The Argosy — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

88 The Story of Charles Strange. mained in the office after the other clerks had left, to finish some work in hand. In these days Saturday afternoon has become a general holiday ; in those days we had to work all the harder. On Saturdays a holiday was unknown. Writing steadily, I finished my task, and was locking up my desk, | which stood near the far window in the front room on the ground floor, when Mr, Brightman, who had also remained late, came down- stairs from his private room, and looked in. ‘Not gone yet, Charley !” ‘‘T am going now, sir. I have only just finished my work.” © ‘Some of the clerks are coming on Monday, I believe,” continued Mr. Brightman. ‘‘ Are you one of them ?” ‘Ves, sir. Mr. Lennard told me I might take holiday, but I did not care about it. As I have no friends to spend it with, it would not be much of a holiday to me. Arthur Lake is out of town.” ‘ And Mr. Sergeant Stillingfar on circuit,” added Mr. Brightman. He paused and looked at me, as he stood with the door in his hand. I was gathering the pens together. “Have you no friends to dine with, to-morrow—Easter Day ?” “No, sir. At least I have not been asked anywhere. I think I shall go for a blow up the river.” ‘A blow up the river.!” he repeated doubtfully. “Don’t you go to church P?” ‘ Always. I gotothe Temple. I meant in the afternoon, sir.” “Well, if you have no friends to dine with, you may come and dine with me,” said Mr. Brightman, after a moment’s consideration. “Come down when service is over. You will find an omnibus at Charing Cross.” The invitation pleased me. Some of the clerks would have given their ears for it. Of course I mean the gentlemen clerks; not one of whom had ever been so favoured. I had sometimes wondered: that he never asked me, considering his intimacy with my uncle. But, I suppose, to have invited me to his house and left out Miss Methold, would have been rather too pointed a slight upon her. It was a fine day. ‘The Temple service was beautiful, as usual ; the anthem, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” Afterwards I went forth to keep my engagement, and in due time reached the entrance gates of Mr. Brightman’s residence. It was a large, handsome villa, enclosed in fine pleasure-grounds, near Clapham. ‘They lived in a good deal of style, kept seven or eight servants and two carriages ; a large barouche, and a brougham in which he sometimes came to town. A well-appointed house, full of comfort and luxury. Mr. Brightman was on the lawn when 1} reached it. ‘ Well, Charles! I began to think you were late.” ‘T walked down, sir. ‘The first two omnibuses were full, and I would not wait for a third.” CONMIELIOO KS. (E©) m