The Argosy — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

The Story of Charles Strange. 87 acquaintanceship with me. The reader may remember that I saw him at the chambers of Mr. Sergeant Stillingfar. I grew to like him greatly. His faults were all on the surface; his heart was in the right place. Boy though he was, he was thrown upon himself in the world. I don’t mean as to money, but as to a home; and he steered his course unscathed through its shoals. The few friends he had, lived in the country. He had neither father nor mother. Huis lodgings were in Norfolk Street, very near to us. Miss Methold would sometimes have him in to spend Sunday with me; and now and then, but very rarely, he and I were invited for that day to dine with Mr. Sergeant Stillingfar. The Sergeant lived in Russell Square, in one of its handsomest houses. But he kept, so to say, no establishment ; just two or three servants and a modest little brougham. He must have been making a great deal of money at that time, and I suppose he put it by. ‘ Ah! you don’t know, Charley,” Lake said to me one evening when I was in Norfolk Street, and we began talking of him. “It is said his money went in that same precious bank which devoured yours ; and it is thought that he lives in this quiet manner, eschewing pomps and vanities, to be able to help friends who were quite ruined by it. Old Jones knows a little, and I’ve heard him drop a word or two.” ‘TJ am sure my uncle is singularly good and kind. Those simple- minded men generally are.” Lake nodded. ‘‘ Few men, Z should say, come up to Sergeant Stilling far.” A trouble had come to me in the early spring. I thought it a great one, and grieved over it. Major Carlen gave up his house in Gloucester Place, letting it furnished for a long term, and went abroad with his wife. 7e might have gone to the end of the world for ever and a day, but she was like my second mother, and indeed was so, and I felt lost without her. They took up their abode at Brussels. It would be good for Blanche’s education, Mrs. Carlen wrote to me. Other people said that the Major had considerably out-run the con- stable, and went there to economise. Tom Heriot was down at Portsmouth with his regiment. I think that is all I need say of this part of my life. I liked my profession very much indeed, and got on well in it and with Mr. Brightman and the clerks, and with good old Miss Methold. And so the years passed on. The first change came when I was close upon twenty years of age: came in the death of Miss Methold. After that, I left Essex Street as a residence, for there was no longer anyone to rule it, and went into Lake’s lodgings in Norfolk Street, sharing his sitting- room and securing a bed-room. And still a little more time rolled on. It was Easter-tide. On Easter Eve, it happened that I had re- Comicooolkks (SO) im