The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-23

hair strinoino about her face and several hooks
missing on the back Of her dress, sat rocking Ia
lilly in an old, rickety looking chair casting occa-
sionsl glanccs of despair at the gaping rents In
pair OF Dicks psntaloons that lay upon her knee
while the aforesaid master Dick, an urchin
of some seven or eight years old, after having
swept space with the sleeve of his jacket upon
the Uttered floor large enough for his operations,
had seated himself somewhat after the Turkish
fashion, and was very busy displaying his artistic
talents in sketching with piece OF charcoal, all
manner of boats and watercraft, with profusion
of rigging that would have puzzled Neptune him
self
IL holes on the elbow and knee are a mark of
genius, as we have heard it asserted, then little
Dick White might be set down as one possessing
a whole mine of the pure ore, for he was seldom
without one or both of these indices. Lefty,
thin slender girl Of thirteen, with mass of bushy,
brown hair which looked as If il was never combed
or parted, but drawn in zigzag manner across her
crown, and gathered into stiff, stubby braid,
fastened with piece of shop-twine, sat near the
dingy window, sewing industriously upon some
coarse garment
There was an uncomfortable, fretful, impatient
expression upon the girls face as she occasionally
looked up from her work, and a queruousness in
her tones as she replied to Dicks questions that
went to show that the darkness without was but
the type of that within
"Have you mepded em, mother 20 said Dick,
as he saw her fling the pantaloons into an already
overloaded chair in the corner of the room.
"Mended 'em, no ; 'twould take lifetime to
mend ell the holes )" she replied, impatiently
Pve just drawn them up little, so that they'll
do. It's no use trying she went on crossing her
hands upon her lap, and rocking back and forth
with a new impetus " cloth don't wear any now
a-days-its all made to cheat poor people-as
soon as you get thing made, there'll come hole
somewherss. It's nsshing but patch, patch, patch,
all ones life-timer'
Now, Mrs. White must have been laboring I'M
der species of delusion, for neither her own nor
her children's clothes gave any evidence of the
truth Of her words; in fact, they were proof pos
tive to the contrary. Ii she had said it had been
just drawing up little, so that they would do,D
she would have hit the truth, for, poor woman,
she had been " just draring up" things little all
her lifetime, but unfortunately, nothing seemed
to stay drawn.
While she was giving vent to these exclama-
tions neatly dressed, cheerful-looking girl of
about Letty's age came up the alley, singing the
refrain Of some old song, which was taken up and
continued by full, musical voice in the room
above. The girl had a spade and knife in her
hands, and on her arp a small basket coptsining
/ n few pap5is stv.c. She IA ssffe and nod to
Lefty as she was passing the door, which the lat
ter answered by 1ngng down her work and run
ming to her side. Dick followed with a skip and
! . ipmp, while the mother screamed aher - en-
Lefty, Lefty, come right back, this minute !
When do you think that work will be done, if
you spend all your time gossiping in the streets"
They don't mind me more than the wind that
blows" she continued, sinking back in the chair,
from which she had partly risen in the hope Of
arresting their steps, Just as if hadn't trouble
enough without their plaguing me to death.
While the widow is bemoaning cher sad
state as the old ballad has it, let US turn to the
children on the sunny pavement.
There, there, Lefty, your mother calls,n said
the girl with the basket, as the widows sharp
Lefty" again rang out
"Never mind" replied Lefty "she's always
calling about something But tell me, are you
really going to have monthly rose-pot and
all--and did the lady give it to you of her own
mind, without your askingW
eyes, this was the way it happened You see
mother washes for the family, and 20 there fire.
quently on errands. They have great glass
room full Of flowers"
"a glass room, Abbap exclaimed both the
young Whites in astonishment. "Now you are
joking
"No, indeed, il is a real glass room-at least
it has glass roof and glass sides" replied the
girl, "and ! always walk very slowly past 1t to
see the noWers ana sometimes stop and look IN
One of the young ladies saw me the other day,
and asked me il liked flowers, and whether 1
| had any at home. told her did like them very
much, and all about my mornnpgory's and she
smiled and asked me if liked roses. told her
that mother and loved them dearly. Then she
pointed to tall bush full Of beautiful white buds,
and said, that was white tea rose, and that it
should be mine. The man that brings the clothes
is to bring it when he comes next Monday, and
she said II woutd blossom all winter II took good
care of it,"
"And the lady gave you those seeds too you
say -----asa------.
eyes and have been spnding up some borders
in our bit Of garden, and planting them. Mother
and planted the potatoes and beans, and such
things, week ago.
"HOw do wish We had a garden-but, then,
there is no use in wishing, for we never can have
anything like other folks" said Lefty, sadly.
"And why not, pray tell You have just such
bit Of garden as ours; you and Dick can easily
shade IL IN and there are ashes a plentv In mt