Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-02-21
A TRUE STORY.
New York R,Inll.

filed the streets aud avenues The shop
windows were brilliant with gas aud
electricity; light aud warmth everywhere
on the inside cold aud discorafor. every
where on the outside. Express wagons
dash here and thsre with their freight
OF holiday goods the street cars oTsokle,
the elevated trains roar and everything
is astir. Private carriages are driven
carefully through the press. The oUaOh
men are warm aud in iur and the horses
are covered with comfortable blankets.
Stand Oh ths oJrner OF Sixth avenue and
Fourteenth street, where the crowd ie
deneest, and watch while. Women In
warm fur lined cioaks, women in costly
skins OF animals, women in satin women
in olotn, some shivsring with the scanti-
ness OF their clothing Men with bundles
in their arms and bundles bau giBg out oi
their pockets; msD without bGrdlrs and
with very few pockets TO put saythibs
in rushing, pushing, good dnstured
throDg going up and down and across
with unosasing elatter. II is practically
Christmas Eve and every body is happy.
Even the tramp rejoioes at the expected
liberality of the saloon keeper. Every
body is smiling.
Every bOdyi
NU uOl 6f6E 1DOuys phAhulhk baNh
near the corner aud in the shadow OF
the house is woman. Her clothes,
heaven help her, would be seanty IL
September Around her body and head
ia wrapped a plaid shawl, the like OF
which the eosehman sitting on his box
within 70 feet OF ber wound not use u
wipe the dust from his carriage; her
hands are bare and pale aud thin he
h.Nr IA ag 4 haF
despair.
Ga yes, but she's a tramp, profess
siousl beggsr hundreds aay to themselves
as they hurry by scarcely deigninR to
look al her.
But is she
For al hour she has bsen standing
where she is and not oLce has she asked
aims OF any one. Presently, pushing
through the crowd, comes tall mau with
peculiar iacs. No man IN New York is
better known. HIS pictures are 10 be
found on every side, his name is a house.
hold word where English ID spoken. His
face is strong aud hard his eye has a
cold glitter he walks slowly, seemingly
engrOssed In his own thoughts. But Tie
great arch OF mis- forehead means benevo-
lenee,i the conformation of a mans head
means anything. People stare at MIN,
policemen touch their caps to him rs he
passes. Slowly he comes along, marked
man among thousands. He pesrs the
woman. Suddenly the eye that Seems to
see nothing secs her. The grave face
looks graver. He turns out Ut the tide
and hands something to her. She is not
quick enough, and the coin rolls on the
pavement at her feet. The grave man
stoops and picks it up, despite her pro.
test, and puts it in her hand. The long,
thin fingers close over it. 1t is the
largest they have held for many day
The pale, watery eyes filed with tears.
The man with sterner face and colder
eye, passes on. The woman remsius.
She looks at the coin aud seems to hesi-
tate then starts slowly toward the west
side OF the city with the money ia hel
hand. Despite her rags there Is soms
thing graceful i'll her walk something
peculiar in the poise Of her head.
a pawnbroker's shop
The narrow door swings on its hinges
with much creaking, tor pswnbrokers
hinges are nearly always rusty. Wlthi1
long counter and at one end number
OF box stalls. Behind the counter severs
men with bushy boards aud sharp, ques
tiOning eyes Before the counter a Aotly
thrOng, for it is Christmas Eve TO th,
pawnbroker, too. The requests for ad
vances are Gremblingly made; the answers
are short, sharp and decisive. There il
no appeal from the dread judgments o
these autoctats OF the poor.
Sure, them two feather pillows il
worth more than rs cents" says g littl
woman scarcely five feet high. "I gu'
"A piece for them when my husband
was my husband
''Seventy-fve oen.s or | don't wan
them" was the olinching reply.
"This ring cost $780," says a womsi
Of better appearance than her ueis hbors
"Fitteen dollars" WAS the Isooni
answer.
"plesse, sir, l will take this out,
said the woman from Fourteenth street
laying down her bright silver dollar an
ticket.
"Oh, you are here again after tina
picture, are you Let me see, yOu had 2
cents on it-iOur months Interest an
storage, 81 cents,' Gays the mar, givlp
back the change and little miniature {
child and It's father. ''Thst's th
fourth time that woman has had tia
thing in, continued the pawnbrokei !
one OF the others. 81 suppose you woul
rather get that ont than eat, eli i''
''Uh, sir, prize it very highly. It
all have lei, Of HAPPY days
"No doubt, no doubt you hay
been grand lady in your tiue, / dare ss
-ha la "a grand laiy and lhoi
who Lad rot yet bseu waited on joined j
the snesring lauSh. The womEn's thi
fingers closed over the little picture al
her turrowed coeeks wsre mos.eued wi,
bitt-r memories, though the tear iaucs
were almost dry,
Out OF the door still eresking, tAroug
the crowded streets TO the rplt where y
first saw her, Went the auforluua at
wrapping her -ranty drEp=ry more close
about her and =Aivering with he cold.
'concert garden 7"
Very little "couceTt,' great deal
light aud nois- and strong driuk jam
little clerks, with tight trousers al
pointed Shoes, smoking cigarettes, drin
ing oser aud le-ring at a loi OF WON,
who sat around. Tobacco smoke ever
where, aud the sound of th- "oouGer'
almost uuhesl-d smid the oliuk Of glass
and the echo Of ribslb laughter Sure
pleasant plAo- Tor young man 10 spel
the evening before going hom- to The
mothers and sisters
Al table sat young woman evident
not altogether of the same olsss as b
neigh bOrs She wore warm and Ri
clothing, and in her ears sparklsd Il
price OF beauty, For she was heautif
in form and face, notwithstanding L
telltsle lines On her forehead and 4
heavy sensual contour OF Der month. T
happiness Of all others sesmsd 10 be Wi
her too, for she laughed and Ia KIDD gay
with her companions.
Nine O'Clock, let us 90 " sid tue N
with yawu. - do rot liks 1t, suyho
it ia too uoisy." Slowly the girl drew
her gloves and wrapped herself aba
with her iurs. slowly they approach
the entrance. Tbs doors op-u-d a
with Hood Of light aud warmth acc0
psnying them they passed iuto the slrs
The shop girls Lurryiug hons look III
the silks aud i7wels aud sighed, t
policeman looked aud shrugged his gr,
shoulders. a brave sight wac this Lar
some, gallant pair
The woman with the miniature
preached and scanned tue gir'z face,
she had done to hundreds for Aours 4
knees bent under her, her eyes star
and her hand went out To clutch
heavy cloak, The girl shrank back v
apprehension, and her escort tossed
lO-aeut piece toward the woman 1t rOl
into the gutter unhssded.
"Jnlie Julie al last ! bavs iou