till he broke down in
health. He could do nothing now, was an
outdoor patient at BrOmptOn Hospital,
and had only the allowance from his club
and the few shillings his wife sometimes
earned by going out to work.
There was a large leg of mutton for the
children's dinner the next day. l cut off
half "a dozen good slices, put them between
two hot dishes with some vegetables, and
sent them to the Cornish folk. They We're
very grateful, the servant said, when she
returned, and the dishes were brought
back by the little boy, with "Father's
much obliged, and it did him world of
good" One day box of flowers came
from the country, so l made up nosegay
and sent it across to the poor wasted
woman, with tears in her eyes, to thank
me. a.
t''Afy husband he DC like to smell a
flower ma'am," she said. "It's many a
day now since he has seen them growing
in the ground" Then / asked her if 1
might go and see him sometimes, or per-
'haps he would like a paper and some
books now and then? The woman's face
Enlightened. He would be pleased, ma am,
went to talk TO him. and often think it's
dull for him. doubt if l have him much
longer" she added, simply; land it's likely
you can feel for me, ma'am."
/ So i went over to see Mr.. Lobb. He
was sitting by the fire, warming his long,
thin hands.
Il am glad to see you, ma'am," he said,
with the almost perfect manner one some
times finds among working people who
have not lived much in towns. Il would
have come over to thank you for your
kindness, but feared you might think it 4
liberty. spend most Of my time trying to
keep warm by a bit of fire"
He was very simple and kindly. He
knew that be was going TO die, and faced
st like man. He spoke of it without fear
or affectation. 1T worries me to think of
the wife and children" he said. "a man
should not marry as l did, with nothing
put by. l subscribed to a club, Of course,
and it's kept us from starving, and it'll
bury me, but that's all. l ought to have
saved before l married, and SO ought
every man. One is always SO sure one is
going to live when one feels strong. Well,
God is good, and He'll take care of them"
Lhe added with sigh, and q month later
in that simple faith he died.
| Then it became question Of what was
to be done with the widow and children.
1.-The woman was delicate; there was the
skinny baby, little girl Of six called
Oracle, and Thomas-they always called
him by his full old-fashioned name-who
was 10 or barely 10.
Il would like to stay in London; there's
more going on, and I'd be more likely to
get something" the poor woman said,
when proposal was made to send her
back to her native place. ''They be very
poor in Cornwall where / came from; it
would be no good going back; father and
mother are dead, and there was only one
other of us, my brother Joe, and he went
off to Melbourne long ago."
Couldn't you send to him?" I asked.
s.He might do something for you"
Il have sent, ma'am," she answered
! shut l don't know if he's got the letter.
We never kept much account of his ad-
dress. for he never had the same one long
together. l don't expect he'd be able to
do anything; he was never much of a
hand helping himself, let alone Others"
So we got together 4 little money and
bought her mangle. She went to live in
two rooms close by, and just kept soul and
body together for herself and children by
managing and occasionally going out to
work.
Suddenly one day my housemaid went
off without q moments notice to her
mother, who was i'll, and poor Mrs. Lobl
was unable to come and help us on ac
count Of her baby. Il can't bear to re.
fuse" the poor thing said, "but the little
baby is that bad with bronchitis, / doubt
il | keep it through the Winter"
Then it was that Thomas first came
Into our lives. l had hardly noticed him
before, except as little dark-haired boy
too small! for his age. The morning after
Jane went, / was told he wanted to see
me. l remember the interview as well as
az it were yesterday. l was in the dining
room when he knocked. 'Come in"
said, and in came Thomas. He stepped
just inside and pulled his front hair Eyi