J. Cole | Page 8

and "What would that
brother feel," said Dick, "when he knew what he had done? for he done
it," said Dick; "he done that girl to death, the same as if he'd shov'd her
out of that winder hisself."
"And," said Joe, "I wonder if them chaps is goin' about London now

wot led her brother wrong? I don't like London; and I wish we could
stop 'ere."
I assured Joe that in London there was no danger of meeting such
people if he kept to himself, and made no friends of strangers.
Joe was also much afraid of having to wait at table when there were
guests. In spite of all I could do, he was hopelessly nervous and
confused when he had to wait on more than two or three people; and as
I expected to entertain a good deal when we were in town, I could not
help fearing Joe would be unequal to the duties.
I could not bear the idea of parting with the little fellow, for, added to
his good disposition, Joe, in his dark brown livery, with gilt buttons, his
neat little ties, and clean hands; his carefully brushed curls, by this time
trained into better order, and shining like burnished gold in the sun; his
tiny feet, with the favorite red socks, which he could and did darn very
neatly himself when they began to wear out (and when he bought new
ones they were always bright red),--Joe, let me tell you, was quite an
ornament in our establishment, and the envy of several boys living in
families round about, who tried in vain to get acquainted with him, but
he would not be friends, although he always refused their advances
with civil words.
Sometimes a boy would linger when bringing a note or message for me,
and try to draw Joe into conversation. In a few minutes I would hear
Joe's deep voice say, "I think you had better go on now. I've got my
work to do, and I reckon you've got yours a-waiting for yer at your
place." Then the side-door would shut, and Joe was bustling about his
work.
CHAPTER III.
In the beginning of October we arrived in London. There had been
much packing up, and much extra work for everybody, and Joe was in
his element.
What those long arms, and that willing heart, and those quick little

hands got through, nobody but those he helped and worked for could
tell. Whatever was wanted Joe knew where to find it. Joe's knife was
ready to cut a stubborn knot; Joe's shoulders ready to be loaded with as
heavy a weight as any man could carry. More than once I met him
coming down-stairs with large boxes he himself could almost have
been packed in, and he declared he did not find them too heavy.
"You see, Missis," he said, "I'm that strong now since I've been here,
with all the good food I gets, and bein' so happy like, that I feel almost
up to carryin' anythink. I do believe I could lift that there pianner, if
somebody would just give it a hoist, and let me get hold of it easy."
Yes, Joe was strong and well, and I am sure, happy, and I had never
had a single misgiving about him since he stood with his fading flowers
and shabby clothes at my window that summer day.
At last we were settled in town, and the winter season beginning. Our
house was situated in the West End of London, a little beyond
Bayswater. One of a row of detached houses, facing another row
exactly similar in every way, except that the backs of those we lived in
had small gardens, with each its own stable wall at the end, with
coachman's rooms above, the front of the stable facing the mews, and
having the entrance from there; the mews ran all along the backs of
these houses. On the opposite side the houses facing ours had their
gardens and back windows facing the high-road, and no stables. There
was a private road belonging to this, Holling Park as it was called, and
a watchman to keep intruders out, and to stop organ-grinders, beggars,
and such invaders of the peace from disturbing us.
Somehow I was never as comfortable as in my snug cottage in the
country. Rich, fashionable people lived about us, and all day long kept
up the round of "society life."
In the morning the large handsome houses would seem asleep, nothing
moving inside or out, except a tradesman's cart, calling for orders, or
workmen putting up or taking down awnings, at some house where
there would be, or had been, a ball or entertainment of some kind.
About eleven a carriage or two