National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-17
"LOONEY SAL.
ny SARAH HUTZTEN.

None of the inhabitants of the little town
could tell why she was called "Looney SAL"
1t could not have been because Of any mental
defect for none such was apparent in her.
She was born in one of the low board huts
Of Shippenville which stood on the swampy
outskirts Of Hoboken, and oxcelled the other
rattletraps in evidences of senile decay.
These were inhabited by the lowest Of low
wretches, all vagabonds by trade or profess
sion, as you will. No one asked who her pa
rents were, and had such an inquiry been
made no one could have answered it.
"Granny Smiths Den" could hardly be
called Sails home-it was more of place
where she was allowed to exist in compon-
sation for the fruits Of her skill at petty
larceny, the inevitable whenever she visited
any OF the mercantile establishments. At
night shU edited the gatherings at Granny
Smiths by songs and dances, and the words
of tho former were usually indecent para
phrases of the popular songs of the day.
Sal had no friends or paymates. What girl
would have selected her rs companion, she
who associated only with those who shone as
disreputable among the outcasts of Shippen-
vile? Furthermore, her pugilistic prowess
was as dreaded by tho boys as was her sour
rilous language by the girls.
Sometimes. but rarely, boy who Wanted
his bravery could be induced into coming
within her reach. but then it was only through
the process known to children as daring"
These efforts at display of courage invari-
ably produced u very subdued boy.whose face
and garments could hardly BIO considered
ornamental.
The big boy" of the academy, Dick Allen,
had licked" all of his classmates but two or
three, aud Sal had conquered them. The
other boys dared" Dick to engage in COM
bnt tyith Sal hut hn cd NO aa
of manliness, declined to fight girl. On
being greeted with the unharmonious chant
of g fraid cat" he astounded his companions
by a proposition to secure the girls friend
ship within half an hour. The doubts and
deprecations which his playmates uttered
stimulated him to proceed at once to SAILS
sunny spot. of course his "chum," Will
Barry, went with him.
Fellows, you could just see that he went
cause he was dared" said Tom Sievers when
he rccOunted his observations, taken from
behind large rock. well, Barry playe
sharp; he just kept behind Dick, and Dick no
marched right up to Looney SAILS see-saw
and if he did look little white and it he did
stand oH-well, so far that she couldn't biff
him in the eye---Dick, he said, 'Helioh, SAL
And what do you think Sal did. Expected
to see Dick mauled-just chewed up. She
just went on see-sawin' and singin', just as if
there wasn't no Dick nor no VIII. Then Will
he gave Dick shove, to keep him from
weakcnin', and then Dick ne sings out again,
Hellow, SAL Then Sal, she took no notice
OF 'em again. Then viii, no said, Call her
Loonoy Sal, why don't ye and then"
Tom was not required to continue the tale
All of the scholars had seen the boys running
followed by Sal; they had observed her gleam-
ing eyes; they had seen her agile body fly
after them over stile and stone; had seen
them approach tho school, pass over the
threshold, rush upstairs into the class room,
and there, before the very eyes of the teacher,
she threw her offenders to the floor and with
each blow of her little clenched fists she
Kissed, "Who yer call looney? Who's looney,
ehY'
As she struck them the other scholars
jumped upon their seats to get better view
of the one-sided encounter perhaps. They
did not hear what the teacher said as he
stopped over the strugglers and tore the girl
from her passive, bewildered opponents A
dead silence reigned as he held the girl and
gravcly asked, What have you done to this
girl, you boys|
And thon-so the class supposed-he GER
tainly must have whispered severe threat to
the wild girl. For what else could have so
suddenly Gained her passionate rage? Sal,
when he directed the question to the boys,
raised her face 10 his with curious mixture
of searching doubt aud establishment, and
when he said. Come with me, girl" she fol-
est possible manner.
When hall an hour had elapsed he returned
to the class room and resumed his lessons,
but his manner, ever kind as it was, seemed
to have added to it an inComprehensible
gravity, which appeared even sadness.
sal did not go back TO her hut, but walked
TO the back of the school and sat down on a
block OF stone. The day passed, yet she
barely moved. None of the children stopped
to see what had become of her; she heard
them leave the school, but did not stir. Even
ing came--a chilly, raw evening. Sal drew
her knees close to her body, wound her bare,
dirty, bruised arms about them and crouched
there, q frowsy uncanuy creature.
Teacher says forgive them fellows and
don't steal. He don't cuss me nor he don t
call me Luny sal nuther. He SEE Sarey-
Sairey-ha, ha, ha Ne Sairey. Ha, ha,
ha-"
Her laughter was interrupted by the coarse
croak OF Granny Smiths voice, which asked :
"Air ye crazy, Sal?
Granny Smith WAS an industrious person.
While her sOul.and- body .dcs trOying work at
night would have more than justified her
sleeping all day, she stole hours from her
rest during which she stole all else that came
within her reach, as she feigned to travel
about in tho guisc Of Iagpcker and begpar.
Her way homo this day was behind the
school house-a belatod "kept-in" child
HllBHb bt lntlbi ~ NOAlh bO hHbNhNu uONu
and robbed OF n slate, If nothing else.
"What air so d0in' here"
"Nawthin," said Sal Her defiant tone
awakened tho hays ire. Her honey hands
graspcd and struck tho girl, while her hOarse
gutteral voice accompanied each blow with
brief remarks Of which only tho following
will bear transcription; "Waglbone! Too
lazy to dance. is yer? III learn ye - yer !"
Sho helped Sal on to the shanty; kicks and
blows and curses were the means employed.
Bur they were of no avail; though the bOis-
ferrous, drunken audience called for Sal she
refused TO dance; and instead of her songs
they heard heavy blows which fell upon a
human body, but not plant was uttered.
The assembIage were too low TO even attempt
q defense Of the child
Several days thereafter SAILS see-saw stood
idle, and tho stOreKoepers of Hoboken did
not have to bewail the loss of any of their
merchandise. Sal was not seen anywhere,
and no one inquired about her.
The children US they won't to school gave q
glance at the see-saw. Sal WAS not on it; nor the
next day either. IL would be fun, aye, quite
brave, TO destroy the waits only pleasure.
The boys who wrecked the see-saw did not
feel quite manly when they did it, but
they had heard their parents say that it
were well to eradicate the miscreants of
Shippenville TO destroy every vestige of tho
SO Element, And then the boys who made
irewood of Sails see-saw, all of them boro
marks Of blows inflicted by her. Revenge is
sweet.
The scholars were assembled in the large
class room and sang their reverential mora
ing hymn. The song ceased suddenly as q
little, Drowned face appeared at one of the