The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-02-01
4 NEW Yonx mn nor.
The Various Aehievemesfs OF n ILitlc Cripple
on 70 HAisy Night.

pounded the side OF M ash barrel with an old
| boot that no had ilshod out OF the gutter. lie
! glanced about ctaftly ~ be whistlcd, aud then
| with u sudden effort upset the ash barrel and
all Its contents into tho street. threw tho
boot at an Italian peddor. and linped iurredy
down the street. One OF his legs WIS artificial
from the knee down. and ho had habit of
clutching it with his left hand as he moved.
io ran with extraordinary swiftness. half
hopping. and turning His little white face over
his shoulder with the alertness OF n squirrel.
| When he arrived at tho corhar lie lodged into
doorway ard peerea cautiously back i'm tho
direction Of tho overturned ash barrel, grnning
| ard rubbing his little biue hands together de-
lghtedly.
1t was about O'clock n. night. and the pclt-
| Ing rain was driven about by gusts Of wind.
| Tho signs and awnings creaked rs tho wind
| swept along, and umbrellas were turned topsy-
turvy by tho blast. The storm had fallen upon
the city with unusual violence about nightfali,
and driven the people from tho streets. The
car drivers Lutdlod close to the doors as tho
| ram swept across the tracks. and ths few b.
| lalol pedestrians hurried along with heads
bent down. Three or four h ard featured women
were trying to sell their evening papers ut the
| bridge entrance. and ragged little waif begged
passers-by piteously to buy her scanty stock OF
papers. 90 that she could 80 home Every ono
and crippled boy lie was still gazing
with interest up the street at an over
| turned ash barrel. Presently bit OF
wood lying on tho sidewalk caught his
eye. and, limping rapidly toward ii. ho went to
the gutter where the water was running in q
torrent, set il ntioat and watched It with child
like delight. He still looked over his shoulder
occasionally toward tho barrel. Ho was q
| poorly dressed and half-giown child. not more
| thn., 4 ..i 4. ,
In tho sums all his life His twisted and Grip
pied little body WIS clad In clothes that wore
grotesQuely i'll fitting. and his unksrnpt hair
hung over his forehead and eyes. Tho sleeves
OF the coat were rolled up. showing u pair OF
bony arms and two bruised and grimy hands
His trousers had been cut oil NJ the knee and
he wore u pair Of iuonstrous shoes. He seemed
to Ike tho rain and. though ho shivcrcd occa-
sionally when the wind struck him. lao wadod
far over his ankles in tho running water In the
gutter without appearing to notice it.
The rain swept M and Town tho street. an
OF anger from a,drunEard who was thrown out
Of saloon. and the clntter, of tho ear horses
yelling near tho fridge. sign was caught by
agust OF wind and Hung to the ground. a crowd
was hurry. discomiort, and coniusi i,". anu "''
Amid it all, the white and wan-faced boy
sailed mi, his pit s Of shiMf9 in tho gutter,
was constantly wreuthed in smiles, and his big
sk eyes sLS b1 bs above his
ali New YORK 10 sailed 10 tho Shin in q IN tho
whistled shriliy rs no played until he caught
the gale trying to get around the corner. Size
held t thG shawl thRt was wrapped about her
s fsnt sns
the s,s S9 tho wind blew So @
time the small boy ceased whistiinES
and clntehng the sLinne, in ono hand
ped to tho corner OF tho building and waited.
Once more the woman started around the cor;
30 the boy drew back tho shingle and dealt hor
a stunning blow on the head With 1t, she
Blowing In gusts across tho city Hall Park and
ings. The sidewalks wero deserted OTHER way
except whore the drunken man who had been
Wen s BY tho "HS sho did iG Fl ,s
down in tho doorway at her feet. where the lii
went out e tho gutter and reored anxiousiy
nns sp shet"ring her eyes from the storm with
The grinnns itls cripple lmped soity up b. b..
hind her. and when She turned suddenly she
say hls fac looking W. at hSr with patheie
hite he up the srtiils s lcs a,.,.,a
Nld sign moself Just now
very wide and rnisIq = his eyebrows SO tSat us
forehead Was wrinkled dozen times, The big
WuH yc a$S Sur 4sd Mas 'Fs
he esGad Pease, Is il oe ,@ s yet F%"fA0S'
No said the woman. stu abs;ently looking
Cause as ter wait fur urn me mud a, an
shes good tiI ono on q, the bridge on rainy nights
Then so' no,id ' Til shat tho woman was paying
Down DO he Street to and
Sure + uz Corky. nm Of m nlwuz lookin'
fur the girl now. though, she, cares no more
but Srnes ss w Sd the ia,d dsi
ocgsI; 0 Hs nv y, yo seen Ss, her Corkyf"
an know whero she is now too. what's more
Yo" knoT in noF II a. ny tn s9r1 no
pie, with laugh that cut tho air like, n steam
ThIistie as no danced backward and flung the
with an oath. she started after him. Her shawl
Which was strlney and wet. stood sou" out ina In
ion from ,S her head The Toy
wee o ou dne ths %. ppk
the ground with bis artificial leg. which he
Eosn s4aS %b T hsn sH 0 ana s
hoTIsd at HI HIN With ali ths anger q shrew
shreked ono cat call after another as
he limped along She could run much
faster than no could but he lodged her
40 adroity when sho pressed him too close that
she made many wild swoops with hor dsen-
gagged arm. Finally tho boy, with q triumphant
car. and snrawlel over on the other side OF tho
track; escaping tho horses hoors mirncmiously:
disappeared apparently under the horses IA. At
that very moment, As the car stopped, woman
cano up nonndorirE, against the side. and ono
Meanwhile the boy had pulled himself to-
gather. struggled 70 his feet. and was lImpng
dcr!'' at the top of his lungs. The other woman
rounded the car and started off again after
him. but no had got too far ahead tn DO easily
overtaken and she stopped half way to howl
back defiance at the ear driver and conductor
both of whom were shouting af.nr her. They
b!ackguarded ono another until Corky had got
safely behind his mother. and the conductor
pulled up the inside shutter OF the car to pre-
vent the rain coming in whore the glass had
been broken, and went on his way down town.