The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-03-01
THE SWEEPS STORY.

THE SWEEPS STORY.
"syi-thee-eepl syi.thse.eepi" Don't
sound much like swept No, II don't;
but then one has to have ones regular
cry, as folks may know us by. Why,
listen to any Of them in the morning
about the street, and who'd think II was
creases as this one was a-hollering, or
Yarmouth bloaters that one; or TINT
"Yow.hoo" meant new milki II amt
what we say-it's the sound OF our
voices. Don't the servant gals as hears
us Of morning know what Il meanswell
enough when tile bell rings, and them
sleepy abedi Oh, no, not at all. But
there's no mussy for 'em, md we jangles
away at the bell, and hollers n good I'm
till they lets US in; for, you see, It comes
nat'ral when you're obliged to be up
yourself and out in the cold, TO not like
other folks to be muggling II in bed.
But, then, it's ones work, you know,
and dunno whether II was that or the
suit as give me this hero hoarse voice,
which nothing clears now-most likelyit
was the suit. How times are altered.
though, since was boy That there
climbing.boy act O Parlyment made o
rcg'lar revolution in our business, and
now here we goes with this here bundle
o canes, with a round brush at the end,
like great, long, screw fshing.rod, you
know, all in iynts, and made OF the best
Malacky cane, so rs TO go into oil the
inns and outs, and bend aboutanywherc,
till it's right above the pot, and bending
and swinging down. But they're poor
things, bless you, and don't sweep o
chimbley half like a boy used. You
mover heers the rattle OF brush at the
top Of chimbly-pot now, and the boy
boy giving his "Eillo-hallo-hullo-
900 n TO show as he'd not been sham.
ming and skulking halfway up the flue.
Why, that wlls one Of the CHEEKY sounds
rs you used to hear early In the mornin',
when you was tucked up warm in bed;
for there was always somebody's chin
bley a-being swept.
Puts me in mind again Of when / was
littlc bit Of a fellow, and OF home with
mother, as I can recollect with nice,
pleasant face, and q widder's cap round
II. Hard pushed, poor thing, when she
took me to Joe Barkby, the chimney.
sweep, rs said he'd teach me the trade II
she liked. And there was j, shiyering
along side OF her one morning, when she
was obliged 10 take me to Joe; and we
got there TO find him sitting over his
brexiass, and he arst mother 10 have
some. But her heart was too full, poor
thing, aud she wouldn't, and was going
away, and Joe sent me to the door TO lot
her out; and that's one OF the things as
Rhall never forget-no, not II 1 lives to
be a hundred-my poor mothers sad,
weary face, and the longing look she
gave mo when we'd said "Good bye"
and wns going TO shut the door after
her-such a sad, looking look, as II she
could have caught me up and run OF
with mo. 1 saw II as she stood on the
step, and me with the door in my hand
that there green door, with bright
brass knocker, and brass plate with
iBarkby Chimnoy.sweep," omit. There
was tears in her eyes, too /; and / felt 80
miserable myself / didn't know what to
do as 1 stood watching her and she
came and give me one moro kiss, say.
ing, "God bless youlp and then 1 shut
the doora little more and o little more,
till llIcould SEQ the same sad look through
quite little crack aud then II was close
shut, and 1 was wiping my eyes with my
knuckles.
Ali Ihaye often thought since rs l
shut tho door o deal too soon but l
was too young to know oil as that poor
thtan, amt h0va uttffnral N.
Barkby want bad sort; but then,
whit can you expect from . sweep He
didn't behave so very bad TO. us little
dummies but there Il was-up at four,
aud trapes throughthe cold, dark streets,
hot or cold, wet or dry; and then stand
shfvering till you could wake up tho SER
vants-an hour, perhaps, sometimes.
Then in you went to the cold, miserable
house, with the carpets allup, or p'raps
You Ind TO wait no one knows how long
while the gal was yawning, nnd knick:
matchmaking with flint and steel
over o tinder-box, and then blowing tho
spark till you could get brimstone
match alight. Then there was the forks
10 Ret for us to stick the black cloth in
front Of the fireplace, and then there was
ones brush, and the black cap 70 pull
down over ones face, pass under the
cloth, and begin swarming up the
chimney all in the dark.
II was very trying TO little bit Of a
chap Of ten years old, you know, quite
fresh % the Job; md though Barkby
gayo me lots OF encouragement, without
being too chuff, IL seemed awful as soon
as / got hold Of the bars, which was
quito warm then, ndbegun feeling my
way, hot, and smothery, and sneezy IN
my cap, till / got my head such pelt
against some OF the brickwork that
began to cry; for this was the first high
chimbley as I'd been put 10. But l
chokes Il down, as stood there with my
little bare feet oil amongst the cinders,
md then begun 10 climb. /
Every now and then Barkby shoyea
his head under tho cloth, and "Go
ahead, boy" hn'd say; and l KEEP on
going ahead as fast rs 1 could, for l was
sieared on him, though he never spoke
very gruif to me; but had heard him
re and cus5 awful, and / didn't want 70
y