The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-10-10
A poor old Irish woman washed for mother

A poor old Irish woman washed for mother
when she died. She did il for nothing
Catch rich folks doing that. She said she
knowed how she'd feel If she'd leave her boys
Kicking about, and If wouldn't bo up to SO
many tricks she'd koepus. So wo staid with
her after that. She was a darned good old
thing, but not SO clean as mother. I told her
would do some odd jobs for her. Her rooms
were dark, and / whitowashed them, and it
was whitewashingl She was awful ticklei, but
didn't like my boarding place, cause she
wouldn't take any pay.
Says TO Bill, I'll eet you situation So
as luck would have 1t, used to listen to peo-
ple's talking, and one day heard man say
he wished he had a smart boy to take into the
country. goes up to him and says, j knows
fellow He looks at mo, and says, What do
you mean' ] says, i knows q fellow will suit
your capacity Says he, Are you tho chapF
Says l. mo. I amt. but knows one what is.'
WELL says he, Il like the looks of you.' Says
I, I'm obliged to YOU So whislled to Bill
and he came. He was really pretty eyed
fellow, just like mother. SO the man asked
mo about my relations. and told him all about
it. 'Well,' says he, i like tho looks of your
boy there, and I'll take him. But, say. l,
do I'll lick you back thought he'd die
SO fitted Bill out How do you think I
did itl gave him some gingerbread. Twas
as hard to part Us as two peas in one pod
But the old feller fixed him all up before no
went out of town. Bill felt so grand and hap
that he forgot to be sorry at leaving me.
! asked him here IL no could tell mo the
name of that old Irish woman, and where she
lived. He said it was Bridget Mahan; she
lived near the Five Points; he couldn't men
ton the name of the street; said it was short
one. and added, 'Hold on! SEQ if can fetch
i'll He paused moment, and not recalling
the name, went on.
trudged home to the old womah's whore
boarded. felt awful streaked; ! couldn't
cry nor do nothing, so went to the National
Theatre. saw nothing for my tears--had to
laugh onco in q whilc. 'Twasn't the National
Theatro--it was tho next one to it, where the
boys could get in for sixpence. sold papers
ever so long after that. got into all sorts of
mischief; took to smoking and chewing-thv
boys set me up to it. Then got happy again
but felt lonesome; vert TO all the fires
| used to go to Hoboken; pitched pennies till
got enough to pay tho terriage. Tho boys
used to Say | cheated. wonder if did,
They said was gambler, but only used
common cents. had black eye every once in
while. fighting the boys who ;wtted me about
Bill and my mother. wouldn't stand that, so
give 'em something to remember me by
They arc hard boys, had to DO so. used to
pitch into bulies whom pushing tho little ones
away and hooking their papers.
made about shilling day, depending on
tho news and brains Of the editor. tell you
ono thing. if any ono of tho boys didn't sell his
papers, we'd 20 snucks with him, and each
| take one--that was among the good fellows.
Tell you what | used to do-go long up Broad
way, and SEQ one OF your fine looking fellows,
run agin' him, most knock his breath out and
then ask, Have a paper, sir:'
always thought Of mother while bawlng
my paper at tho top of my lungs. Sunday
was a forlon day.
One day thought I'd treat myself so I bot
one of them penny ice creams that they sell at
the corners. l was took with the cramp, anc
won't home. | had changed my boarding place,
and tho way raid my board was--if 1 made
n shilling, l paid two cents for my board; if
| made eighteen ponce, then paid four cents i.
was awful sick. lim,' says /, 'yon're goin'
home-ain't you glad" t.e0
grew worse and worse and all grew dark
about me. wished for Bill. lay on some
straw OH the floor. begun to feel so pleas
ant and happy. heard mother speaking to
me, Tim, my boyp jumped right up in bed.
but saw nothing--then tho pain come on
One of tho boys como in, and says he, Tim,
" hat arc you doin' there? Ike says I, Il am
goin' where the good niggers go. spect.'
Tim says he, 4 guess you'll be we'll to- m or
row.
Ike says /. IF I'm well. wont be hcrc.-
Mothers calling me, and can't stay What
did he do but cry / never sec folks cry so
easy. Says l, Ike don't let tho bulics beat
that ncw-comer-the green 'un will yer?'
Says he, NO Ill take care O him till you
come back.
| Then it grew darker; didn't hear her voice.
All at once saw mother had no pain, and
there was no tears in her eyes. Says I, 'hur-
rah! I'm in for it, aint mother? How the
dickens did come hero?
| Says she, 'Look!'
/ looked and saw them carrying my coffin
out of the room. Thon sho took mo with her
| and If aint as happy as bee, tell you.
go about singing but not the papers. There
are lots of other boys. but somehow feel a
kind of babyish; don't want to be out Of her
sight. Thought was independent.
I've been back to tho Herald office; there
heard some one say, Timothy %, grand,
says l.
'Hushr says mother, don't talk so.'
Then the other said You must 90 back, my
child and teach the little newsboys that If they
kecp u kIliu lcciinS III tneiT neuTts anu Try W
bo good, there is a happy place for them ell.
| 'Well,' says /, 81 lister, easier said thar done;
because, if boy tries TO be good, there is al
ways somebody to kick it out of him. Bot,
says I, mister, I'll do the same;' so here am
| at it,
Would you like to know how learnt to read
Mother taught mo some, then taught myself
some. All the newsboys can't read, but when
| they have got through selling thoir papers,
some ono of 'em who can read sits down with
lot round him, reads to 'em; so they know a
darned sight more of VIII ats going on than you
think they do. Thcn they talk it over among
themselves.
Look here, mister. toll you what wonder
ful effect-when boy came up tot gcntlo-
man and he looked pleasant ana smiled, twas
worth three cents to sell paper to that fcler.
But when they are cross ard push ON TO be
good to their mothers, and they'll be as happy
| as I am. Hurrah!
NEwsPAAERs.-A man eats up pound Of