…‘ who has been keeping an eye on this house during my absence?”’ Yes, sir,’ I replied, not a little embarrassed, for I felt I had done rather a mean thing in thus spying on him.”I am really very much obliged to you,’ he” went on, ‘ for I find everything is all right; but come in for a moment, I can’t talk to you out there.’ Now, as you are aware, sir, the pay of a policeman is no great shakes — not as much by a long way as that of an ordinary mechanic, who has no responsibilities and very little education — so that when the gentleman fingered his waistcoat- pocket I had visions of something that might come in very useful for my wife and kids. Without unduly singing my own praises, I’m not as selfish as many working men. I only had one child, because…

…last half -hour. I came here to be alone — utterly alone — save for him!” and here she gave a kind of convulsive sob and stretched her hands appealingly before her. The woman interested me, and I felt that there was much in her that would furnish me with copy — copy for some article on real humanity, on the flotsam and jetsam of womanhood.And so, instead of obeying her injunctions to go, I stayed.Tell me,” I said persuasively, your history. You can confide in me; I am old — old enough to be your ” — then I thought of my bare thirty-seven summers, and blushed — ” well, old enough to be your uncle. May I sit down? “The seats,” she murmured, are free to all. I can go!”She rose, and I touched her gently on the arm. Come! I said, “You can trust me. I’m only…

…anything so very out of the way in my choice of costume.Indeed, I stammered, “I think it most ordinary.” “Altogether too ordinary! Too infernally ordinary!” thundered my host. “Look at yourself in that glass!” and he pointed to a huge mirror as he spoke. Then my blood turned to ice. I had — yes, I had come as Adam — Adam before the fall! “Chase him!” shrieked my host, “Chase the insolent wretch, and when you catch him, skin him alive! Hardly were the words,” out of his mouth before the guests and musicians, armed with chairs, fans, and violins, rushed, shrieking and yelling, at me; but, happily for me, I was still some few feet ahead of my pursuers, when I awoke.On another occasion, I dreamed I was handing round the bag in some fashionable church, when all the men suddenly turned round and scowled at me, and the…

…with a leap, he was gone. I shouted out to him, ” Why not ask that tree?” (There was a poplar growing near) but he did not hear me, and was out of sight before I could speak again. I walked on, but had not gone very far, before I came across a boy standing on a big stone, and blowing out his cheeks. There was a look of the most exquisite joy in his round, gooseberry eyes, as if he found his occupation the most delightful in the world. ”Why, what on earth are you doing?”I asked. He opened his mouth and out flew a swarm of bees. “Oh! Isn’t it Paradise?” he said. ”Paradise! They make their honey in my stomach!” “But don’t they sting you?” I asked. “Well, now you come to speak of it, I believe they do” the boy responded, “but what is that compared…