The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-10
-=by
Charles Dickens

and | have improved upon my opportunities.
catalogue. see a French clock / never saw
nm alm before In my life. but instantly lay my
ag sa on him and say Paris see some cups
20 me personally; 1 put my finger on them then
ton II is the same with Japan. with Egypt.
and with bamboo and sandal wood from the East
inc rnaieS; s., put my finger on them all; l have
a pint OF pale sherryv I"
sea Of acquiring a knowledge of men and
Il mention it. sir" ar sapsea rejoins with
unspeakable complacency, because. as L say,
II n don't DO to boast Of what you are; but show
now you came TO be II. ana then you prove II.
Most interesting. We were TO speak Of the
We We're, sir Mr. sapsea fills both glasses
ana takes the decanter into safe keeping again.
ta 5elore | consult your opinion as man OF
which is but trihe, and still has required
some thought, sir. some little fever Of the brow.
ought perhaps, 10 describe the character OF
the late Mrs. Sapsea, now dead three quarters
Mr.. Jasper. in the act Of yawning behind his
wineglass. puts down that screen and calls up
a look CT interest. II is little impaired in its
still to dispose Of. with watering eyes.
proee sf dozen years age or So Mr. sapsea
! viii not say 70 what it now is. for that
might seem to aim at too much but up to the
in It'll cast my eye about for a nuptial
partner Because as 1 say. it is not good for a
Mr. Jasper appears to commit this original
Miss Brobity at that time kept, 1 will not
call II the rival establishment TO the establish
ment at the Nuns House opposite. but | will
town. The world did have it that she showed
passion for attending my sales. when they took
world did put it about that She ADMIRED my
style. The world did notice that as time flowed
exercises of Miss Brobity's pupils Young man.
a whisper even sprang up in obscure malignity
so committed himself as TO object to it by
name But I do not believe this: For is 1t
senses would so lay himself open to be pointed
at by what call the finger OF scornT'
likely. Mr.. Sapsea, in a grandoquent state of
absence OF mind; seems to rein his visitors tors
his own, which is empty
:. Miss Bobbity's Being. young man, was deep
vered Mind, when launched or. 1 say, pre-
cipitated: on an extensive knowledge Of the
the honor to be overshadowed with a species
of Awe as to be able to articulate only the
limpd blue eyes Were liked upon me, her semi
transparent hands were clasped together. pallor
encouraged to proceed, she never did proceed
word further. ! disposed of the parallel estab-
as nearly could be expected under the
circumstances. But she never could and she
perhaps too favorable stimate Of my intellect
To the very last feeble action Of liver) she
tioneer has deepened his voice. He abrupt
deepened voice. ''Ah!''Efather as if stopping
himself on the extreme verge of adding-"menl'
his legs stretched out and solemnIy enjoying
himself with the wine and the fire, what you
er; l have been since as say. wasting my
evening conversation on the desert air. L will
there have Been times when have asked my
self the question: What if her husband had
not had to look up so high, what might the
stimulating action have been upon the hverr''
Mr.. Jasper says, with an appearance of hav-
ing fallen into dreadfully low spirits that he
''supposes it to be-
comedies. LAS 1 say, Man proposes. Heaven
disposes. 1t may or may not be putting the
same thought in another form; but that is the
Mr.. Jasper murmurs assent.
tioneer producing scrap of manuscript, Mrs.
Sapsea's monument having had full time to set
of taste. on the INSCRIPTION have Cas 1 before
remarked not without some little fever of the
hand. The setting out of the lines requires TO be
followed with the eye as well as the contents
Mr.. Jasper complying and reads as fol-
lows:
ETHELINDA,
Reverential Wife of
MR.. THOMAS SAPSEA,
Auctioneer' Valu %, Estate stat. Agent &C..
Whose knowledge of the World.
Never brought him acquainted with
More capable of
Looking Up to Him.
STRANGER, PAUSE
And ask myself the Question.
CANST THOU DO LIKEWISE?
WITH A BLUSH RETIRE
Mr.. sapsea having risen and stationed himself
with his back TO the fire. for the purpose of OBJ
serving the effect of these lines on the coun-
tenance of man of taste, consequently has his
again appearing. announces, "Durdles is come
SIR. He promptly draws forth and fills. the
plies, Show Durdes in
Admirable! quoth Mr.. Jasper handing back
you approve sir?"
impossible not to approve Striking, char
The auctioneer inclines his head as one ac-
cepting his due and giving receipt: and in
vttes the entering DurdleS TO take off that
glass of wine Handling the same), for it will
warm him.
stone. tomb and monument way. and wholly Of
their color from head TO foot. No is better
Iibertine Of the place. Fame trumpets him a
wonderful workman-which. for aught that any
and a wonderful sot-which everybody knows
he is; With the Cathedral crypt he is better
even be than any dead one. Ii is said that the
itimacy of this acquaintance began in his ha-
bitually resorting to that secret place, to lock-
out the Cloisterham boy populace. and sleep off
the fumes of liquor, he having ready access to
Be this as it may he does know much about it.
and, in the demolition of impedimental frag
ments of wall, buttress and pavement. has seen
strange sights. He often speaks of himself in
the third person; perhaps, being little misty
as to his own identity, when he narrates; per-
haps impartially adopting the Cloisterham no
menclature in reference TO character Of ac-
knowedged distinction. Thus he will say,
touching his strange sights: "Durdles come
upon the old chap" in reference TO buried
magnate of ancient time and high degree, by
striking right into the. coffin with his pick The
old chap gave Durdles look with his open
eyes, as much as TO say, is your name Dur
dies? Why, my man, I've been waiting for
you devil of time!' And then he turned to
powder" With two-foot rule always in his
pocket, and masonS hammer all but always
in his hand, Durdles goes continually sounding
and tapping all about and about the Cathedral
another old in here, Tope announces it to
the Dean as an established discovery.
In suit of coarse flannel. with horn buttons
a yellow neckerchief with dragged ends. old
hat more ruSset-colored than black, and laced
boots of the hue of his stony calling, Durdes
dinner about with him in small bundle. and
sitting on all manner OF tombstones to dine
This dinner Of Durdles's has become quite a
Cloisterham institution not only because of his
never appearing in public without IL. but be-
cause Of its having been. on certain renowned
occasions, taken into custody along with Dur
dies (as drunk and incapable) and exhibited
before the Bench Of Justices at the Town Hall.
far apart DuTdles being seldom drunk as
sober. For the rest, he is old bachelor, and
he lives in a little Anticipated hole OF house
that was never finished, supposed 10 be built
so far. OF stones stolen from the city wall. To
this abode there is approach. ankle deep in
stone chips, resembling a petrihed grove OF
tombst0nes, urns, draperieS and broken col
uTnns. in all stages Of sculpture Herein two
journeymen necessarily CHIP, while other two
stone, dipping as regularly in and out OF
their sheltering sentry boxes if they We're
mechanical figures emblematical of Time and
To Durdles when he consumed his glass of