The Argosy — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Our First Term at Oxford. 43 strong influence over Tod’s heart was clear as are the stars on a frosty night. Whitney called out to me that it was time to think of going back. I got into the boat with him, saying nothing. Charley told me where he lived—“ Up Stagg’s Entry ”—for I said I would call to see him. Just fora day or two there seemed to, be no time ; but I got there one evening when Tod had gone to the syren’s. It was a dark, dusky place, this Stagg’s Entry, and, I think, is done away with now, with several houses crowded into it. Asking for Charles Tasson, of a tidy, motherly woman on the stairs, she went before me, and threw open a door. ‘“‘ Here’s a gentleman to see you, Mr. Charley.” He was lying in a bed at the end of the room near the fire, under the lean-to roof. If I had been shocked at seeing him in the open alr, in the glad sunshine, I was doubly so now in the dim light of the tallow candle. He rose in bed. “It’s very kind of you to come here, sir! I’m sure I didn’t expect you to remember it.” ‘“‘ Are you worse, Charley?” “I caught a fresh cold, sir, that day at Godstowe. And I’m as weak as a rat too—hardly able to creep out of bed. Nanny, bring a chair for this gentleman.” One of the handiest little girls I ever saw, with the same shining blue eyes that he had, and plump, pretty cheeks, laid hold of achair. I took it from her and sat down. “Is this your sister, Charley ? ” “Yes, sir. There’s only us two left together. We were eight of us once. ‘Three went abroad, and one is in London, and two dead. ‘“‘ What doctor sees you?” ‘“One comes in now and then, sir. My illness is not much in a doctors way. There’s nothing he could do: nothing for me but to walt patiently for summer weather.” ‘* What have you had to eat to-day ?” ‘“‘ He had two eggs for his dinner : I boiled them,” said little Nanny. ‘“And Mrs. Cann brought us in six herrings, and I cooked one for tea; and he'll have some ale and bread and butter for supper.” She spoke like a little important housekeeper. But I wondered whether Charley was badly off. Mrs. Cann, the same woman who had spoken to me, came out of her room opposite as I was going away. She followed me down stairs, and began to talk in an undertone. “A sad thing, ain’t it, sir, tosee him a lying there so helpless; and to know that it has laid hold of him for good and all. He caught it from his mother.” ‘¢ How do you mean ?” “She died here in that room, just as the winter come in, with the (C(O) same complaint—decline they call it; and he waited on. her, ani. im ea