London (England) -- Fiction; Love stories; Social classes -- Fiction
Mr. Trew, off duty, and carrying his whip, came to Praed Street late on
a Saturday night, and his look of anxiety disappeared at once when he
saw that Mrs. Mills and her niece were on excellent terms with each
other. He explained that there was no time to spare, because his old
landlady had a hot supper ready, and it was not wise, on these
occasions, to keep her or the meal waiting. He delivered his news.
Pleasant, elderly gent on the front seat started conversation by
talking about prison life, and Trew gave some particulars of a case
with which he was acquainted. One subject leading to another, the gent
said, as the omnibus was crossing Oxford Street, "Driver, do you ever
go to the Zoological Gardens on a Sunday afternoon?" and thereupon
handed over the two tickets, expressing a hope that the visit would be
enjoyed by the other and his wife.
"And me being nothing more than a lonely bachelor," said Trew, "I
thought perhaps the little missy here might favour me with her company."
"It'll do her the world of good," declared Mrs. Mills.
They met the next day near the West Entrance at half-past three. Mr.
Trew, arriving early, had been listening to oratory at different
groups, and he mentioned to Gertie that in his opinion some of the
speakers might well be transferred to the Gardens, and kept in a cage;
what he failed to understand was why people could not set to and make
the best of the world, instead of pretending it was all bad. They went
through the turnstiles, and divided attention between animals and
visitors; the former could be identified with the help of labels. Mr.
Trew said, in regard to the people, that it was difficult to tell which
were housemaids, and which were ladies of title.
"Oddly enough," remarked Gertie, "I was intending to be here this
afternoon, in any case."
"Trust me," he said, self-reproach fully, "for coming in second. Never
actually won a race in my life yet. Is it the same young feller?"
"I'm not one to chop and change."
"When we run across him, I'll make myself scarce."
"You'll do nothing of the kind, Mr. Trew."
He pointed out, in the crocodile house, one or two regular customers of
the Baker Street to Victoria route, and when they recognized him he
became purple with content. A short youth was making notes near a tank
in the corner. Mr. Trew, nudging Gertie, went to him and, in a gruff
voice, asked what the deuce he was doing there; the youth turned to
give a retort.
"I've got your young lady cousin with me," explained Mr. Trew. "Come
along, and help with the task of looking after her."
Clarence Mills was pleased to meet Gertie, and, as the three went
towards the red-bricked lions' house, mentioned that he proposed to
write a dialogue sketch of the Zoo; up to the present little worth
recording had been overheard, and he expected he would, as usual, be
compelled to invent the conversations.
"I read all of yours, Clarence, that appear in the newspapers," said
Gertie.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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