The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-09-02
A Romance Of Avenue A.

The scene of my story is laid in the
American metropolis, and most of the
action takes place in a tenement house
situated on that great street of tenement
houses, Avenue A. All the characters
and the historian lived together; occu-
pying between them one fiat of a tene-
ment house nine stories high. Our flat
was the seventh from the ground, and
being tue only dodgers on that floor we
speedily became well acquainted. Bein z
bachelor | occupied the front room,
which was study, recention-roOm,
kitchen. dining room and sleeping apart
ment My next door neighbors were
an elderly Irish woman with her two
sons, Patsy and Teddy Horley. TheS
occupied three rooms. the two back
rooms had as an occupant one of the
Dveliest little maidens it was ever my
good fortune to meet, think she came
originally from Massachusetts. She
worked at shirt making in a large Cana
street establishment and her name was
written on the pay roll as Alice LaYne.
The Horleys and Miss Layne had been
neighbors some time when 1 became an
inmate OF the house, and were already
quite intimate.
Patsy Horley was the Oldest of the
brothers, large formed, red-headed and
with irregular homely features. He was
heavily freckled, and | never saw him
during six months acquaintance time
that he didn't have a three days. growth
of red stubble on his face. He had large,
gray eyes, and these were the most strik
ing of his facial organs. They had but
one expressiOn-unswerv honesty in
their every flash. Patsy was a member
of the corner gang" and frequently
hnn1n q lin
which grieved his old mother sorely
She was blunt, plain-spoken woman,
sixty odd years old, fat and much given
to "a weakness in all parts of her
body, which prevented the possibility
of labor. So she was content to sit by
the window all day long knitting at a
never finished blue woolen stocking.
Her "byes" were very good to her.
Teddy gave her all his earnings. Patsy
most all. Teddy was the reverse of his
brother. He was six feet in his socks,
finely proportioned, handsome. His
eyes were black, his hair and mustache
dark brown, but curly. He was consider
able Of II dandy and " dressed up" every
night after work. There was deep
affection existing between these BROTH
er5. They loved each other, and this
devotion was apparent in every act of
taeir lives.
Miss Alice Layne was, rs have be-
pretty, and with tender heart, sus-
ceptibe to the slightest variation of
life's compass. Less than a week after
taking up my quarters IN the front
room made IA discovery. Alice Layne
was in love with Patsy Horley and
Teddy Horley was in love with Alice
Layne. 1t was an interesting study to
watch the various phases OF this cross
passion, and | never tired of it. 1t was
very evident TO me that Patsy Horley
admired the little shirtmaker, but H.
kept tie secret safely locked in his great
big heart, and only took il out at odd
moments when he thought no one would
notice the treasure to gloat over it and
worship it as his mother did the figure
of the Virgin at the head of her bed.
/ don't suppose the honest fellow ever
dreamed that his love was returned.
How could he when he so blindly Wor-
SHIPPED the superior physical gifts oi
his younger brother. For Patsy was
very proud of handsome Teddy, and
never tired OF praising him. Alice,
with Woman's intuition, saw the mob lie
in Patsy's character, and although
Teddy's good looks and fine dress and
uOWeTS utu6 an impression upon
her it was only transitory one, which
vanished as soon as she caught sight OF
Patsy's big, homely face and honest
gray eyes. Like all good looking men
Teddy Horley was just the least bit con.
caited, and he imagined that it was only
necessary to declare his passion to fine
himself in undisturbed possession o.
Alice's heart.
One warm afternoon | was lying on /;
lounge in my room, endeavoring to in
lerest myself in "The Light of Asia
Mrs. Horley was downstairs visiting ;
neighbor, and was nodding over th
poem, when Alice Layne tripped up tn
stairs and entered her apartments.
heard her singing softly to herself as sh
made preparations for supper, and, mis-
anthrope that l am, envied her tina
bird-like lightness of heart which trille'
through every measure of the song.
was brooding over the melancholy past
when heavy footstep sounded on tn
The stairs and Patsey Horley, in hi
rough working clothes, and q littl
under the influence OF LIQUOR, opene
the door OF the room adjoining min
and threw himself heavily on the bec
He got up directly, opened little wir
dow ovel the door which Sc parated tb
two rooms, took a drink of water an
lay down again. 1t may be we