The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-10-09
SeIertea Sturp.
KITTY M'COSH.

KITTY MCUSH.
Across the end Of Guptil's Alley
were three houses whose doors open
ed directly from the brick sidewalk,
land were protected from the inva-
sion of horses by a rude railing, a
few feet from the front windows.
This railing had its disadvantages.
THE boys turned somersaults over
lit, and idle young men perched
There to chst and smoke, when do
ling nothing worse. And such yis-
litors did not add to the cleanliness
of the premises. Tobacco juice,
peanut shells, pop corn papers, and
the like were scattered there daily,
and left to accumulate before most
of the doors. Every evening one
walk was swept and garnished by
the plump little hand of Kitty Nc
Gosh, who said every time she as
sailed it with broom and water, "If
1 must be poor, l will be clean"
1t had never entered Kitty's head
that she was an unfortunate child,
when at the age of thirteen she be-
gan to earn her own clothes, by sew
ling porcelain buttons on to cards, as
Isold in the stores. She formed a
score of bright plans on spending
her first 'lovely dollar BILL" but she
eheerfully. yielded them up when
Mrs. Hunter, with whom she lived,
reminded her that she would soon
need a warm cloak and stout shoes.
Kitty had begun to attend Mother
Vests meetings, and one night,
l"Black Tommy" in trying to de-
scribe the charms of heaven, had
made this remark: "Anybody dat
goes up from Guptips Alley to de
Fader's house on high won't know
diersePs, it'll be so clean up dar!
No mud, no rubbish, no litter, no
bad smells; it will allus be clean and
Idusted; and de shinin' gates and de
golden streets will be KEEP polished
all de time! And only dem dat love
holy and clean t'ings will be let in!
So if you wants to be happy where
you got to keep fixed up, you best
begin right smart here before, to be
tidy-like, same's you see here, and
in Missey Hunters room; my place
is too poor to talk bout, but keeps
it right smart to de eye of de Massa
who visits me all times"
pm going to clean up this alley
and keep it clean!" cried Kitty, as
she and Mrs. Hunter walked up to
their own door.
"Its no use child; for the boys
would throw old vegetables and
sticks about on purpose to tease
YOU" replied the good woman.
swell, | mean to try, at any rate, t"
said Kitty, "for if God and the good
folks in heaven look down in here it
must seem awful to them" "
The next evening, just after sun
set, she rolled up her pink pocket
apron" heavy with buttons, and set
off for a walk. 1t was well that she
did not tell Mrs. Hunter her plans,
or they would never have been car
ried out.
Kitty, dressed in her best, with
her cheeks like roses, ran up the
high steps of the house where the
landlord lived, rang the bell, and
asked to see him. Concluding she
was some lady's errand girl, the la
Idly showed her into the library where
the gentleman was sitting, reading
his evening paper.
"Well, child?" he said, when he
saw her before him.
"I'm Kitty McCosh, SIR" said
the little girl, with a courtesy.
'I'm glad to hear it. replied the
rich man smiling at her innocence.
'Now tell me who Kitty McCosh
is and what she wants here"
'pm Willie McCosh's child, that
lives with Mrs. Hunter, Is Guptil's
Alley. You own the houses there,
sir"
"Oh, do 1? Well Pm glad to hear
that, too, for sometimes I've doubted
| it, 1 get so little rent there. Well
Kitty, what is it?'
"INant to be clean, sir" she ex-
claimed.
"You are, my child, as clean as a
lIillym
%Well, sir, but I want everybody
else to be clean, tooI'
"Then,you're in bad place, Kitty,
for there are very few in Guptips Al
ley who care to be neat. Pm asham-
ed to own the place." said the land
lord.
'But you've surely seen one neat
place, sir, at the end of the Aley?
said Kitty.
eyes; and I've thought of giving
a premium to the tenant that sets
such a good example there
That's me, please, sir?' cried
Kitty with glowing cheeks. 81 get
up every morning early, and sweep
and wash our bit o'walk; and afore
night l sweep it again. And l watch
and scold the boys; and one way
and another 1 keep it clean"
"And what do you want of me,
ehild?"
81 want you to help me keep the
Alley clean, sir"
"Me2 what can 1 do, child?"
"You can bid them all be nest,and
tell them they shan't stay there if
they're not"
"PVe told them a hundred times,
and they only grow worse"
"Not all o'them, sir. Think o'lone-
| ly Mother West,and Nanny Hunter
and Black Tom-no, Beautiful Tom
my they call him now. They gave
me new broom and pail to wash
my walk, and told me God would
love me if / tried to make the place
tidy. And he'll love you if you help
lmep