Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-12-17

to bed.
But, to his astonishment Mrs. Dem
mis- was all motherly affability. and
Mike Dooley himself took him between
his knees in front Of tine blazing fire,
and helped to chsfe his hands. Mike.
in general, being as brutal ruffian as
ever came in contact with the law.
Charlie could not Imagine what it ali
meant
"It's two old maids OF 'em liyin' all
alone" said Mrs. Dennis. resuming
the conversation where it had been
broken off al Charles entrances; "and
there's closet full of old plate, an
Norah says-Norah cleaned them, yez
knows-tho staircase windy, openin'
on tho back street, would let good
sized cat in betwane the bars, and
where cat can go our Charlie can.
Wouldn't yez like that, Charlie dear,
to help crack crib?"
Charlie stared vacantly into the fire,
and munched his crust of stale bread,
and "didn't care.
"All yell have to do will be to creep
in atween daylight an dusk, honey,
and hide away like mouse. Norah
says there's an iliigant place under the
turn O. the back stairs, just where you
get in Il most, and you can lie there as
still rs Il kitten until they're gone to
bed, and then, sure, I'll be aisy to
steal out and unbolt the basement
door, and Mike and neil be waitin';
an If we get what We want, you shall
have brand-new suit of cloth es, like
Mickey Warren's. wild gould buttons
on livery same"
Charles eyes frightened somewhat
at this prospect
"There! you see he's all right" said
Mrs. Dennis, nodding her head tri-
umphantly at her coadjutor. "Sure
it's pleasure to dale wild the likes of
him--always cheerful and willin'."
'Oh, stow your blarney!' contempt
uously calculated the less rhetorical
Michael. What's the use O. wordsP
II he'll 60, he'll go, and that's the end
ont Tomorrow night at eleven"
Mrs. Dennis acquiesced.
Tomorrow night, at eleven, I'll be
waiting at the corner OF the street wild
cleak and big market-basket, an
I'll see that Charles there afore US.
The next afternoon, just as the win
try twilight was fading into the black,
indistinguishablc dusk, Mrs. Dennis
skillfuliy propelled the slender, cat
like figure of little Charlie through
the narrow iron bars of the staircase
window
She was just in time, for as she
stopped again to poke in the depths of
an ash-barrel, with her well-worn iron
hook, policeman lounged around the
corner OF the house.
Hello, old woman, what are you
doing herep"
can is it the cinders you'd grudge
me?" whined Mrs. Dennis, "an' the
fire going out on the hearth-stone, wild
the six little ones blue wild the cold.
Arrah, an its hard lines for poor folks,
SO it is. and Mickey McGargan, me
husband that is"
"Well, we'll, you needn't make such
noise about it, deprecated the po-
liceman, striding on.
And Mrs. Dennis smiled stealthily
under her ragged red hood.
Meanwhile Charlie, obedient to Or
ders, curled himself up under the stair
way, among a lot of tin bath-tubs, dis
used furniture, and invalided sauce
pans, and went composedly to sleep.
How long he had slept he did not
know, but the narrow stairway was
lighted up by the glare of a candle
when he woke, and hand was on the
ragged lapels of his coat.
"Why, bless me, it's child!'
shrieked female voice.
Nonsense. Nancy, it's only the
catr'
Il tell you it's child, and he's fast
asleep"
Another figure advanced into the
yellow circle Of tlickering light thrown
by the candle-that OF tall, pleasant
looking woman. with something in
her face that made Charles heart
stand still, and brought the long-dis-
used word mamma" involuntarlly to
his lips.
"How on earth came you here. little
than her companion had been.
Charlie glanced furtively about the
room, in the vain search for a loophole
of escape; but there was none, and
Charlie had no idea of sacrificing him
self for the sakes OF Mother Dennis and
Mike Dooley.
Mrs. Dennis put me through the
window" he whispered. ''and she and
Mike are coming at eleven o'clock to
steal the spoons and things, and I'm
to unbolt the front door for 'em; and
please, ma'am. | never did such u
thing before, and L m so cold. and
and"
Charlie wound up his explanatory
speech with II burst OF very genuine
tears, and screwed his little knuckles
tightly into his round blue eyes.
My goodness graciousn' calculated
the elder lady.
"Bless us and save us!' shrieked the
younger.
"lt's planned burglary" said Miss
Nancy.
Send someone for the police!'
screamed Miss Betsy Historically.
"Yes," sobbed little Charlie, enter
ing heart and soul into the new cause;
''get policeman to stand back O. the
basement door, an I'll open it, just as
II nothin' had happened. And, oh,
don't you give Inc up to 'em. please
please, lady, or they'll beat me to
death an sell me to the doctors after
wardsl"
Don't be afraid, my little fellow"
said Miss Nancy, who had been giving
some orders in hurried whisper to q