Year: 1860

repaid him everything; it was his heaven


his life.


| But the time was coming fast, now wher


poor old Joe Mappin, the broker, must fac'


the boundary lines between time and eter


nifty, and learn the great secret. Wher


the winter had killed Margaret's flowers


had stripped her geraniuln's of their leaves


and had frozen the songs of the birds, the


old man and death stood face to face


His rheumatism and asthma had been very


bad for long while; and living in his


niggard and neglected way had not given


him the best chance of recovery. He knew


he was dying, but he could not die in peace


without looking once more en- those two


faces he loved so much-the only two he
ever loved through the whole Of his long


life. They could not come to him, for


they did not know bis address nor even bis
surname


He was only Joe In the beautiful house
in Regents Park, and the servants thought
be was 'Missus's queer old uncle-perhaps
from 1ngey or furren parts But if they
could not come to him, he would go to
them-and whatever the risk. He
could not die happily-he believed be
could not pass away at ali-without seeing
them once more.


Though the seal Of death was rigidly
set on his face, and the old man resolved to
make this long and perilous journey. He
knew he should hasten the supreme mo-
meni. but it would be better even if be did,
he said, sadly. He had done all be could do
now; he had established The dear ones, and
his death would not deprive them now of
a fartbing or single comfort. He had
saved enough; let him die! He sent for
neighbor 10 dress him for the last time, in
his decent clothes; and when this was done
between fainting and long fits of pain
he told her to go for cab, and bargain
with the man for his fare up to Regents
Park. Because he was old and weak, he
wouldn't be done even BY the biggest ruff
fan among them, be growled out. When
the woman left the room, old Joe dragged
himself as best he could to small iron
safe he had let into the wall with his own
band. No one knew i was there, not
even the landlord, nor those prying eyes of
little Teddy. He unlocked it, and took
out aroll Of bank notes, railway scrip,and
mortgage bonds, and tied them all in cot
ton handkerchief, together with parch-
ment tied with red tape sealed with big
seal, and endorsed Joe Mappiu's will,' in
his own hand writing. He had the bum
die under his greasy old cloak; and then
the woman came back, and found him pant
ing and pale, and she screamed out that be
was dying. But he swore at her between
gasps, and told her TO bold her noise and to
help him down stairs atHlast, and so was
put into the cab.


He gave the man his directions in an
under tone, jealousy guarding the name
from the crowd standing curiously about;
and then he drove out Of Holborn forever.
AS he left his old neighborhood, with all
its associations Of the pitilessness and sor-
row which he had been the instrument,
and the heartless cause, a change seemed
to come over him. The mastiff face grad
ually grew more softened and humanized
He was passing from the world ofmen and
mammon, into that of love, and the evil
influences of his material life faded before
the publication Of this great baptism.


The journey-it was long one for a dy
ing manfred him sadly. He did not
care though for the pain it caused him
his only fear was be should die before he
reached his home e-the home of his spirit,
of his better and purer life, but he survived
it-in sad state of suffering and pros
tration; and only just survived it; for when
carried by the cabman in his arms as if be
had been a child, he was brought to the
presence of those loved ones, all that his
falling life left him power to do, was to
place the package iu the widows lap,
and murmured family, 1T is all yours
and to die with her Tears falling softly on
his face.