Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-02-07
THE AMATEUR CJ&G-sTON =
.lNLIfI

on he I'D. Old home
THE ANIATETR CI.sG-sT0N
SINGER.
Crrak crack. ercak crack, went every stair
/ -terpel on Us ! -tumbledup what did duty
tsr a staircase, bat would have made fire
wood nj which a ir~t-cla~- wa,herwoman
would have turned her nose up, in splendid
specimen of the Five Points tenement house,
ot the period.
..Confounl the rckety Old place INIT
tered. as / stopped Tor a moment at the top
of the third flight IF don't mind, shall
take a trip to the ground floor like Puck
.-wiiter than au arrow from the Iortars
bOw'-and without requiring the assistance
of patent hydraulic elevator.
peered through a dngy, dirty pane Of
glaS- hy my side. almost the only one in the
window which was not covered and pasted
over with brown paper. and, through the
cob-lyej-. had fine though somewhat
mixed mp view of tumble-down chimneys.
gable-ends. and clothes OF all cuts and colors.
flaming about with the eidying current of
air. This was cou~olatorv, for knew lmust
be- near NV destination-the "top-tloor,
back ' screwed upmy courage, went at
the staircase again. and raped with my
knuckle- on Mrs JoneS'~ door.
4 dirty. s.ovenly unkempt woman. with
out -hoe- and stockings, and with her hair
streaming about her, answered the sam
mons.
Are vou Mr. jones' inquired.
..He-, / be-, replied the woman, 50 snap
pi-hlv. that | -hrank hack And then She
added. still more snappi-hlv, what dye
want ,'
/ mentioned the name OF the person who
had given me her address, by WAY Of intro
ducton. and she seemed greatly Modified.
-Oh fit him as Yer came from, Yer can
come iu. she sand
Ientered. and She handed me an old wooden
chair. which , far defel the laws Of nature
that. though it had lost It's back. it was
tolerablv firm on it, leg ! took in the
Mace the family. and the situation at
glance. If ever ! was in the abode ofdegra-
datiou. wretchelue~, and misery. i was then
But was no worse than ! had been led
To- expect rickey deal table. two
chairs. q dilapidatel chest of drawers on
which "a few obi rag We're drying, a small
co5king-~to,e and tumble down hedStead,
comprised the stock Of Mr.. J0nes's furniture.
ON the mantei- piece were ranged several
dirty medicine bottle a wiue-glas-. without
a stem ana TWO 'r3ken emma ,r oIliaiileli'>-
lhree OF l'ur cracked P'''' "' 'ius'e p''
terms some cup ana 7'u,'' ana wv" Sin
-ance pans -tool "n j -i'". "n ,iiT ulu'e
WAS sar-aTarila bottle, with little gin.
Ia l"'t @he Wa DO 'n' t'A'iH "=' 'i '''
l'N'2t''n.
Wa about o. open inr al-ine~- had IN
hand, wheua rttins cough from under
he1pof filthy bed covering startled me.
--S lme one i.l '' asked
NV man, replied the woman, again
taking q -napp-h turn and without lower
mg her olce and with the utmost indiher
eucr. She added "he' drunk hi>self To
death An now he got the lung-di~ease,
am the doctor say. be- woa't live above
week or ten days
/ WAS h.rrifed at tine woman coarse hru-
tality. but what could say or do rushed
Al once int, the hu~ine~. which had lei ~
To seek her out
Don't you sometimes s4 ont singing in
the streets 2'' ! inquired.
We'll. If DO that amt uo business of
yourn. replied the woman insoleutly.
lassurei her thar ] had not asked the
question from motives of impertiueut curio>i-
". and hintcd that might be able TO put a
dollar or two IN her pocket If She would be-
civil and listen % what ! had To say. The
woman, eve, ~plrkled. a~ nearly as the
liquor she had already taken would permit
at what. 20 her, was nothing more OF less
than prospect o. more gin, and She at once
requested me- TO speak up
Thus encouraged said
You have two children. helr'''
Yes. ral>. ." she reulied
] asked her If She took them with her
when She went out singing
Why, whatd We take me for The gals
i- what does d. eouldn do notmn with
out the gals. she replied
then informed her that desired the com
lany Of the girls that evening, and that, II
she chose 10 look at the matter IN the light
OF bargain, | was perfectly willing 10 pay
Tor the hire OF them
ln an instant | SAW fearful storm was
brewing.
Cd d-n yer no ' cried the woman,
Ter want 10 get 'ein away, DO YER Send
EN- to some refuge OF lormatory No, Yer
don {. Them beggarly missionaries has
rried that game aforo yer.
had some trouble in appeasing her. for
ia her anger her tongue rattei ON at such a
pace that ! could not even get in word
edgewayS. She was evidently a- famous
for Scolding tongue as Baptista daughter
Katharine, in the Tanning of the Shrew -
and ! wisely held my tongue, and let her
have her say out. hoping t. bring her to
terms by far nose gentle means than those
adopted by Petruchio. / simply waited till
her whiSkey-sodden throat gave out and then
played her with her own great toible.
was right
At last her breath ,y,s oan. and ssilipg
ny opportunity. | said
Listen to me a inmate let me explain
why and for what purp,-e / want them
/ then quietly unfolled 10 her nv whole
plan, and producing dollar bin for her to
gaze upon. said thar would nav fifty cent,
apieee.for the hire Of the rirl, from : O'Clock
to II O'Clock the same night. The siqht Of
the money acted Ike charm but she said
it wasn't enough. and that / must denosit
five dollars with her as security for the due
return of the children | increased nv bid
to a dollar and half, but absolutely refused
to make the deposit. ! knew | .hould never
see it again.