The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-20

ldlillllB ulailnciheAs the NelFety hWdfd OF |
Blackwell's Island.
Old boats have offered up their ribs
for supports in these primitive houses /
Boards which once did duty in fence
have assumed the dignity Of clapbOards,
their dccaying libors hidden by the
vanishing whitewash. Old lattices over
whose green diamonds once blOOmed the
ruddy rose and the ambitious morning
glory, now serve as barriers against the
hungry goat, and seem 30 say, TO VIVA,
base uses are we come NO last" And
the ro0fsl matched with straw, and the
more pretouliOus indiifcrently covered
with shingles. through the rotting fin
gers Of which the rain drips down upon
the beds and the stoves with aggTavating
imparlialiiy. An old and worm eaten
chestnut viii fit in nicely here:
The rich can ride in chasae,
an th poor-th po0r-he iabers
Tho poor can w-lk.
This curious hamlet upon rock Is
known in the vicinity 10y the expressive
name Of Goatviiie Every visitor 10 the
spot is regarded with suspicion rs being
a possible official Of the department OF
public works OF a real estate agent com
Ing TO serve papers Of eiectment. One
evening % short time since, when the
wind, with winter in it, was whistling
drcarily through the streets and typi
cal New York winter drizzle was fall
ing, the writer paid visit 20 Goatyillc
in search Of material for this article
He was accompanied by a young Her
cules, the bully Of the neighborhood.
who acted as guide and protector for the
nominal sum Of fifty cents. His name
was Tom Mallory, and as he had thor
oughly canvassed G0atvillo in tho ca
pacity OF an insurance agent insWlng
children, lac knew every man, woman.
child and goat IN Goatville. lie carried
for purely defensive purposes the spoke
Of q brewers wagon. Before starting
Tom oiled his internal machinery with
o. glass of raw spirits. Wiping his
mouth on his coat sleeve, he said by
way of warning;
LUX here, me laddybuck, you said
you was reporter, didn't you; Now,
I'll lave it 70 ycrsell Well, IL | find
we've been tellin' me lies I'll Civ ye q
tap wild this wheel spoke as II crack yer
skull like an egg shell!'
When we arrived at the door Of the
Widow Murphys shanty, Tom hesitatcd
q minute before knocking and repeated
his warning as follows;
Now, ye're q cock sure reporter an
no ballyraggin' afore we go further.
Mind, III be as good az me word!
The night was dark. Still, there was
light enough for me 10 see that wheel
spoke cutting curves in the air above
nv head. After his fears were Gained,
Tom knocked upon the door with his
stick and q Toico inside said;
Como in
The door opened into n room where
Toms head struck the ceiling It con-
tanned a bed. q stove, q bureau, and
upon the walls hung various cheap
prints of a religious character Mrs.
Murphy, q woman OF sixty, unkempt
and rotund, was frying potatoes upon the
stove. and q pretty girl was seated upon
the bed trying to read q letter By the
light Of a tallow candle.
God save all here" said Tom, in
perfunctory manner. Then, with a jerk
Of his thumb in the direction Of the
young woman and q wink he said:
What's that we're readn', Nary
"A letter from me brother in Sing
Sing" replied Mary, raising her pink
and white face, which formed a setting
for two eyes Of Irish blue, 10 Tom.
Here, you read" she continued; I'm
no scholar
Tom took the letter IN bis big hand
and stood the wheel spoke against the
bureau. Then he read a brief tale aloud
of an aching heart beating like Gagged
bird against prison bars; Of repentance
which came too late; Of ciumsily OK
pres5ed hopes OF better life when me
time is uD," which lOnged for period
would not occur until one year from
the last Christmas. And as he read
those pregnant words, written in con
triton and had ink, Mrs. Murphy
stopped turning the potatoes in the pan
and drew near. A silence fell upon the
little group gathered around the flicker
ing candle, and mingling with the
suffering Of the grease ON the stove
and the singing Of the tea kettle came n
smothercd sound as Of heart break from
the lips Of the mother whose only boy
was a felon. Pretty's Mary's eyes, too,
BEGAN 10 grow humid. Apparently
ashamed OF her mOmentary weakness,
Mary dashed her apron across her face
as Tom handed her back the letter and
said:
"Ah. what are ye mauthorin' about
Shure. hell be home agin' the snow balls
q wear from now"
Then Mary told how she had saved
ND money from her small earnings as
a cigarette maker to make her brother
q Christmas present. And shure," She
added. smiling through her tears. Il
wish had hundred dollars to send -
our Mike"
Bv this time the walls Of Mrs. Murphy's
wrath had become uncOrked, and she
poured them out upon the heads Of those
who had been instrumental IN imprlson-
ing her boy, in a way that Wac both
rigorous and unrefned. The pictures
on the wall evidently served solely as
/ ornaments.
The hospitality Of that humble home
was royal. Mary disappeared into the
night with tin can in her hand ana
when she returned it wore three inch
collar of foam. The crOckery was not OF
china and was scanned with cracks, yet
K sulliced for the reception OF the smok-
[ ing hot fried potatoes, the loaf OF baker
/ bread, the drawing Of 20 erlong tea
and the brown beverage in the tin pail.
The meal was enliyened by the gossip OF
Goatville. in which Mrs. Murphy de-
clared that the mkt waddlin' duck OF
that sthrap Mrs Brady that comes intll
ny house IL hay his neck stretched Wild
me two hands" And while Mrs. Muir
phys attention was being taken up with
her neighbours ducks pretty Mary and
Tom were carrying on a little amatory
Irritation by squeezing hands under the
table and other like fOolishness OF for
/ hidden character.
After the meal the pipe of peace ana
goodfellowship was smoked, and the Wild
ow told how much money she received FOR
her duck eggs and the price OF live and
dead goats. She said that the best Gus
toners for goats were the brewers, who
wanted the animals for ''horses for their
childer." The chief difficulty in the sale
of goat, she said, was its capture. Ac,,
cording to her story, the goats possessed
almost human intelligence, for az soon
as sale had been consumnated they
kant aloof and AZ was a difficult task 70