



Produced by Annie McGuire








THE SPECTACLE MAN


  Out of a song the story grew;
  Just how it happened nobody knew,
  But, song and story, it all came true.




BOOKS BY MARY F. LEONARD.

       *       *       *       *       *

=THE SPECTACLE MAN=. A STORY OF THE MISSING BRIDGE. 266 pages. Cloth.
$1.00.

=MR. PAT'S LITTLE GIRL=. A STORY OF THE ARDEN FORESTERS. 322 pages.
Cloth. $1.50.

=THE PLEASANT STREET PARTNERSHIP=. A NEIGHBORHOOD STORY. 269 pages.
Cloth. $.75, _net_.




[Illustration: "The Spectacle Man, leaning his elbows on the
show-case"]




The Spectacle Man

_A Story of the Missing Bridge_

       *       *       *       *       *

By
Mary F. Leonard

AUTHOR OF
"THE BIG FRONT DOOR"


_Illustrated by Frank T. Merrill_


W. A. WILDE COMPANY
BOSTON AND CHICAGO


_Copyright, 1901,_
BY W. A. WILDE COMPANY.
_All rights reserved_.




_TO THE ONE
Whose Love has been from Childhood
An Unfailing Inspiration
Whose Friendship has made Dark Paths Light
This Little Book is Dedicated
In Memory of "Remembered Hours"_




CONTENTS.


  CHAPTER FIRST.                                                    Page

    Frances meets the Spectacle Man                                   11

  CHAPTER SECOND.

    A Certain Person                                                  22

  CHAPTER THIRD.

    Gladys                                                            32

  CHAPTER FOURTH.

    They look at a Flat                                               40

  CHAPTER FIFTH.

    Some New Acquaintances                                            50

  CHAPTER SIXTH.

    An Informal Affair                                                61

  CHAPTER SEVENTH.

    A Portrait                                                        77

  CHAPTER EIGHTH.

    The Story of the Bridge                                           86

  CHAPTER NINTH.

    Finding a Moral                                                  106

  CHAPTER TENTH.

    The Portrait Again                                               118

  CHAPTER ELEVENTH.

    Mrs. Marvin is perplexed                                         128

  CHAPTER TWELFTH.

    At Christmas Time                                                134

  CHAPTER THIRTEENTH.

    One Sunday Afternoon                                             151

  CHAPTER FOURTEENTH.

    Three of a Name                                                  164

  CHAPTER FIFTEENTH.

    A Confidence                                                     177

  CHAPTER SIXTEENTH.

    Hard Times                                                       186

  CHAPTER SEVENTEENTH.

    At the Loan Exhibit                                              198

  CHAPTER EIGHTEENTH.

    The March Number of _The Young People's Journal_                 207

  CHAPTER NINETEENTH.

    Surprises                                                        215

  CHAPTER TWENTIETH.

    Caroline's Story                                                 231

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST.

    Overheard by Peterkin                                            240

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SECOND.

    The Little Girl in the Golden Doorway                            249

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THIRD.

    "The Ducks and the Geese they All swim over"                     257




Illustrations.


                                                                    Page

  "The Spectacle Man, leaning his elbows on the
  show-case" _Frontispiece_                                           11

  "'What is your name, baby?'"                                        54

  "'Little girl, I wish I knew you'"                                 120

  "She pointed out a picture, set in diamonds"                       200




The Spectacle Man.

       *       *       *       *       *

CHAPTER FIRST.

FRANCES MEETS THE SPECTACLE MAN.

  "The bridge is broke, and I have to mend it,
    Fol de rol de ri do, fol de rol de ri do--"


sang the Spectacle Man, leaning his elbows on the show-case, with his
hands outspread, and the glasses between a thumb and finger, as he
nodded merrily at Frances.

Such an odd-looking person as he was! Instead of an ordinary coat he
wore a velvet smoking-jacket; the top of his bald head was protected by
a Scotch cap, and his fringe of hair, white like his pointed beard, was
parted behind and brushed into a tuft over each ear, the ribbon ends of
his cap hanging down between in the jauntiest way. It was really
difficult to decide whether the back or front view of him was most
cheerful.

"Will it take long?" Frances asked, with dignity, although a certain
dimple refused to be repressed.

"Well, at least half an hour, if I am not interrupted; but as my clerk
is out, I may have to stop to wait on a customer. Perhaps if you have