The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-26
CHRISTMAS PASTA SKETCH.
Written for the indianapolis Journal.

y,
perhaps, than the average third foor-back in
Bleeckerstreet neighborhood, but still very
Greary, indeed. That it had redeeming features
is possible, in view of the assertions of Jennie
.--Jennie, who had lived there alone summer and
winter, for so many years that il she had ever
stopped to think of it. it would have seemed
that her whole life, from it's briefest springtime
to the cold and cherries fall that was now verg-
Ing into bitter winter. had been spent between
its four dingy wallis
Jennie had always maintained that at certain
seasons of the year there beautiful view
from the window Of the top branches Of tall
lit must have been very tall-tree in the
square block away, while If one was minded
to stand on a chair-on the chair, to put it accu-
rately-and look through a clean spot in the
upper pane Of glass down narrow ravine be
tween two mountains of bricEand mortar, there
was green grass visible, ard sometimes little
children at play on it, And then the window
was one that could be raised and lowered-or
had been until something had broken this fall
$50 that she was spared the recourse to the
primitive method Of smashing pane in summer
to get air. and stufine it with old rags in winter
to keep out the cold that was the system of ven
tlation most in vogue in the neghborhood.
The captious might have found partial offsets
10 these luxuries in the fact that the original
fastenines of the door, long since fallen into
state of innocuous desuetude, had to be replaced
by broomstck with one emu under the rem
nants of the lock- and effective enough to keep
out all the burglars that were likely to seek
plumber in that location, but sadly deficient as a
barrier against the odorous reek of the hallway
mingled essence of sewer gas and garbage.
Lack of plenitude on the part of the fur
niture. too lent an air of bleakness to the room.
A table, narrow bed, chair that tries and
fails to stand on three legs and stool that tries
the same thing and doesn't fail, very useful
things in their way, but as the sole furniture of
the room-of a home--it cannot be denied that
they leave something lacking.
Jennie didn't much mind such little things as
these, however. She was used to sewer gas, and
rs for the furniture 1t did very well. for when
she had company the stool would do for one. and
for herself she knew not only how to make the
lame chair stand on its three legs, but to hold
her as we'll.
And then there was always the view of the
green treetop and the grass, and the children, If
took the trouble. 1t was quite like being in
the park itself all day. Jennie said to sit at that
window with the sewing For Jennie did sew
for her living, although she lived in the worst
part of the Blocker street ncighb orhood. Not
that she got all of her living by sewing for liv-
ings, even in dreary Bleecker-street rooms
not to be got out Of making shirts at 10 cents
dozen, or whatever outlandish price the wealthy
manufacturers are choosing TO pay their slaves.
Still what part Of her living Jennie could
make at sewing she did so make. and for the
rent, we'll, could you expect poor girl TO starve
rather than sin. when so many are SHINING,
though in no danger of even hungerl
To-day, though, Jennie neither SHINING
nor sewing.
She, or what had once been she-t was hard
to tell which in the dim light of the room--was
lying on the narrow / ed 1t was not an attract
I've place on which to lie. but unquestionably ly-
Ing there was preferable to sitting up in the
room. If jennie had been sitting up she would
have seen that even to her accustomed eyes the
room was something dreadful. In the cold, bit
ter moonlight, through the sleet dimmed panes.
the green topped tree was but collection OF
wind writing whips angrily flashing the back of
the leaden sky. Over the clean corner of the
pane that commanded a view of the green grass
and the children at play was drawn q dingy web,
bleak desert where eaunt and hungry spider
kept ceaseless vigil for tho fly that never came.
The broomstick that was meant to fasten the
door had forgotten it's mission and failing aside
allowed the hall atmosphere enter he room
in gusts of icy smell The fireplace was pregnant
with all the rcfrigerating capabilities that there
are In fireplace, where the place of glowing
Goals is taken by little drifts of snow blown
down the chimney. On the shelf that held the
two plates and cup, there was besides but
scrap OF cheese -rind at which lean and SILVER
ing mouse gnawed fitfully.
Decidedly the bed was the best place in the
room. There all one was compelled to see was
the ceiling, and a ceiling. even though grimy and
cracked. is at least warmer and more nourishing
thap a. sleety wndow-pane, q snowy fireplace
and empty shelf.
Jennie seemed to think so. for when, after pre-
torn oh n eAi~c CHI Il ho~n
but made attempt to rise. Even her eyes
made no effort further than to find the big crack
n the ceiling right over her head, and then half
OPEN half-shut. to watch 1t dreamily
The night must have been very long one.
Jennie had never known such long one before.
Vaguely she remembered that she had dreamed
of a daylight. OF the sounds of people in the
house, OF the noises of the streets. and the rest
of the hustle of the day: of nightfall and the
cries OF drunken jewellers In the rooms below,
with the regular bed time waling Of the inter
ssting little McGinnisses next door
Surely all this and much more that she re-
pembered could not all have been dreamed in a
sew short hours. and vet there was symptom
" daylight in the cold moon beams that flooded
the room
1t had been two nights before Christmas when
she went to bed, Jennie remembered, and she
had been wondering what she should have for
Christmas dinner--or, rather, whether she should
have anything. Christmas had always been
bright day In Jennie andits dinner had been
one bright feature Of It, But this year Jones
q Jones. who run Jennie's shirt factory, had, so
Che newspapers ccmmendingy stated, ''eiven all
their employees two-weeks Christmas holiday,
without DEDUCTION from their pay" 1t was
printed conspicuously under the head Of Gen
erous Employers and was an elegant advertise
ment for Jones s. Jones. The confding public
who bought the shirts of the generous Jones IL
{ones did not know that this clever device for
Avoiding the necessity of running at loss
through short dull season meant vacation for
one Office boy and clerk and starvation for
fifty poor women, whose daily bread was in the
making of shirts for Jones & JONES' and who got
pay-and bread-only when they worked.
To get up dinner shirts at 10 cents dozen
or whatever the price was. requires genius of a
rare order but Christmas fare on no shirts at all
is an achievement worthy Of o gastronomc Ma
poleon.
TWAS much for Jennie Thinking of it, she
remembered, she had fallen asleep still uncer-
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