The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-14

future; for he possessed strong ambition, and >
degree OF intelligence rarely seen ID boy OF his
age.
His education, such as 1t was. had been picked
up in the busy streets of New York. He was
older than his age, SO long had he been IN con-
tact with the world. He had grown up literally
between kicks and cuffs, and deprived OF the
love love anu privileges that make hoys life sweet
Almost all boys growing up amid such sur
roundings would become coarse and degraded,
but 1t was not so with him. He must have in
herlted from his parents, whoever they were,
tendency to good behavior and manly conduct.
/ Aud now the events of this evening. the slurs
heaped upon him by Perry, kindly anew his
ambition and determination to make break IN
his present lffe-to leave the old woman and her
filthy ag-picking forever
But when he considered what fierce storm
this would raise, and how cruel she and the
gang about her could be in q matter Of revenge,
he hesitated, and trembled at the result that
might follow.
True to his purpose, however, and with manly
courage, he said slowly and firmly, as If meas.
uring the force of each word
Il am not hsr boy, and will not Do her slave.
/ shall leave her. come what-may.
'sIt is so cold and fate,I win go home to-
night he said to himself and he reached down
m mechanically for his partially filled sack
1t was not there, much to his surprise ana
regret. He looked all about the tree. but could
not fiEd it
Somebody took it while I followed that dude
to the thearer. Oh, I wish I had never seen
him, ne sighed, and he threw himself upon a
bench to think.
'If 60 home without that sack of rags there
will be trouble The old woman will be mad
and will make lively row."
He walked down Broadway for q number OF
blocks, then turned to his left and followed this
course till he found himself in the vicinity OF
Cherry street and East river. will not locate
the place definitely, but will say that his desti-
nation--the place he called home-was not many
blocks either way from this neighborhood
He groped his way through dark. narrow
passage that led into court, and thence TO the
outer door of the old building in which he lived
"a sort of human hive, so closely were its nu-
merous denizens crowded together Our young
friend opened the door and entered. The pass
age-way was dark-dark as the BLACKLIST ink
and the air was heavy and foul, if the very
wood OF the old structure were combining with
rags and rubbish to produce this peculiar COM
pound odor. No wonder the poor boy looked
thin and pale after breathing such air.
He assembled the stairs till he reached the
fourth floor, and walking few steps to the left
placed his hand upon the latch of the door.
Something told him to pause moment and
listen before entering He did 80, and heard
what seemed to him like angry veices
"Shall / 60 in now / am heref" he asked him.
self. Eyes will not turn back. but will meet
the worst bravely," and he opened the door and
passed IN.
The room was large and dirty. Here and
there were piles of rags and scraps of paper, as
they had been sorted into the various grades.
In one corner was a lot Of bones-beef bones
probably-for the manufacturer of boneware.
Another corner contained large pile OF old
shoes-some good enough to be mended others
suitable only to be worked over into cheap shoes.
| and the poorest Of the lot good for nothing bat
to be converted by chemical process into imira-
ton gutta percha from which buttons, combs,
and so forth, are manufactured
Old tin cans, bottles of all descriptions, bits of
iron, nails. brass ETC.. formed part of the col
lection to be turned into money. On shelf was
a we'll filed box Of cigar stuEs, picked up from
the sidewalk, from spittoons and from the gut
ter, to be converted into choice cigarettes" and
ground into snuff
The walls were black with dirt and the ceiling
was low, and dingy with smoke and dust. An
old cook-stove served to keep the room warm,
while it lighted by old lamp with a
broken chimney-one probably found among the
waste rubbish of the city.
And this den-for it was nothing more than
den-so filthy and squahd, was what this poor
boy called home! 1t was the only home he
knew, and much as he loathed it, it served as
shelter from the cold and gave him place to
lay his weary head at night
Unattrsactive and unhomelike as this place was,
it did not in any sense compare In ughEess with
the spirit that ruled over it~-an old woman OF
most repulsive appearance veritabls old bag.
Her forehead was low and receding; her eyes
small and deeply set under heavy, eyerhangIng
brows, and skin wrinkled and coarse. She had q
large, long nose, hooked like a vultu-e's beak,
which had become red from heavy drinking, and
thus it contrasted strongly with the rest OF her
face, which had grown dingy and almost black,
like the surroundings IN which she lived
Her teeth, the few scattered ones still remain
ing. black stumps as they were, added much to
her forbidding appearance.
The peculiar action of her little eyes, Redeemed
by drink and so far back in her little head, was
a sight that might well cause shudder.
II heard Voices surely did" thought the lad.
as he entered the room and found no one there
save the old woman. II must have been mis-
TAKEN" he finally concluded but did think
heard strange voice; and she looks ugly, too,
as if she had been quarreling with some one 1t
is strange" And here his thoughts were inter-
rupted by Mother Grimmis. for that is the name
by which she went
where have you been all this time, you young
imp? demanded she angrily, as the boy entered
the room.
A frown passed over his face at this greeting.
He paused a moment. thinking how best to re-
ply, for he saw she was much excited, and badly
under the influence of drink.
Answer me, or I'll make yer wish yerd never
got here alive, yer good-for-nothing yerp and
she stamped her heavy shoes ominously upon
the floor.
ssWhere should have been9 he asked, by way
of answering the question.
Eyer orter been eanr'in me some money"
i"That is what started to do"
"What yer started to do-d1dn't yer do itf yer
good for nothing"
II did earn some, and"
'Td orter turn yer into the street. yer soft
mouthed pauper, you"
sim not a pauper, nor never was" said the
boy, firing up.
He was not sure of this but ventured the
statement.
'Oh, yer not, yer?"
'No, I'm not" replied the lad firmly and with
a proper dignity.
''Iis only me that keeps yer from it, then
me that feeds yer and gives yer place to sleep"
"You don't keep me from it, for I earn you
three times much as get out of this msera-
BILE howell"
Miserable howell, is ft2 Bad luck to the day
ever saw yerw replied she, more excitedy.
Our young hero saw that the battle had act
back now.