The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-15

"Of course it's So" replied Mackey, land
together. YOU must promise me one thing"
sure ia promise you anything you'd ASK
replied Luke,
turned Mackev, quite solemny. " and you can
do IL, because you never had any desire Tor rum
yeeL. want you to promise me never IN YOUR
else that makes the drunk come: never have
tasted anything of that sort, and never viii II
] can't tell you how much hate that stun: ~
had tho power would gather all the alcohol IN
tne w9tla In one great 6ig MIL -p9nd ana tnen
into the devils cauldron where II belongs. On,
how hate 1t, Luke Hate It worse than any
the worst enemy my mother and myself ever
badl shouldn't have been boot0lack TO day.
worn away to nothing by hird worK. My dear
old father Is good-hearted, generous man
there isn't better on the face OF tho earth. Pr
he drinks rum. and rum has been his curse. Ito
Is so weak that he can't let II alone, and so lie
Is Kept all the time poor. I've got the desire TO
from my father; but II a glass OF rank poison and
glass OF rum were put before me and | had to
drink one Of them, I'd Drink the poison aud
well, I'm with We. Mackcyi" said Luke. fairly
carried away with the boys earnestness. sure,
dLi always reminder that you said and III Diver
unrlnk drop rs long as i've"
As the boys walked along. suddenly short,
sharp cry behnd them startled them, and they
turned Just in time to see a little girl some tel
wears OF age fdJl to the ground, smashing bot.
tie filled with whlskey, which she held 10 her
hand IN her descent.
Luke Mackey rushed instantly to pick her up.
She had cut her liz badly, and as the blood
flowed freely from the wound and trickled down
her chin. she cried bitterly.
"Whew how that stun smelis!" exclaimed
Luke Mackey. as he picked the Rirl up, and
made gesture OF disgust at the broken bottle;
"Oh. no." sopoed the little Girl, ITS whjskeyi
and ~ all spilled Oh, what shall ! dol what
shall dol" and she sobbed plteously.
You poor little thing" said Mickey, sympa-
theucilly' are YOU much hurtt" And as he
"Oh, no I" she replied. between her sobs. 81
aln,t egr' bit Gont mni ,hc cl,l !, AMI
mol On. she docs beat me - nard when don't
please herl never spilled any whiskey before,
anh she VIII XIII mel know sue WHY!
mo, she won't do ANYTHING Of the kind" re.
sponded Mackey. soOthngy, bee mse III get
know anything about 1t. How much did 1t
""oh, don't know how much the bottle cost"
scbbed the girl, but | pad rve cents for the
whiskeyr
Five cen,si" exclaimed Mackey. "D'ye
hear that Luke2 Five snts a pint-.forty cents
u gallon-and they make money on 1t at that!
Never mind, Sissy-they'll give he n bottle for
nothing they'll throw that ini Come alonel"
"Oh. how good you are!" exclaimed the girl
gratefully, "a she followed Luke Mackey toward
the bucket shop.
Sne was a pretty looking little creature. in
spite or the uttered garments and poor little
bare feet, and drt-sOiled face. aud tangled hair.
Her ewes were large and sky blue. her hair
golden In color, her nose straight. her mouth
small aud her chin dimpled. TO a close OBJ
server-aud Luke Mackey was a close observer
II was evident enough that a little SOAP and
water, comb ANA hrHsh, some clean clothes,
and week Of KIND treatment AMI generous
feeding would work wonders in her ap pearance
How good you are J. repeated the girl again,
rs they entered the bucket shop from when the
man, whose history Mackey had told, had Just
NO, ain't." rejoined Mackey. 81 ain't good
at all. wish ! was. ia Ike TO know now you
whiskey. Aud yet s'pose MS the best thing
could do under the circumstances. If | should
let you 90 home without the old woman
would beat you to death. and n send 1t home
to her 1t can't hurt her mucn. for such old
snooz4rs a. your mother must be are sure to die
OF the jim ,ms sooner or later"
The erfls cheeks flushed slightly as she said:
leve she l. my mother"
revel al IN so med to strike the hoy.
Yol don. believe she Is your mother7" he
- bee iuse she don't act like the other m other.
up at the chapel. replied the girl. Some ~
them nave little girls Just Ike am. and they
dress them nicely they've all got shoes aud
them. and speak kindly to them. and love them
20 there every time had a CHI .nce till my
mother founi II out. and then she went there
and swore at them. and said she would XIII me
n she ever caught me there again. Aud then
she took me home, and beat me with a rome till
W q black aud blue all over, and was sick for
ever 50 long aftorward Add that's the reason |
don't believe she Il my mother"
-" Aud a pretty good reason. too" returned
Mackev. But then there are bad mothers
sometimes. and T. or treating you bad Is no proof
that sizes not your ~ bther. You ought to know
whether YOU are her child or not. she's the only
mother You ever knew. tin't she? How long
have YOU lived In III It alley Z"
"On. don't know" replied the child. with a
sigh lever so long"
"Did you ever live anywhere else but there ?"
asked Mackey.
ION, yes" returned the Girl, lever so long
ago-about hundred years ago-l used TO live
away over the river. | came here IN u uig ship,
and | vs. 50 sick !-oh. 80 sick It's SO long
ago that | can't remember now bat IL seems
that had SOMEBODY to love me before welt
on the ship. Sometimes In my dreams see "A
KIND lady and gentleman that used to know
who were very kind to me. aud who used to hold
me In their arms ana kiss me. / should know
them II lshould ever meet them again-l'm GER
meet ,he1. sSsI alwa,s have sn >" te eve, s
about and sell matches. and get beaten, aud be
Obliged to buy whtskey for mother-for l s'pose
she must be INV mother after all"
~ don't believe she is your mother" respond
cd Luke, IN Il positive tone.
ION. don't your! exclaimed the girl. delight
eddy "l'm 80 glad to hear you say til al 1 don't
want her to be my motner!"
Aud sue shsnt' replied Mackey, In a tone
10 aud get your bottle nled." lie lett mr. where
che stood, and, returning shortly afterward. he
continued Ihere-oh, forgot. little one
Lucy Cruncher." was the reply.
CruncherW excl lined Mackey, In a tone Of
disgust; that's nigh old name, that ISL Well,
Lucy, there's a bottle OF tansle-foot whiskey
that ought to Kill sure at forty Yards | don't
wish that old snooZsr You call mother any harm
bur shouldn't go into mourning II heard TO
morrow morning I'll Il she h ID turned Ter toes
up for good through the night. Now, YOU take
this poison nome to her, and after she has guz-
zlel II II, and is stupid from The effects OF H.
YOU meet me here, Will your But. hold son |
May De I'm a-getling on "A little too fast. M 10
you don't like me2 May be you wouldn't caIe to
meet NOR
shed be a dhroll creather II shs wudu't Ike
yer chimod In Luke O'Neili "Id like to see
the wan that wudnt Ike yuul"
"Oh, like you ever 80 muChl" exclaimed the
girl, IN her simplicity. " wouldn't be- afraid TO
20 anywhere with YOU! Wish ! could always
be with youl'
GOOD enough" reIolned Mackey; "mavbe
YOU viii he with me always one OF these AVS
VINO knowsf Stranger thugs have happened
But there's one thing I've forgot all this time
what about your lalherI You've got father
haven't your
ION, yes" replied the Girl, In a frightened
tone, aud under her breath. but he's awful
Hes worse than mother, even Bat no amt
home much. Hes sailor. and goes to sea.
always broad to have him come home and I'm
always so elhd when he goes away again. For
he ana mother nght 50 terribly whcn they both
get drunk, and sometimes he looks at me "A
though no wants To XIII me-. I've heard INN
tell mother That WAS the cause OF ali their
troubles, and That he ought to have thrown me
into tue ocean when ne had tho chance. lie
came nome from sea about week ago. and ne
hasn't been SOBER since. ALWAYS hide when
see HI coming. but he hasn't been at the house
now for two days past"
Maybe he's been shanghed," muttered
MackeY to himself;" hope SO, ANYHOW f"
1hcn he continued aloud Well, htfle one