The melody was
lulling; it had a refrain of delicious sentiment. The listener's
eyes grew moist; there rose a lump in his throat. Dear Polly! Lovely
Polly! Would he not cherish her to the day of his death? How could
he have fancied that he loved anyone else? Darling Polly!
When the singer withdrew he clapped violently, and thereupon called
for another Scotch hot, with lemon.
As a matter of course a friend soon discovered him, a man who
declared himself in a whisper "stonebroke," and said, after a glass
of the usual beverage, that if the truth must be told he had looked
in here this evening to save himself from the torments of despair.
Three young children, and the missus just going to have another. Did
Gammon know of any opening in the cork line?
" Afraid not," replied the traveller, "but I know a man out Hoxton
way who's pushing a new lamp-glass cleaner. You might give him a
look in. It goes well, I'm told, in the eastern suburbs."
Presently a coin of substantial value passed from Gammon's pocket
into that of his gloomy friend.
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