Mattie:—A Stray (Vol 1 of 3)Robinson, F. W. (Frederick William)
General
Mattie:—A Stray (Vol 1 of 3)
Robinson, F. W. (Frederick William)
English fiction -- 19th century
Three years make but little difference in the general aspect of a poor
neighbourhood. The same shops doing their scanty business; the same
loiterers at street corners; the same watch from hungry eyes upon the
loaves and fishes behind the window-glass; the same slip-shod men, women
and children hustling one another on the pavement, in all weathers,
"doing their bit of marketing;" the same dogs sniffing about the
streets, and prowling round the butchers' shops.
An observer might detect many changes in the names over the shop fronts,
certainly. Business goes wrong with a great many in three years--capital
is small to work with in most instances, and when the rainy day comes,
in due course, by the stern rule by which rainy days are governed, the
resistance is feeble, and the weakest put the shutters up, sell off at
an alarming sacrifice, and go, with wives and children, still further on
the downhill road. There are seizures for rent, writs issued on
delinquents, stern authority cutting off the gas and water, sterner
authorities interfering with the weights and measures, which, in poor
neighbourhoods, _will_ get light occasionally; brokers' men making their
quarterly raids, and still further perplexing those to whom life is a
struggle, desperate and intense.
Amidst the changes in Great Suffolk Street, one business remains firm,
and presents its wonted aspect. Over the little stationer's shop, the
old established emporium for everything in a small way, is still
inscribed the name of Wesden--has been repainted the name of Wesden in
white letters, on a chocolate ground, as though there were nothing in
the cares of business to daunt the tradesman who began life there, young
and blooming!
There are changes amongst the papers in the windows--the sensation
pennyworths--the pious pennyworths--the pennyworths started for the
amelioration and mental improvement of the working classes, unfortunate
pennyworths, that never get on, and which the working classes turn their
backs upon, hating a moral in every other line as naturally as we do.
The stock of volumes in the library is on the increase; the window,
counter, shelves and drawers, are all well filled; Mr. Wesden deals in
postage and receipt stamps--ever a good sign of capital to spare--and
has turned the wash-house into a warehouse, where reams of paper,
envelopes, and goods too numerous to mention, are biding their time to
see daylight in Great Suffolk Street.
Changes are more apparent in the back-parlour, which has been home to
Mr. and Mrs. Wesden for so many years. Let us look in upon them after
three years' absence, and to the best of our ability note the alteration
there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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