The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-05-03

graceful compromise Win my conscience Dy
Insisting that they should only have one
drink between them | feel uneasy in my
mind now as 1 recall the appalling gusto with
which thev smacked their lips on leaving
the ginmill. The vile stuff did not even
bring the water into their eyes.
In order to drive the repulsive scene from
nv thoughts. I hurried them along Lexing-
ton Avenue, and were soon following our
vocation in Thirty Street, my inten-
ton being to beat backward and forward in
the streets lying between Tenth and Sixth
Avenues. as sportsmen beat up and down
the woods for game.
Mag opened with Put Me in my Little
Bed" in a not unmuscal voice. Loltie and
! Joining in the chorus at the end of each
verse They both sang out to their full
power, and thoroughly reused the echoes in
the quiet of the night.
After We had sung several verses, my ear
caught the sound of shifting sob by my
side. I looked down and found Lottie
crying.
Holoah what's the matter, little wom-
an?" exclaimed aloud, thoroughly thrown
off my guard.
The only answer she vouchsafed to my
sympathetic inquiry was SOuO-UOCe IHIlul-
alton that should "cheese it,
In an instant saw my error. The prac-
tced eve of this accomplished little artistic
had caught the sound OF the latch of the
basement door, and she was indulging in a
little by-play, in order to harrow up the
feelings, to the regulation eleemOsynary
standard, of any one who might come out.
A colored woman was our first victim.
Whether she were cook or chambermaid, of
course ! know not but her sympathies led
her to present us with the muni6cent con-
tributiOn of two cents, for which | warmly
thanked her. The cold air drove her in
doors again and Mag. who was evidently
ofan economical disposition, started on with
out finishing her song.
As we walked along, Mag remarked ,in
the most business-like of tones:
"Say, old 'un, guess I'll boss the talkin'.
Tn more used to it like"
| had no objection at all to offer to this
arrangement; and. as we neared the other
end of the block, Mag pulled up and again
started Put Me in my little Bed" There
were lights in the basement, lights in the
parlor, and on the floor above but, beyond
some one turning the parlor- shutters for a
ulOuleII anu ptelluS Out dC US, we 6duO anu
sang in vain. So we edged on across the
avenue. and crawled toward Madison Ave
nue. at a snail's pace, singing as we went.
The appearance Of some ladies and gen.
tlemen from one of the houses at once gave
the girls violent attack of the shivers-
Mag so badly, that her voice shook and
Lottie, that she sobbed again.
"What a shame to keep children out beg
ging in the streets such a night as this ~
said one of the ladies from behind her seal
skin muff. "For Heavens sake, give them
something, Harry! The more they get, the
sooner they'll go home"
Mr.. Harry did as he was bid, and drop
ped ten-cent stamp into Mays trembling
hand.
On reaching Broadway, we doubled back
down Thirty eighth Street, and led off with
"Down in Coal Mine, with great spirit,
as soon as we had passed three or four houses
But "Down in Coal Mine" didn't draw,
and suggested to Mag to try something of
more sentimental order. She then broke
out with Wearing of the Green" and with
more success !; for before she had finished a
nice, kind-hearted looking old lady emerged
from the basement, with light shawl thrown
hastily over her head.
"Oh, dear =! oh, dear! why do you keep
your children out on such a night?" she
asked of me.
Mag dashed to the rescue.
He can't help it, ma am" she said.
He's got his arm broke" (my right arm was
slung to my neck in an old red silk hand
kerchief), IAN he can't work, ma 'am"
The old lady retired, and soon reappeared
laden with cold beef and bread, which she
distributed among US.
Thank you, kind lady-shall we sing
again +" inquired Mag.
No, no, go home" replied the old lady.
"Ah, we've got nowhere's to go to-" re-
joined Mag !; and then she artfully added,
with deep sigh, las soon as we've got the
price of nights lodging, we shall quit It's
socold"
But the fish didn't jump at the bait, and
we passed on, the old lady bidding US good
night as we turned away.
Damn the old woman an her stale corn
ed beef!' calculated Mag. as soon as we
were out of hearing. "Why couldn't she
give us nickel ?"
The bread and meat was at once eonsign-
ed to limbo in the capacious pockets of my
old overcoat, borrowed for the occasion of a
cardriver.
On we wandered. up one street and down
another, varying our repertoire with "The
Harp that Once through Tara's the girls
pronounced it tedrer's) Halls" ''Dermott
ashore" and other ballads, taking every
now and then a cent or two from the pass
ers-by, who, however, were like angels
visits-few and far between" and an occa-
I
householder, all of whom seemed to feel
great sympathy with the children, and to be
filled with feelings of unutterable scorn and
indignation for me.
We, however. met with little in the shane
of incident till we reached Twenty-6fth
Street, where We had stationed ourselves in
front of brilliantly lighted house. We had
gone through two of our most touching and
stirring songs, and had Just begun Tara s
Halls" again, when an old gentleman, with
out hat on. appeared at the top of the
steps. The girls at once threw themselves
! into the situation, and sang as loudly and
plaintively as they could following suit.
The old gentleman was small, terrier-lke
looking man. with scrubby, gray side whisk-
ers and griZzled hair. brushed after the FASH
ion which history ascribes to Brutus His
pockets were most capacious. therefore pro-
baby well lined for. when he Owed both
hands into them, his arms disappeared as
far as the elbow. There he stood watching
rs without moving a muscle of his face,
raising himself up and down on his toes,
and as fondly thought. beating time with
his heels on the stone steps to our music.
The girls surpassed themselves. and gave
the last verse with an emphasis which should
have " brought down the house." But, to