Toilers of Babylon: A NovelFarjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
General
Toilers of Babylon: A Novel
Farjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
Inheritance and succession -- Fiction
"I'll call in the morning," said Mr. Loveday, "to see how you've got
along with it."
When he called he learned that nothing further had been discovered.
The pawnbroker had passed a disturbed and sleepless night; the
pawnbroker's wife was in the worst of tempers, and declared that
either she or the baby would have to leave the house. Mr. Loveday
calmed her down, and then entered into a sensible consideration of the
case.
"So many hours have passed," he said, "since the child was left here,
that it seems more than likely that the person who placed it on your
counter has no intention of redeeming the pledge. In a few days, or
weeks, the matter may be traced; in the meantime something must be
done. I suggest that a woman be sought who, for three or four
shillings a week, will undertake the care of the child. I don't mind
bearing half the expense if you will bear the other half."
The benevolent offer was eagerly accepted by the pawnbroker, whose
only anxiety now was to get the baby out of his house. Before the
evening a poor woman was found who consented to take charge of the
helpless bundle of humanity. Having come into the neighborhood by a
mysterious chance, the child was called Chance, to which, when or how
could not afterwards be recalled, the Christian name of Timothy was
prefixed. Endeavors were made to solve the mystery of his birth, but,
in the absence of the slightest clew, nothing was discovered. For four
years Mr. Loveday and the pawnbroker paid the expenses of the child's
bringing up between them; then, somehow or other, Timothy Chance began
to take care of himself, nursing babies bigger than himself for
mothers whose quivers were too full, and getting a bit of straw to
sleep on and a crust of bread to keep life in him. He was full of
health and strength, and willingness, and even in those early days he
developed a surprising independence which served him in good stead. As
he grew in years the task of looking after himself and obtaining
shelter and food became less difficult; he throve where others would
have starved; if he could not get crumb he put up with crust; if he
could not get straw to lie upon he put up with boards, if not boards
the earth, if not a roof the sky. From time to time he disappeared
from the neighborhood, went hopping in the season, attaching himself
to some family bent on the same errand, took service with a tinker and
went about the country, and did anything and everything to keep body
and soul together. He succeeded in a good and worthy way, and the
partnership of his boyish frame with a cheerful, willing spirit, was a
passport wherever he went, and would have carried him all over the
world. He did well for others, and better for himself, as will be
seen, although he was penniless nine days out of ten. This did not
trouble him; he was healthy, strong, and happy, and had ideas--in the
germ at present, and not by himself understood; but there they were,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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