Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-05-09
A WHARF RAT.

He was a leyee "Rat," and his name
was Dick. As a child he managed
somehow to escape the massacres of
want, neglect, and disease in great
cities; and we find him a small boy
twelve years old, living where he
may, eating what he can get; his
hand against everything (that will
sell at Junk store), and every ones
against him. A human rat-a thing
to hide itself in dark places, and to be
chased and worried when it ventures
into the light.
The levee which Dick infests is that
of New Orleans; down by the foot of
Jackson street, where the English
steamers lie, is his happy hunting
ground, and on the day when we
make his acquaintance, it is not very
productive. The hunting has all
been on one side, and now Dick is
discovered hiding between two bales
OF cotton is the query. He is kicked,
pushed, dragged, jostled backward
and forward by the stevedore's men,
like a ragged shuttlecock. every one
has curse and blow for the "Rat,"
with whom things are going hard,
when
"Oh, how shameful to beat that
poor boy SOP exclaimed soft voice
with a ring of genuine indignation
in it.
The speaker is lady, clad in crisp,
cool muslin-a lady, beautiful in face
and form.
@Oh," she exclaimed, show shame
full to treat that poor child sol Do,
please. Captain Gilbert, make them
let him alone"
Captain Gilbert. whose guest she is,
and who leads her up the stage,
shouts:
"Halloa! quit that! Let the boy go,
and get on with your work."
Dick-who, unable to dodge his
tormentors. has emulate6 the exam
pie Of hedgehog, and made himself
as nearly spherical as possible against
a cotton bale-does not rise. The foe
has not sufficiently retreated, but he
keeps a bright lookout from the cor
ner OF one eye, so as to be ready for
a jump.
"They have hurt him." said the
lady. He can't get up, poor little
fellowl" and before any one can inter-
fere, she trips down the stage and is
STOPPING over the Rat" who is so
taken aback by the apparitioD that
he forgets to jump, and rolls over
straight. His plight-when 1t appears
that no bones are broken-makes the
lady smile. He has been kicked into
a coal heap, and is black. He has
been cuffed against a lot OF oil cake,
and is russell brown. He Is fluffy all
over with cotton waste. His mouth
is open and his eyes are wild with as
tonishment. He had never been so
near to lady, and don't know what
will be done with him.
"Come, get up" says the captain,
"there's nothing the matter with you
"Can you rise?" asks the lady, and
she touches him with the most won
derful thing Dick ever saw-her hand
The creamy glove upon it, the SHIN
mer Of lace and glitter of gold at the
wrist, and the soft, white flesh be.
yond; never had he felt such touch
or been spoken to in such tone.
"Oh, amt / in for it now?" he
muses.. and then he looks up into the
lady's face.
There was no chance for a boil
now. The lady, the gentleman who
came with her, the captain Of the
steamer, and its chief officer formed
a semi-circle in front; behind was the
bale Of cotton against which he had
rolled himself for protection. He sits
up, drinking In that strange express
sion which at once scares, puzzles
and pleases him, till a sort of sleepy
faint feeling makes him close his
eyes.
Hes going to faint" says the lady
says the lady. "I knew he was hurt
Oh, see how he is bleeding"
He is bleeding badly. Big drops
are trickling fast down his ragged
sleeve, which will soak 10 more
These come from an ugly tear tcaused
by nail in the wharf planking) on
his arm, just above the elbow.
Don't look, Mrs. Austin" says the
captain; I'll have him attended to
Ho, quarter-masterI como and carry