They were indeed a fort-night's rent behind. Their landlady was
not willing to be hard upon them, but what could a poor woman do, she
said. The day was come when they must go forth like Abraham without a
home, but not like Abraham with a tent and the world before them to set
it up in, not like Abraham with camels and asses to help them along. The
weakly wife had to carry the sickly baby, who, with many ups and downs,
had been slowly pining away. The father went laden with the larger
portion of the goods yet remaining to them, and led the Serpent of the
Prairies, with the drum hanging from his neck, by the hand. The other
boys followed, bearing the small stock of implements belonging to their
art.
They had delayed their departure till it was more than dusk, for Franks
could not help a vague feeling of blame for the condition of his family,
and shrank from being seen of men's eyes; every one they met must know
they had not a place to lay their heads! The world was like a sea before
them--a prospect of ceaseless motion through the night, with the hope of
an occasional rest on a doorstep or the edge of the curb-stone when the
policeman's back was turned.
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