The Argosy — page 298: what you’re looking at

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

Only a Year or Two Ago. 279 “ Here’s a beautiful sole for you to-night, Charley,” said Mrs. Lavender: ‘I thought you would like it.” ‘Thank you, mother,” he said, as he took the plate she handed to him. ‘ But you have kept none for yourself !—just the bare head and the tail.” She Jaughed merrily. ‘‘ Because I am not hungry, dear. You should have seen the dinner I ate.” Asif his nourishment were not of more consequence than her own! “JT wish this cold weather would leave us!” he presently said, Jooking up from his fish. ‘‘ You can’t think what it was at all the corners of the streets to-day ; the wind cutting you in two, and the cold damp fog chilling you! I thought of Shakespeare’s words, mother, “Freeze freeze, thou bitter sky!’ If we could only have summer weather always !” “Well, my dear, the nice warm spring will be shortly coming on.” But the spring did not seem inclined to give any intimation of coming on, and the bitter sky and the wintry wind maintained their hold on our Island world. It was springtime by the calendar, but not by the weather. Charles Lavender went to the city through it all, as usual ; but his frame grew more shadowy as the weeks wore by, his face wan, and his ceugh deeper. “Tt is sleet, I’m afraid, that’s falling now,” said his mother one morning, opening the door for him when he was starting, and looking dubiously at the outer world. ‘“ Perhaps there’ll be an inside place in the omnibus, Charles ?” ‘Not much chance of it,” he answered, putting up his umbrella ; “*but Dll get into it if there is, when one overtakes me. Go in, mother ; don’t stand in the wet and cold. Good bye.” The sleet did not come straight down, as well-behaved sleet would; it dashed upon people slantwise, and it was sharp and fierce, and an umbrella had no chance against it. Charles bore onwards through the dreary streets on his long walk, for of course the omnibuses had all taken care to fill themselves ; and in time he arrived at his journey’s end, chilled and weary, and more fit to be in bed than at work. But the work had to be done in the dark close room ; dark but for the gas; and Charles kept on at it, his head aching, his fevered hands trembling, his breath shortening and his cough tormenting him. Mr. Brown, regarding things around him with a critical eye, took notice of Charles Lavender and of the signs and symptoms that attended him. ‘“‘ He grows worse; won’t be able to keep it up long for certain,” thought Mr. Brown. ‘“ Something ought to be done i him.” After the midday dinner was over in the large dining-room, Mr. Brown went to the door of the private room of the partners, and knocked at it. ‘Come in,” called out young Mr. Coingold, the only one of them there at the moment. He was in an easy chair ) EORNICLIOOKSs.EO mn