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Junior drops into the Position of
Publisher
Few are the ways of the West Central district that have changed less
within the last half…century than Nevill's Court； leading from Great New
Street into Fetter Lane。 Its north side still consists of the same quaint
row of small low shops that stood theredoing perhaps a little brisker
businesswhen George the Fourth was King； its southern side of the
same three substantial houses each behind a strip of garden； pleasant by
contrast with surrounding grimness； built long agosome say before
Queen Anne was dead。
Out of the largest of these； passing through the garden； then well
cared for； came one sunny Sunday morning； some fifteen years before
the commencement proper of this story； one Solomon Appleyard；
pushing in front of him a perambulator。 At the brick wall surmounted
by wooden railings that divides the garden from the court； Solomon
paused； hearing behind him the voice of Mrs。 Appleyard speaking from
the doorstep。
〃If I don't see you again until dinner…time； I'll try and get on without
you； understand。 Don't think of nothing but your pipe and forget the
child。 And be careful of the crossings。〃
Mrs。 Appleyard retired into the darkness。 Solomon； steering the
perambulator carefully； emerged from Nevill's Court without accident。
The quiet streets drew Solomon westward。 A vacant seat beneath the
shade overlooking the Long Water in Kensington Gardens invited to
rest。
〃Piper？〃 suggested a small boy to Solomon。 〃Sunday Times；
'Server？〃
〃My boy；〃 said Mr。 Appleyard； speaking slowly； 〃when you've been
mewed up with newspapers eighteen hours a day for six days a week；
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you can do without 'em for a morning。 Take 'em away。 I want to
forget the smell of 'em。〃
Solomon； having assured himself that the party in the perambulator
was still breathing； crossed his legs and lit his pipe。
〃Hezekiah！〃
The exclamation had been wrung from Solomon Appleyard by the
approach of a stout； short man clad in a remarkably ill…fitting broad…
cloth suit。
〃What； Sol； my boy？〃
〃It looked like you；〃 said Solomon。 〃And then I said to myself：
'No； surely it can't be Hezekiah； he'll be at chapel。'〃
〃You run about；〃 said Hezekiah； addressing a youth of some four
summers he had been leading by the hand。 〃Don't you go out of my
sight； and whatever you do； don't you do injury to those new clothes of
yours； or you'll wish you'd never been put into them。 The truth is；〃
continued Hezekiah to his friend； his sole surviving son and heir being
out of earshot； 〃the morning tempted me。 'Tain't often I get a bit of
fresh air。〃
〃Doing well？〃
〃The business；〃 replied Hezekiah； 〃is going up by leaps and bounds… …
leaps and bounds。 But； of course； all that means harder work for me。
It's from six in the morning till twelve o'clock at night。〃
〃There's nothing I know of；〃 returned Solomon； who was something of
a pessimist； 〃that's given away free gratis for nothing except
misfortune。〃
〃Keeping yourself up to the mark ain't too easy；〃 continued Hezekiah；
〃and when it comes to other folks！ play's all they think of。 Talk
religion to themwhy； they laugh at you！ What the world's coming to；
I don't know。 How's the printing business doing？〃
〃The printing business；〃 responded the other； removing his pipe and
speaking somewhat sadly； 〃the printing business looks like being a big
thing。 Capital； of course； is what hampers meor； rather； the want of it。
But Janet； she's careful； she don't waste much； Janet don't。〃
〃Now； with Anne；〃 replied Hezekiah； 〃it's all the other way pleasure；
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gaiety； a day at Rosherville or the Crystal Palace anything to waste
money。〃
〃Ah！ she was always fond of her bit of fun；〃 remembered Solomon。
〃Fun！〃 retorted Hezekiah。 〃I like a bit of fun myself。 But not if
you've got to pay for it。 Where's the fun in that？〃
〃What I ask myself sometimes；〃 said Solomon； looking straight in
front of him； 〃is what do we do it for？〃
〃What do we do what for？〃
〃Work like blessed slaves； depriving ourselves of all enjoyments。
What's the sense of it？ What〃
A voice from the perambulator beside him broke the thread of
Solomon Appleyard's discourse。 The sole surviving son of Hezekiah
Grindley； seeking distraction and finding none； had crept back
unperceived。 A perambulator！ A thing his experience told him out of
which excitement in some form or another could generally be obtained。
You worried it and took your chance。 Either it howled； in which case
you had to run for your life； followedand； unfortunately； overtaken
nine times out of tenby a whirlwind of vengeance； or it gurgled： in
which case the heavens smiled and halos descended on your head。 In
either event you escaped the deadly ennui that is the result of continuous
virtue。 Master Grindley； his star having pointed out to him a peacock's
feather lying on the ground； had； with one eye upon his unobservant
parent； removed the complicated coverings sheltering Miss Helvetia
Appleyard from the world； and anticipating by a quarter of a century the
prime enjoyment of British youth； had set to work to tickle that lady on
the nose。 Miss Helvetia Appleyard awakened； did precisely what the
tickled British maiden of to…day may be relied upon to do under
corresponding circumstances： she first of all took swift and
comprehensive survey of the male thing behind the feather。 Had he
been displeasing in her eyes； she would； one may rely upon it； have
anteceded the behaviour in similar case of her descendant of to…daythat
is to say； have expressed resentment in no uncertain terms。 Master
Nathaniel Grindley proving； however； to her taste； that which might
have been considered impertinence became accepted as a fit and proper
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form of introduction。 Miss Appleyard smiled graciouslynay； further；
intimated desire for more。
〃That your only one？〃 asked the paternal Grindley。
〃She's the only one；〃 replied Solomon； speaking in tones less
pessimistic。
Miss Appleyard had with the help of Grindley junior wriggled
herself into a sitting posture。 Grindley junior continued his attentions；
the lady indicating by signs the various points at which she was most
susceptible。
〃Pretty picture they make together； eh？〃 suggested Hezekiah in a
whisper to his friend。
〃Never saw her take to anyone like that before；〃 returned Solomon；
likewise in a whisper。
A neighbouring church clock chimed twelve。 Solomon Appleyard；
knocking the ashes from his pipe； arose。
〃Don't know any reason myself why we shouldn't see a little more of
one another than we do；〃 suggested Grindley senior； shaking hands。
〃Give us a look…up