The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-04-19
MUGGlNS.

There was not particle oi' romance in him,
from the top Of his trowsy, Sun-singcd head
To the bottola of his blue, mudcrustcd toes
He had Il broad, flat face with great patches
of dirt like Chessmcn here and there, and
brown, ugly ircckcls for opponents-IIis
mouth was big and disagrccable with hun
cry painful expressions; and his eyes which
originally might have been good ones, had SO
long been forced to look at things through
tangled lock Of hair and "A hole in his cap
visor, that they had undoubtedly IA cast in
them. A. for his clothcs-poor iellow-thcy
were but IL poor apology for clothes. Ger
tainly he must have been obliged to put them
on piece by piece, an arm here, n leg there
and strip anywhere it would fit they were
SO ragged and if he enjoyed the luxury of Il
washcr-woman, must have sent his coats away
by the dozen, like u certain destitute gentle
man of whom | have read. But in spite of
this he was human being. He had no
charming foreign history was not Il poor, be
nightcd heather, worshipping idols beneath
Il tropical sun, but a poor heather, sweeping
crossings in the cold, muddy streets of New
York, and therefore had no claims upon So
cictics or philanhropists.
He was very near starvation, and only "a
few doors from freezing, but nobody knew
it, and right there, in the open day, with the
busy stream Of life pouring up and down the
street, he sat on the step and unused. He had
not penny, and he might sweep all day and
not get one for it was bitter cold, and nobody
would take the trouble to remove Il mitten
and dive into their pockets for his sake Oh
no,
"Oh Katie, | wish we were on the other
sidc-scc that lovely braid! | must have it;
but how am 10 get over this wet place--lyc
no rubbcrsy"
My hero looked up. The speaker was Il
young girl with sweet womanly face, and
her eyes were looking impioringly at the |
store opposite.
as ii over there you'd be going?" he ask.
ed with twist OF his protruding whisp of
hair
The young lady smiled.
YES; | want 10 cross the street very much |
| could if it were swept here for rod or So
II is dry all the rest of The way"
Now, of course, he had never heard of
Kalcigh's gnllantry to his royal bride, Queen
Elizabeth, but, with astonishing alaCrity, he
tore oil the nam part of his ragged coat and
! spread over the crossing.
There, now, iist you step ON thi, and give
Ia little hop, and there you are AS dry ms II
match on tothcr side"
The sweet faced girl stopped for amomcpt |
and then walked across the wet place and
called the boy.
! Wv hat Is your name boy
Don't know no name only Muggin,: lack |
! MugginN, ! s'po-c, though, now | come To !
think of it,"
well, jack do you know tina, Won have
! thrown away your Coaty"
| Don't l. Well you bet, but it's no 'count
| I'll be- fore morning, where they don't need
coats; ] amt had no vittlcs for some two
days, and ! guess Teller can't stand that
but can get through without Il coat. 'spcci
ally rag like that"
"Do you ever steal food, Jack Couldn't
YOU"
Couldn't |. DO you see them stands and
winders: DO you think couldn't find grub
enough: | had "A mother once, had and she
told me better, and I'll be mighty site harder
up thanl am now, fore I'll take that rs other
folks gets had II quarter hooked from me
once, ana kinder know how it seems To 9th.
cr folks"
The two girls were in tears He did not
see it; but he did see the four bills the sweet
! face held out
Jack, doyou see these: I'm going To give
them to you, and want you to use them we'll
there, take them"
do you mean that I'm To keep twenty dol
lars TO myself"
But they are gone and Muggins with the
independence of millionaire, stood there in
mouth open wonder
Henry. | don't know who can 80 well know
our needs ~ Ia send Ms money. This Is the
| third time il has come since your Hines. II,
cannO; be that Mr.. Jacobs has rcpcntcd of his
stern refusal Ia advance our salary. or that
any OF papa's debtors have been touched by
the sharp sting of conscience. This makes
one hundred dollars that we have received"
The young wife with fearful eyes. turned
the bills over in her hands. and Then. muir
muung blessing on the donor, went on
with her work
1t was pretty little room, hut there were
clear evidences of poverty visible everywhere.