Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-21
The Amateur Curb-Stone Singer.
TFrom AppIeten's JournaI. !

tnrned ner nose up, In a splendid specimen o
the Five Points tenement house Of the period
"CODfound the rickety old place!, 1 NUT
tered. as l stopped for q moment at the top o
the thiTd flight; '.if don't mind, I shall take
IMP TO the ground floor like Puck-'swifter thar
arrow from the Tartar's bow'-and without re
curing the assistance or patent hydraulic ele
Ipeered through a dingy, dirty pane of glas
by my side, almost the only one in the winsiov
which was not covered and pasted over with
brown paper, and, through the cob webs, had q
nne though somewhat mixed mp view of tum-
ble-down chimneys, gsble-ends, and clothes Of
dying current Of air. fkis was consoiatory, f for
stop floor, back" screwed up my courage.
went at the staircase again, and raped with INV
knuckles on Mrs. JoneSs door.
shoes and stockings, and with her hair stream.
ing about her. answered the summons.
" Are you Mrs. Jones?" inquired.
Yes, be, replied the woman so snap-
pishly, that shrank back. And then She All,
ded, still more snappishly, "whstd'ye waut?,
mentioned the name Of the person who had
and she seemed greatly mollitied.
come in, she said.
entered, and she handed me an old wooden
chair, which so far defed the laws of Nature
that, though n had lost its back IL was tolerably
firm on its legs. took In the place, the family
and the situation, at glance. If ever was in
the abode Of degradation, wretcheduess, and
misery, was then But II was no worse than /
had been led to expect. A rickety deal table.
two other chairs. diIaPidated chest of drawers
on which a few old rags were drying, a small
cooking stove, and a tumble-dOwn bedste adj
comprised the stock OF Mrs. JOnes's furniture
ON the mantel- piece were ranged several dirty
medlclne- bottles, winegiasS without a stem,
two broken china ornaments. Three or four
cracked plates of different patterns some Guns
and saueers, and two tin saucepans, stood on
shell. On the table was a sarsspariila- bottle
with little gin # The odors which rushed
from Mrs. JOnes's lips told me that it was gin.
In fact, she was n the primary stage of intoxi-
cation
Twas about TO open the business had in
hand, when rlttling cough from under the
Some one ill?' asked,
My man." replied the woman, again taking
a snapplsh turn; and, without lowering her
voice and with the utmost Indifference, she AL.
ded, 'he's drunk hisSelf 20 death. An now he's
got the lung disease, an the doctor says he won't
live above week or ten days"
Twas Mortified at the w0man's coarse bru-
tally, but what could say OF do? rushed at
once into the business which had led me to seek
her out.
Don't you sometimes go out singing in the
"Well, If do, that amt no business o. yourn !"
replied the woman, insolently.
i assured her that had not asked the question
from motives Of impairment curiosity, and
limited that might be able to put dollar or
two in her pocket, if she would be civil and lis
ten to what had to say. The woman's eyes
spaIkied, as nearly as thu liquor she had al
ready taken would permit, at what, TO her, was
nothing more or less than q prospect OF more
gin, and she at once requested me to speak up
Thus encouraged, said:
"You have two children, hear?"
eyes, gals" she replied.
i asked her IL she took them with her when
she went out singing.
"why, what dye take me for? The gals Is
what does It. / couldn't do nothin' without the
gals" she replied.
pany OF the girls that evening, AM that. il sh
chose to look at the m after in the light of bar
gain, was perfectly willing to pay for the hir
ofthem.
In an instant saw fearful storm was brew
SG-dd-n yer. no." cried the woman. eyer
want TO get en- away, do yer? Send 'em to
some refuge or 'forma,ory! No, yer don't
Them begglarly missionaries has tried that
game afore yer"
i had some trouble in appeasin2 her. for in
her anger her tongue ratified on at such a pace
that could not even get in q word edysw avs /.
She was evidently as famous for q scolding
tongue" as Baptista's daughter Katharine in
the" Tanning of the Shrew;" and wisely held
my tongue and let her have her say out, hoping
TO bring her to terms by far more gentle means
than th , 40 adortsd BY PetIuchio I simply
out and then played her with her own great
foible. was right.
At last her breath was gone, and, seiziny my
Listen TO me a minute; let me explain why
and for what purpose want them"
then quietly unfoleed to her my whole plan,
and, producing q dollar-bill for her to gazs
upon. said that would pay fifty cents apiece
for the hire Of the girls from eight o'clock till
twelve O'Clock the same night. The sight of the
money acted like charm; but she said il wasn't
enough, and that must deposit five dollars with
her a. security for the due return of the child
rem 4 increased my bid to a dollar and halt,
but absolutely refused TO make the deposit i
knew j should never see IL again.
AT that moment, " Take II Mag, take it-you
can buy some tea for me, i" came in wheezy tones
from under the beiclOthes.
Now, then. what are you a-cussin' an
swear1n about" exclaimed Mrs. Jones to her
better half "Nnd yer own business"
The POOR wretch's only reply was groan
well; Mrs. Jones'" / put in, Cuisines or no
busIness?D
"Oh, put up the money!" she replied, testify.
Half down, aud half when the children
come home" said, at the same time LAYING
down seyenty-fve cents.
The woman clutchetthe money. and al jus I
placed it on the mantel-pjece, when the door
opened and the "gals" came in. They had been
out begging, and had come home to dinner
They looked hall starved, and had even less
clothing on than their mother. The elder was
thirteen years old, the younger one only ten.
They both looked three years Younger at least.
After arranging with the mother that they
should meet me at the corner OF FOrty-second
street ard Lexington avenue at eight O'Clock, I
gave one of them some money With which to go
out and bay some tea and crackers for her
father, saw her start, waited ju~f long enough %
prevent her mother going after her AM ca2tur-
ing the money. and then took nv leays Ji Mrs.
Jones IN the earnest hope that might never see
that worthy's face again.
London Ilay-goers OF some ten or fifteen
years ago were almost startled out o. their pro-
priety by the extraordinary hit which the late
Mr.. Robson made at the Olympic Theatre as
Jem Bags, in the A" Wandering Minstrel
Without aspiring to the high range of Mr.. Rob
sons popularity aud success, had determined
90 DO little private business of somewhat the
same character on nay own account and for nv
own amusement i vent home and rec allied all
the old and touching ballads could think of
and made a let OF them It was, perhaps, tn
remembrance OF Mr.. RObson's custom Of read
ing out the titles Of all the ballads on hi
aPenBy" sOnz-sheet when be scu lied on to the
stage, which led me 20 do this As nearly as
can TecOllect, his list was follows:
"if Had Donkey What Wouldn't Co..
"Ovtr the Ills an Faf Away
"fm on to CharlestOwn"-
"GOot-By. Sweetheart, G0od-By"--
"Msry Blaine
so, Tell Ne that You're True to Me-
" I'D be a Butterfly
" Red. White, and Blue
"The Fisherman's Chorus
lin AhOat, I'm AhOat"-
The Flowers are Blo0ang"-
"Come into the Garden, VI AUDI
a" Should Like 10 Mary
"The Girl 1 Left Behind Me-
"When In Death Shall Calm, Recilne"-
g. Kiss Me Quick and Co.,
upon the Sands Al Azrgste--
Glove to Roam by the Dark Sea Foam
1--we Not