Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1853-1853, 1853-08-27


of the City Hall, which, in consideration of
the growth of few miserable dusty brown
trees and doubtful colored grass.patches,
we call the Park"
Looking over the post we discovered the
owner of the hot corn cry, in the person of
an emaciaied little girl about twelve years
lod, whose dirty frock was nearly the color
of the rusty iron, and whose face, hands
and feet, naturally white and delicate, were
lgrimed with dirt until nearly of the sumo
color. There were two white sIreaks rum
ming down from the soft blue eyes, that told
OF tho hot scalGing tears that were coursing
their way over that naturally beautiful face.
"Some coin, Sir" lisped the little sufferer,
as she saw We had stopped TO look at her,
hardly daring to speak to one who did not
address her in rough tones Of command,
such as 'give the some corn, you little VOLTS
whelp," or a name still more opprobrious
both to herself and mother. Seeing we
had no look Of contempt iol her, she said
piteously, "please buy some corn, SIR"
No, my dear, l do not wish any; 1t is
not very healthy in such warm weather as
this, and especially so late at night"
"Oh dear, then, what shall dot"
"Why, 60 home. 1t is past midnight,
and such little girls as you ought not to
be in the streets OF this bad city at this time
of night"
al cant go home - and am SO tired
and sleepy. . dear"
"Cannot 90 home. Why mott"
"Oh, sir, my mother will whip me if 60
home without selling all my corn. Oh, sir,
do buy one ear, and then | shall have only
two left, and am sure she might let little
sis and me eat them, for | have not had
anything 10 eat siLce morning, only one
apple the man gave me, and one part Of
Que he threw away. | could have stole a
turnip At the grocery when went TO get
TO get something in the pitcher for mother,
hut dare not. did use to steel, but Mr..
, Pease says it is naughty to steal, and
don't want TO be naughty, indeed don't
and don't want TO be bad girl, like Lizzie
Smith, and size is only two years older than
me, il she does dress fine cause Mr.. Pease
says she will be just like old drunken Kate,
one of these days. Oh, dear, now there
goes a man and | did not cry hot corn,
what shall | do 2"
: do! There, that is what you shall do" as
we dashed the corn in the gutter. Go home /;
tell your mother you have sold it all, and here
lis the money"
Wont that be lie, sir? Mr.. Pease says
we must not tell lies"
mo, my dear, that won't be lie, because
e have bought it and thrown 1t away, instead Of
e eating it,
But, sir, may eat it, then, if you don't want
ln?"
mo, ii is not good for you good bread is
better, and here is sixpence to buy loaf, and
, here is another 10 buy some nice cakes for YOU.
r Now, that is your money; don't give it 10 your
mother, and don't stay out SO late again. Go
home earlier, and tell your mother YOU cannot
. = sell all your corn, and you cannot keep awake
and if she is good mother, she wont whiI
YOU"
|, ooh, Sir, she is a good mother sometimes
= But am sure the grocery man at the corner is
= not good NAH, or lie would not sell my mother
$ rum, when he knows-for Mr.. Pease told him
Y so-that we poor children were starving. Oh
h wish all the men were good men like hun, anC
. then my mother would not drink that nasty
e liquor, and beat and starve us, cause there would
:, be nobody to sell her any. And then we should
7 have plenty TO eat"
$ Away she ran down the street toward tha
: reeklng centre oil filth, poverty and misery, th'
r noted Five Points OF New York.
y As we plodded up Broadway, looking in her,
9 and there upon the palatiul splendors of metrop
s otan "saloons"-we think that is the word for
q fashionable upper class grog-shops-we almos
involuntariy cried shot corn" as we saw III,
hot spirit oil that gram, under the various guises
c of "pure gin'-''old rum"-"pale brandy
e "pure port" "Heidselck"- or Lager Bier
d poured down the hot threats of men-aD6 al