The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-12-19
'Seventy-five cents or l don't want


answer.
please, sir, will take this out,
said the woman from Fourteenth
street, laying down her bright silver
| dollar and ticket.
oh, you are here again after that
picture, are you? Let me see. you
had twenty-five cents on it-four
months interest and storage, sixty
cents, says the man, giving back
the change and a little miniature oi
a child and its father. That's the
fourth time that woman has had that
thing in, continued the pawnbroker
to one of the others. Il suppose you
would rather get that out than eat,
eh 2
| oh, sir, | prize it very highly. 1t
is all | have left of my happy days.
4 No doubt, no doubt you have
been a grand lady in your time, L
dare, say, ha, ha !! Il grand lady ? and
those who had not yet been waited
on, Joined in the sneering laugh.
The woman's thin fingers closed over
1 the little picture and her furrowed
cheeks were moistened with bitter
memories, though the tear faucets
were almost dry.
Out of the door still creaking,
through the crowded streets to the
spot where we first saw her, went the
unfortunate, wrapping her scanty
drapery more closely about her and
shivering with the cold.
A concert garden =
/ Very little concert, a great deal of
light and noise and strong drink.
Jaunty little clerks, with tight
trousers and pointed shoes, smoking
cigarettes, drinking beer and leering
at lot of women who sat around.
/ Tobacco smoke everywhere, and the
sound of the concert almost unheed-
ed amid the clink of glasses and the
echo OF ribald laughter. Surely a
pleasant place for young men to
spend the evening before going
i home to their mothers and sisters.
I At table sat young woman ev-
identity not altogether of the same
class as her neighbors. She wore
warm and rich clothing, and in her
ears sparkled the price of beauty.
I For she was beautiful in form and
4 face, Notwithstanding the telltale
! lines on her forehead and the heavy
sensual contour of her mouth. The
| happiness of all others seemed to be
with her too, for she laughed aid
talked gayly with ner companions
Nine o'clock, let US CO. said the
man with & yawn. Il do not like it
anyhow it is too noisy Slowly
the girl drew on her gloves and
wrapped herself about with furs.
Slowly they approached the en-
trance. The doors opened, and with
food of light and warmth accom-
panying them they passed into the
street. The shop girls hurrying
home looked at the silks and jewels
and sighed, the policeman looked
and shrugged his great shoulders. A
brave sight was this handsome, gal
liant pair.
The woman with the miniature
approached and scanned the girls
face, as she had done to hundreds
for hours. Her knees bent under
her, her eyes started and her hand
went out to clutch the heavy cloak.
The girl shrank back with appre-
hension. and her escort tossed a ten
cent piece toward the woman. 1t
rolled into the gutter UNDECIDED.
Julie Julie at last | have found
you ? said the weak voice; at last,
at last = but the couple moved on.
The woman pursued, and this time
succeeded in catching the cloak The
girl gave a little scream and the man
turned fiercely:
What more do you went, woman?
| have already given you some mon
ey.'
What do / want? Merciful God
can my child stand by and hear that
question? Oh, Julie, Julie it is so
long since | have seen you, but |
am happy now, my darling, am
not cold now
is the woman a crank p asked
the man, turning to his panion,
but the girl said nothing. Her eyes
were half closed, her hands clenched,
her face pale. Impatiently the man
stood looking from one to the other
Suddenly the girl leans over and I
fiercely whispers:
Mother, | was told you were
dead. You will ruin me if you per-
sist now. Meet me here tomorrow
night, at nine o'clock, and / will
make everything straight Then,
turning to her companion, she seems
a harmless old thing. Let us go.'
The two passed on. Crouching on
the sidewalk the woman remained.
A policeman saw her. Come, old
woman, get out Of this, he cries
Why, halo you have dropped
your money! Come, get along, or l
will have to run you in, and | don't
want to goto court to morrow morn
ing with any body
The woman rose and tottered fee
bly, away.
A garret in Minetta lanel
No fire, no stove to make it in,
and nothing to burn if there was.
A lodging house of the cheap fur
nished room sort, with very small,
very fussy and very shrewd mis-
tress, to whom every woman who
paid her board was lady, and ev-
cry one who did not was a hussy.
Want OF the most pinching charac-
ter was everywhere disceinible, the
very walls had an odor of poverty.
the woman with the minia-
.ure dragged herself up the stairs to
the room that had been hers. The
door was locked. The landlady
stood in the hall,
We'll, have you your rent?'
Alas No; but ! will have plenty
night
Tomorrow night you will have
plenty, will you? You dirty hussy.
do YOU suppose l keep this house
for fun? Get out, and don't show up
here again