The gray-haired observer entered, asked for some periodical by way of paying for admission, and with his elbow on the counter began to turn over the pages he had bought, though that he read nothing was obvious.
At length he said, 'Is old Mr.Watkins still alive ?' in a voice which had a curious youthful cadence in it even now.
'My father is dead, sir,' said the young man.
'Ah, I am sorry to hear it,' said the stranger.

'But it is so many years since I last visited this town that I could hardly expect it should be otherwise.' After a short silence he continued--'And is the firm of Barnet, Browse, and Company still in existence ?--they used to be large flax-merchants and twine-spinners here ?' 'The firm is still going on, sir, but they have dropped the name of Barnet.

I believe that was a sort of fancy name--at least, I never knew of any living Barnet.

'Tis now Browse and Co.' 'And does Andrew Jones still keep on as architect ?' 'He's dead, sir.' 'And the Vicar of St.Mary's--Mr.Melrose ?' 'He's been dead a great many years.' 'Dear me!' He paused yet longer, and cleared his voice.

'Is Mr.Downe, the solicitor, still in practice ?' 'No, sir, he's dead.