Richland beacon., 1888-01-21
FROM ATTIC TO MANSION.

awaken
Ihls Inquiry came from little Girl who
poked her head out from under faded
coat on an old mattress bed on The Nonr
OF an attic room in an east side tenc-
ment. 1t was a sweet "a e, with biz blue
eyes shining from Undcra u.a7s of :rll len
tangled hair that fc'l over her fac in
sleepy confusion. Jimmy -u,nad over
and pulled tie coat owe. his bare legs.
red with coll.
!, YES, y lie replied, I'm wake. sissy.
Is it time to get up.'
Il dunno, Jimmy. hear the baker
WAGONS loaiin' up. But. oh, Jimmy. |
had such a beautiful dream. 1t was that
beautiful il woke me up"
Nv hat was it, sissy
"'h, dreamt that we went away in
o BEAUTIFUL carriage. With the magnificent
Lorec' and a coachalaa with shInt but
IONS all over h'm--you and and ma and
Pa-airi We went 10 an elegant hoUsa, and
&c had the magn :;ccn.cst dinner yog
ever heard OF. There was turkey oh.
such big one, a good deal bigger than
Them what We saw in Swartl's meat
market last night and there was pics and
cakes and oysters and ice ere m. Just
thinE, Jimmy, niec pink ice Cream, and
b'g, bouquets of flowers all ever tie
'aDlc. TN. I'M"
"Gosh!' ejacu'1tc,i Jimmy. as he sat
up. You quit talkjn'. lou MAKE me
more hungrier'n | am now; bat say. sissy.
guess what | heard pa say to ma last
night.'
what was it,"
They was talkin' bout ns. and ma
she said, There amt iut little tea and
nall a loaf of bread and then pa Eaid.
Give 1t to the children an then mn
SAID, ta'n't very happy New Years. is
ltE An pa he went out an sud he'd
try an borrcr Il dollar Of Flannigan; bat
when he came back seed h M shake his
heal at na. Fay, sissy, it's awful to lee
poor. amt it,"
"les, it is, Jimmy. But we won't eat
that Dread. Wcli make ma eat it, cos |
guess she gives rs more than she e,,s.
and then you know childrca don't nee 1
SO much as grown folks. | forgot Ill
about this being New Years but we must
be thankful that we haze got a months
rent paid-ihats what pt said Yesterday
COS We might bo turned out in the
street,
Now, let's get up, sissy. It's day.
light. lets climb up IN the window an
watch the street cars go by an count
white horses, maybe We will see a ROD
headed girl. I'll boost you up. Here's
your clutcbes.'
Little Elsie IIeathcote was cripp,e.
When she was two years old she fell and
injured her spine. She threw hcr dress
about her, and with .he aid of her
crutches hnhblcd over to the attic win
dow and was shortly cnsconced alongside
oi Jimmy. 1t was a beautiful view. The
i.ents had not been pat oIt on the biz
bridge yet. The morning was r'ear and
frosty, and the big spun sh0ne out white
and distinct against a sky turning ROSY
from its leadcr sleep. White rolls Of
smoke were curling upward from tho
chimney pots, AMI the two children sat
there sh.vering with cold, yet lost in ad-
miration as they watched the shadows
chase cach other into daylight. The
lights on the bridge went out with a
suddenness that made lite Elsie wink.
Then the busy traffic began and they
turned their attention to the street below.
There's copper goin' into the side
door of big Mikes saloon. 'Spe-t he's
gain in to get drink, amt he. Elsie?"
Elsie did not answer as her evcs were
riveted on an object near the street car
track.
''Say Jimmy" she exclaimed excited /
ly, "see there-right down there by that
piece of wood and newspaper, amt that
a silver dol'ari"
Jimmy paid no attention to her. His
eyes were fixed vacantly on the roof of
the opposite house.
Elsie shook his arm. "Say, what are
you thinking Off" /
'Jcwhiz l was thinkin' bout that |
turkey an PIES an cakes 'Golly. if that |
dream was only true 1t makes me gnaw /
inside when think of it, g. s.- !
"Well, maybcit will bc. There's big
silver dollar right down there. Hurry I
before some one else gets it."
Jimmy looked, and his eyes bulged out
Of his head. ''Cracky, that's so. You
bet we'll have a turkey yet. Don't say
muffin to pa and ma" And Jimmy sour I
ried off and pattered down four flights of /
stairs and rushed out and picked UP the :
dollar.
Elsie watched him with her heart in
her mouth, and almost shouted in her
joy. But her soy was turned TO conster-
nation when she saw Jimmy look up to
the attic window, make hideous grim
mace, and shy the dollar up on the avn
ing of the corner grocery. Elsie cried
softly, and the boy picked up stave and
an old newspaper aud slowly climbed the
stairs.
''Wasn't it dollar, Jimmy!" asked
Elsie, tearfullv.
''Naw, twan't nofn but a plug to-
hacker tin tag"
"Oh, dear, and l thought my dream
might come true"
'.Bully dream, want it, sissy? Bat
never mind. found barrel stave in
the street that will burn all day, ard
some paper Iindlin.' Let's wake pa an
ma up"
Mr.. and Mrs. Heathcote slept Oh the
floor also Their beds had been pawned
to purchase the necessar &C. Of lie
Their attic home was one OF. abject pow
erty. The father had been out of work
for three months. Day after day he had
looked for o lob, and occasionally would <