The daily gazette., 1877-09-22
Success in Failure.

In one Of the small streets on the east
ern side of the city. and near the river,
used to stand not long since, one of those
wretched, unlicensed beer and liquor
stores, called itself a grocery, but really
deriving most of its custom and profits
from the sale of cheap intoxication. The
tearof the place consisting of one medium
sized room and a couple of large closets,
was occupied by a creature calling her.
self Mrs. Brown, and four small girls,
ranging in age from 7 to 13. The chill
dren slept in the closets-two in each
and the room served Mrs, Brown as
kitchen, bed room and parlor, as she was
accustomed to say with kind of faceti-
BUSINESS appreciated by herself, if by no
one else ,.,..-.,..
Mrs. Brown derived her income from
the works of those four little girls, and
.srent great part of her time in what, at
the first glance, an unsophisticated look
'er-on would have thought to be keen and
anxious efforts to amuse them. Indeed
Mrs. Brown was in the habit of referring
they were usually INDUCED in for a
couple Of hours in early morning, and
again for an hour or two before going to
bed.
One morning Mrs. Brown had more
than the usual difficulty in rousing her
"family" from their slumbers. Indeel,
it was wonder the children walked up
at all, after passing the night in their
sitting sleeping rooms, and being each
successive night on the verge of sufIoca-
ton from the lack of fresh air for their
young lungs. But they did manage to
exist, and morning after morning to un-
close tEeir heavy eyes in time to escape
the bucket of cold water which was Mrs.
Browns fin"l argument in the way OF
producing wakefulness.
"Come, you lazy bones-up, | say, up!
Here I've ben this hour an more tidyin'
up an gettin' breakfus ready. an await
in for ye. Drat ye for sleepy lot
wake up, l say-wake up-he.e's the
buckets, an amt the water cold this
mornin' just-guess it friz last night by
the looks of the ice round the edge O. the
pail. Come, say, come, or I'll souse
ye"
And suiting the action to the word
Mrs Brown approached the open closets
with bucket of water in each hand.
The argument proved as potent as oi
old, for the four sleepy children tumbled
out, dressed, as they had lain down, III
all the scanty clothes they possessed, rub
bing their sleepy eyes, and muttering
half audible excIamations Of alarm and
excuses for not having sooner risen.
Having escaped a ducliing, the chill
dren gladly dipped their hands and fac
es in the half frozen water, and then
were more fully awakened by the recep
ton of their meagre breakfast of breaC
and syrup, washed down with liquit
called shot tea" which certainly deserv
ed the adjective. for it was almost scald
ing.
Snow, thin," said Mrs. Brown, break
fast being oAer and the table cleared
away, ''are ye all ready for play? There'i
the lady waitin' for yez.',
Mrs. Brown seated herself in the far
thest corner of the room, the four chill
dren standing in row along side of her
and for few moments they contemplat
ed what was called "the lady"
"The lady" was long gown, depend,
ing from hook, but so arranged.that il
looked like woman whose back was
turned to the company. The gown was
stuffed out with rags and old clothes in a
manner so natural that it really lookeda;
though human being were inside Gift
1t had bonnet and veil on and tawdry
shawl laid across the shoulders, and fold
ed and pinned In front.
Mrs. Brown contemplated "the lady
with an expression of pleased satisfaction
on her hideous face, and pointed proudly
to her as she said to her pupils:
"There my dears. amt she beauty
to-day? She looks uncommon well this
III ornin.' Now, Sally, you can play
first"
"Sally," the oldest of the pupils, tai
and raw boned girl with red hair and
squlnt, approached "the lady" with easy
confidence, and began rapidly passing he
hands over various parts of her dress; an(
then it was shown that the lady" wore
a number and variety of pockets quite be
yond even the present style o. costume
and from every one of these pockets die
Sally withdraw the contents, handker
chiefs, scent bottles, pocketbooks, golo
| thimble, small parcels, &c., &c,
When she had distracted everything
Sally turned proudly to her instrucress
"There, nanny" she said, "everyonf
on 'em and not sound"
Not sound, bless yer !" exclaimed Mrs
Brown with enthusiasm. "Ah, Sally, III
sich gals as you that's credit to you
bringin' up. But yer allus was smar
gal. Now, honey, put 'em all back again. ;
Sally obsyed, and was equally successful
In replacing the articles she had tilchet
from "the lady"
"You'll do my gall" said Mrs. Brown
approvingly, "But never neglect you
'piay'-keeps ye well in practice, ye see.
| Then turning to the youngest girl, Mrs
Brown scolded so as to make her forblddint
couutenance even more repulsive thai
usual, and growled out /; "Now, you, Polly
try your hand, and Lord help ye If ye don
do better'n you did last time"
"Pollv," trembling frightened child
with unuaturally large, wild eyes, aud
tangled mass OF yellow hair approached
| the lady' with falte1ng steps, she shool
from head to foot, and had much difficulty
in finding any pocket atiail, although the;
were SO numerous; and when she was al
last successful, no sooner did she Try Il
| 49,, hor hand into the pocket than bel