The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-10-31

me to stay to night; indeed-I-" she
could not plead so triiing an excuse
as an expected visit from the hero her
mother had never heard of; so, empty
ing quite half of the silver coins from
her purse into her hand, went on, hur-
riedly: But l will come tomorrow,
indeed; and here, mother, you viii
need this for the doctor"
"Shure, it's the comfort yez are
when yez do come, mavourneen; but
the docthor, st. Patrick's blessin' be
wild him, he won't take red cint from
the likes Of me, a poor wildly woman
with her arrums full O throuble, but
I'll kape it for the mixthur the childer
do be takin' all around; wirra, to look
at thin, with bumps as big as petaties;
an how daft the baby will be when he
iinds you've been and left him."
"But 1 will come tomorrow, in.
deed" she insisted, as sherose from her
knees beside the unconscious child,
land see, I'll put this bright new
penny in his hand to keep him com
pany until come; and, mother"
She tried to fashion some plea for
deserting them all, but it stuck cross
wise in her throat; so, kissing her
mothers quivering lips, and allowing
the odds and ends to worship her to
their hearts content for five delightful
minutes, went home quietly ut last,
carrying a sore conscience with her to
her cuddy under the caves. Yes, it
was cruel to leave her mother in her
hour OF need; it was worse than cruel
to stay away from baby Tim; but what
if she should catch that dr. adful fever,
and it should feed upon her beauty like
worm that eats up the blush of a
rosel
No, Miss Mulaney could not afford
to bankrupt her future, even for baby
Timl
If only she could keep him out of
her mind! She hated ugly children,
and Tins small, wan face, capped with
whitish hair, was not lovable to think
of; but there it laid, between her and
the trees, between her and the shop
win dows, between her and the glass,
while she dressed for the evening
even between her lover and herself, as
they chatted in the twilight of The
dingy parlor she had chosen to make
her home.
She had never been so fond of the
child, she told herself, as she sat there
but what would he think of them
all, from Grandfather Mulaney down
he with his pride and grand man.
ners-all the weakness in the girls
heart rebelled at the confession of her
part and parcel in Slum Alley and the
old life. She could not tell him, and
she would not.
And then woman's shabby outline
darkened the d0urway-a woman with
sObs in her voice and naked brogue
on her tongue and the woman was
Mother Mulaney
"Docthor! It's me little bye that's
dyin' an me thraipsin to yer office
when the gurrel av yez sint me here.
Praise the howly Patrick, I've found
yez !"
AT the first word the girl crouched
behind the avalanche of soiled lace
that tumbled over the window, and
remained there till both voices were
lost in the sounds Of the night. Dying,
and she had let her mother go without
word The twilight blackened, and
Kitty Mulaney, crouched behind the
curtain, fought as hard battle as he
fights who wins a fortune for his
pains. Every unkind word she had
ever given the child cut and stung her
as only remorse knows how to cut and
sting, and now he might be dying even.
The fear of that carried her out of
the house, down the streets, through
courts and over crossings, till it
brought her, painting, at last to Slum
Alley and the home that, God helping
her, she never again would leave.
And when she saw it lying there, a
tiny white thing, with a bright, new
penny between the fingers that lay like
white blossoms on its heart, perhaps
Baby Mulaney, looking down upon her
from an unknown somewhere, called
upon his Master to witness that he
had not died in vain.
And the doctor2 Why, what could
he do but forgive her weakness in the
name Of-Baby Mulaney l-LsSlie'S IL
llLStTGted.