The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-12
STORY OF NEW YORK LIFE.
PART I.

Douy ever called him anything out JAKE, except
some few, and they called him Smithie-Jake,
sir, he boarded with and old widow lady. of the
name of Mrs. Riley, who lived on the top floor
OF a house in the Bowery, not far above where
it is joined by BECKER street Jake was young
fellow of twenty six, compositor by trade; and
just now he had job in the Daily Trumpet
Office, down on Printing house Square. The
consequence was that Jake most generally used
to get home along about 3 or o'clock in the
morning: though sometimes, if there was an
extra rush of work on, he didn't get home till
considerably later.
WE'LL sir, one bitter cold morning in January,
1883, Jake was coming home as usual-footing it
up the Bowery, and thinking to himself how
good he'd feel pretty soon after he'd got tucked
up snug in bed-he was bowling along, say,
like that, when-just as he reached the corner
Of Blocker street, and wasn't more than a rod or
two from his journeys end-he seen woman,
sir, Arranging on to the lamp-post that stands
there. Jake didn't take no particular notice of
the woman's face, but he judged right of that
she must be mighty poor and low down, because
the dress she had on a miserable calico, not
thick enough to keep flea warm in such
weather; and then, from the limp way in which
she Rugged that there lamp-post, he supposed
that she was drunk Now Jake wasn't no
tenderfoot; but if there was thing on
this earth which made him feel kind Of dis
gusted snd,tired out all over, that thing was to
see a woman drunk. So the sight Of this
woman here rather went against the grain; and
he looked the other way, and hurried straight
apast her, and whipped out his latch-key, and
stuck 1t into the lock- But before he'd got that
key fairly turned, and that door opened, all Of a
sudden Jake's mind misgave him. What"
says he to himself, ''what if she weren't drunk
after all9" And with that he recollected how
perishing cold it was, and how thin and fiimsy
that dress she had on appeared to be; and he
thought of the lateness of the hour. and of how
few people were passing, and of how, drunk. or
sober, the poor creature was a female, like his
own mother, anyhow and the first thing he
knew, sir, he swung around, and marched
plump up to where the woman was standing,
with the idea of investigating and seeing
whether she needed help.
Well, sir, no sooner did Jake get one square
glimpse of that woman's face than his hair rose
on end and he had to catch hard for his breath.
Hanging on to that lamp. post for all she was
worth, and dying like beast there i'll the public
street! | tell you, Jakes heart gave big jump.
Her face was that blue and pinched, and her
eyes were that dull and glazed, that he knew for
certain that the case was deperate. And She
she kind Of sized him up out of the corners of
them dull eyes of hers, and says she in gasp,
says she, 'Pm sick-very sick. (which wasn't
10 news to Jake. He was good deal 1urried
and excited. and he couldn't help thinking how
linz Nv hat had "a
turn back. And he couldn't help wondering
some, too; for this woman, she wasn't
common. That dress she wore was
thin Que and cheap one and mistake; but
her face and her hair and her hands, they was
the face and the hair and the hands Of a genu-
inc lady, as Jake recognized in about one-twen-
tieth of second; and he couldn't help won
dering how lady like her come to be clinglng to
a Bowery lamp-post AT that hour OF cold win
terS night, and dying as fast as she knew now
But Jake didn't ask no questions, and he didn't
waste much time standing still, neither. The
point that worried him was. what he had better
do about 1t. At first he thought of Juggling her
around to the station house, and leaving her to
the police; but taking it all in all, he didn't en-
trely favor that plan, on account of the cold and
the distance and the chance that she might die
in his arms on the way and besides. it didn't
somehow seem just proper for such an out-and-
out lady to be left to the police, anyhow.
So pretty soon he made up his mind that there
was nothing for it but to carry Ler straight up
stairs to where he boarded and give her into the
charge of Mrs Riley Mrs. Riley was right
good hearted, and Jake calculated that she
wouldn't object, especially when he'd explained
she circumstances to her. So next moment he
lifted the woman into his arms and he tugged.
and painted and pulled away. till, by and by, he
had her laid out safe In Mrs. Rlleys kitchen,
near the stove. Then, of course, he began
pounding on Mrs. Riley bedroom door to wake
her up.
Well, sir, Mrs Riley got herself into some
sort of garment and she rubbed her eyes, and
she come and took look at the woman, and she
listened to Jake's story of how he'd found her,
and then says she: Jake, you done just right
And now you run, as quick as you know how,
and fetch doctor; and you stop at the station
house and ask them to send an ambulance to
take her to the hospital" That's what Mrs.
Riley said to Jake; and he didn't lose no
time about doing it. There was doctors Office
around the corner, in Blocker street, and Jake
toated that doctor out and told him where he
was wanted; and. then he made tracks Tor the
station house, and set the sergeant to ringing
for an ambulance. When Jake got back home.
he found the woman laying out on the kitchen
floor, as he had placed her, and the doctor bend
ing over her, and Mrs. Riley standing by, with
her hands to her hips, looking on
lance comirgs'
eyes, ma'am," says Jake, 'leastwise the SER
geant he runR for it."
At which the doctor puts his oar in. IAN am
bulanceF says ne, LOOKING as II ne0 spit open
for the wisdom that was inside of him. Have
you sent for an ambulancel'
''We have, sir" says Mrs. Riley, "to take her
to the hospital"
Excuse me, madam" says the doctor. ''but
this here woman's life depends upon her not be-
ing moved
Flows thatY" says Mrs Riley
eff you have her carried to the hospital in an
ambulance she's as good as dead already. If
you let her stay here, quiet and comfortable,
l0ot~z h1a mil how
through. That's how it u.s." says the Doctor.
If that's so, DOCTOR" says Mrs Riley, here
She stays; and that's all there is about it
Amen" says the doctor. And now, let's get
her into bed"
"Bedl" says Mrs. Riley. Faith, I've got no
bed except my own and Jakes"
''Well, says Jake, 'Fm tough. can sleep on
the floor. Put her in my bed" says he.
That's talking" saws the doctor
"And him and Mrs Riley, they put her in