Year: 1860

The Old Jew Brokers' Secret.


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A BEAUTIFUL STORY. -
He looked like an old clothesman, bu


be was only broker-a broker with ba


character, and what that must have beer


when it was bad for a broker, we leave t


imagination and johnson to define. H


was reputed the hardest man of his trade


and, as men Of that trade are popularl


supposed to be electrical machines, work


ed by fints, not hearts, supremacy o


flintness must have left him fearful con


glomerate. He was withered old maj


now, almost double with age and Rheum


atism, with q hooked nose, and light brown


eyes, red round the lids, and strange mix


ture of surliness and suspicion in his face


He looked cross between a mastif and ,


weasel, which he was, in character as vel


as countenaDce. No one had good wore


to say for him. The publican at the cor


ner was sure there was something queer in
man who did not take an honest glass


like the rest, and the baker looked down OF


him because he ate seconds on principle


If distress was to be put on miles


round The neighborhood, they prayed tina,


it might not be by old Joe Mappin, Of Hol


born Buildings. One woman said she'd
as leave have the Emperor of Roosha as


him, her daughter said she'd liefer. The
very children were afraid of him, and
screamed if be came near them, unless they
were impudent and Knocked Lin. But to
the little ones he was the District Boyle
and odd Joe Mappin' stood in Holborn
Buildings, soaring the riotous small fry Of
the cutters, for the black man of more
civilized nurseries. sreF


Everybody said the man had a secret.
Some thought he was corner and others
that he had committed murder, and went
to look at the body or grave. Others
again said be had mad wife locked up in
the garret, on straw; but none knew exact
ly what they thought, excepting the broad
fact that there was secret somehow and
of course, it belonging to him, disgrace
full cne; she could have nothing but villainy
to conceal said the Inspector to Police
man X, 80. r4 4


Why the report arose of his having a
secret in his life was, because evening after
evening be was seen stealing in the dusk
from his garret along Holborne towards
the West End. No one knew where be
went to, though more than one lounger
had set out to follow him; but somehow
the old man always contrived to escape,
doubling through the streets in such a
quick and unexpected manner, that how
ever it was done, be invariably got away.
All sorts of plans had been made TO track
him, but they all failed, every one of them;
and the brokers' secret was secret still.
Little Teddy, his lqndlord's boy, came the
nearest to tie discovery, but he lost him
at last somewhere up in the New Road,
near Regents Park, though that was good
measure to have taken, too. Moreover be
saw that Joe was decently dressed beneath
his shabby old cloak-a thing no one else
would wear; and from that time the report
had got about that it was love affair, with
some mysterious celebrity, and that Joe
was buying a wife with his gold for 'he
had a Californy-wolh,' said his landlords
little boy Teddy. III. II. 1.r,..-


One evening Joe set out; as usual, with
his shabby old cloak and battered old hat,
but well enough beneath. He walked eau
tiously at first, hobbling, as was natural to
him now, with his rheumatics SO bad, but
after he had passed through his particular
quarter, turning round constantly, as if to
cough, but in reality to see if any one were
he walked briskly on, cutting
through all sorts of queer alleys and BY
places, winding and doubling like fox;
the best topographer in London could not
have followed him. At last be came to
very pretty house in Regents Park-a
house evidently inhabited by gentlewo-
nan of fortune, as well as of taste; for all
he appointments were in such perfect keep
ng, and there was such wealth of costly
simplicity about it as could only belong to
both of these conditions. The broker
ooked up at the window as be came be-
meath it, and little girl of fourteen or fif-
teen-but slight of her age-leaning out
rom among the gersmiums, cried, an an
'wer to his look, why Joe, how late you
ire to-night!'
That sweet voice! The old man used to
'ay himself, that he would not exchange
Is 'Joep for a good '6ppun' note! He
nodded to her afectionately, and carefully
'craping his shoes went in with the air of
\ man who knows that he will be welcome.
He took off his hat and cloak and put
hem away in dark corner, and then clean
and respectable looking, be went up stairs
TO the drawing room. i


A lady, still more beautiful and still
young-young at least for the mother of
> child of ffteen-was sitting there. en-
broidering. Surrounded with every beau
ty and every luxury-nestled in that lone
ly home, like a bird in q golden cage-how
strange the chance which had thrown to-
gether anything SO graceful as that lady and
the old Jew broker. Yet they were well
that they were even friends;
for she rose when be entered, and advanced
towards him kindly and shock hands with
him, and drew forward the best easy chair
for him, and petted him only as a woman
;an pet, without any visible ever act. But
all that Joe seemed to wish for was to
sit a little, and watch her as she bent over
ko- ,,,,h.a;l..,, .,1 20 boor eoo in that che