The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-04-05
FLAGS.
yf.

 London, periieus where all that is vile and degraded among humanity finds A harborage. Much of the anchorage is not safe for prolonged season, except to those wno pursue dei.nite l4llIngs.
 In Linnet Lane the ude ebbed and flowed frequently. s;randing strange and nameless humani;ies more cf,en than in alleys degree more reputable. Mum befless lI;tie lanes and dark, narrow pas sases ready to hide for nigh, an offend CTS head, branch GU: of IL. Within sight there are rotten ,encmeHis adjoining wHarYcs, where boats are ai&ays handy. ard here and there ! cab.n built out of an old barge, with mysterious exits be- hind and before. The eenire of ? large acreage q vilaiay vas i.'nnet E.au-.
 The mos; popular house of enier,ai:.- meui in ;his region reioiS ed m the iItic of the Lamb of Goshen. l. was not d public house, and how or why the title had originated was los, n the obscur,ty of bysone times. There va. not even an illicit dealing IT beer carried on within Mrs. Doo's premises. This lady, the purveyor of other coarse refreshments, had wholesome dread ot the police Nevertheless, thls lodging house bore distinguished title, which established it's precedence over other equally vile habi- tations. Here dwelt lags. The girls age was problema;ic. To onlookers it was not quite apparent whether she was child or woman, for iass had, so to speak. no legs whereby her stature might declare itselt. She Was paialyxed from her waist downwards. and sat upon the hard framework oi horse-ha;. sofa from morning Ill night. She had childish hands, thin and dclle .te. winch laborcd incesSaniiy. Fiags mad moTeosct. iong ;awny locks. uakes.i3:. bri beautiful n tangled aal!ness. as ;aey hung about her n2!fow shoulders ,.nd contracted chest. ticr skln WAS dua and eo.otiess. .s that of one who iivcs in pefpetuli shade Her golaen-bfown eye. ser in deep sock cts. icdeerned the hfeless color of her face. The gtTls clothes were no; of mush ! account, they were rags holding together and just sutiicins tor eecency Iui il did not signify greatly what manner of gar Hiefts she wuTv, ivf she was ;ss;ii.iv en- numbered and CT rtled with an array of ta,icred and stained Union acks or other standards. l. was her profession to mend and patch these things. of two-pence or 'hree-penoe Flags would no, only sup pil the rieces of bngh,-hued material re- 4ured, slt would apply her needle for hours 10 mend some rent or patch some hole made by the fierce winds caresses.
 One bleak December evening there came to the lodging-house young and handsome girl that Is to say, she migh, have been handsome had she been less emaeiaied and sullen-looking.
 Will you take me in :" she said deil- antly to Mrs. Doc, who stood with her arms akimbo on her broad hips, survey ing the applicant, who shiveted in the doorway.
 That she was stranger was evident. There was scant ceremony in seeking adlnl,tance. m genera. way. at the Lamb of Goshen
 :. don't shut the door On 10 one when l sees the color Of money. you xishee 10 be took into the general wimmens apartment ii are tuppence for shake down. Yer don, look like paying tizzy for double-bedded room, with chance of another gal comm along ci you"
 Silently ,he applicant put her hand tn her poeke: and produced some eoppers -eigh, or ten. l, might be.
 Tuppence will do." she sad laconic- ally. May sit alongside ,he hre awhile before going ups,aiss!'
 She had weary aespairing look. Ey- iden,ly she would not be surprised al d curt refusal. But Mrs. Doc had feas,ed sump,uously on cold pork, and was in a placahle mood. The girl, having paid her twopenee was suffered 10 take posses sion of a stool not far from Flags. IL seemed that this young person took no notice of such colloquies. Her nimble fingers wen, on ai their task by the light oi an ill-smelling lamp. The nimbus of dull auburn hair around the sharp. thin face for a moment attracted the lodser s attention. The golden-brown eyes were hidden, and after little space the new oomer's interest relaxed. She sat gazing into the lire.
 When Mrs. Doc had retired to her po- tato-peeling in back region, Flags looked up. 4 long puzzled look. In a sepulchral voice, which was mean, for a whisper, she said at last:
 " You aint riverside gal!" Her eyes fell on decent clothes and collar, quite an unnecessary adjunct Tn these attitudes.
 No said the other briefly, stretch ing out hands, which were not rough. to the blaze.
 What brought you here?" continued Flags, consistently staring at her.
 Might be fancy answered the s,ran- ger, with touch of sullenness m her voice.
 "What's yer name:"
 Bell
 Bell what! 2" Flags bi, of an end of thread with vicious snap of her teeth.
 It don't signify to you. Maybe you d like a reference as we'll"
 Flags laughed with evident enjoyment.
 Curiosity, aint it. 1 likes sperri,. Keep it up, Bell.'
 After a pause Flags began again:
 Ain't yes hungyf'
 The handsome girl nodded, with a faintly flickering smile, as if deriding the weakness.
 "Yer can have supper here for three pence. It aint much as to quality but it