Democratic messenger., 1889-11-16

murders TO him. "Sho ups and she
sez, You amt never goin' 10 hear the
last, II you don't bloomin' we'll give
me my rights 'Shan't,' sez he. 'Yo,.
shall, she says; or my swell father'll
Jest knock tons Of stuiIin' out O. you.
! swear you shall Not q bloomin'
shall, says he; and he outs with his
pistil and he corpses her, and then he
tries the Same on hisself, and misses,
and now lies in tho horspital." Thus
would Mr.. Toms vary the language of
the reporters, 10 Jerry's great solace.
ment The friends did not understand
politics. Jerry explained his theories
thus: Zone o the blokcs round Ber-
mondsey way comes 10 tho yard when
! was a-havin' my bit o grub, dinner
time, and he sea, III you have a bit
left, mate, / don't mind havin' Of il.
Amt bit since yesterday mornin'.' So
! goes him halves, and then he sez
Well be all right soon. amt had
howerfor fortni't; but swell gent
don't know what they call him. but
he's ono o them what sends the per-
lice and the swaddies over the water
and things-and he sez we'll have
wotesr seq: Did tho cove give you
no grubi II no didn't give you no
grub, what's the good Of his jori'"
and Jerry spoke no more.
And so the good days went on until
Sails boy was born. She used to look at
the baby by the hour, and hercycs had a
mysterious yearningo in them; her
cold face grew soft in its planners,
and she acquired q look Of quiet pride
very different from her old dim neu-
trality. The youngster grew nicely,
and he was a source OF much somber
glee to Jerry. The man used to light
up his pipe and smoke in tho gloomy
front room, while his son sprawled
desperately round on the floor, and he
thought il was rum that he never knew
how pretty child was before. II he
strolled on TO the pavement with the
baby in his arms, the costcrs and the
match girls used to chaF him as they
passed. "Wait till you ave's my lot;
you won't bc so fond o. handlin' of
EN-" "Ain't old Jerry pleased with
hisselfi" and so on. Sal liked all this
notice, and she liked to see her man
nursing her baby-shc had position
in the world. She never kissed Jerry,
but she would slap him on tho back
and say. You're a proper old blokc.
rubbed your two shirts through
whilo you was a-holdin' the kid.
Come, thcn?" and then she would nuz-
zlc her hard face to tho baby's neck
in ecstatic abandonment. When the
youth tried 10 walk, no took the or
thodox two steps and came down.
After this he looked round for plau-
dts. and Jerry always gave grunt
Of laughter, while Sal smiled and
looked proud. Tho more the baby
tumbled, the moro fresh and entranc-
ing Jerry found the performance.
How hc do flop. TO be surel' he OBJ
served again and again. and at length.
with look Of triumph-the look of
the successful authorize said: lilo
can have his proper name. but I'm
goin' to call him Flop. Sect" "All
right" said Sal, and she humored the
mans within. AS for Jerry, he made
the lives Of his chums burdensome by
explaining how this humorous con-
ccption first occurred TO him, because
even six times was not quito enough
for him TO tell tho anecdote to one au-
ditor. There are other parental borcs
besides Jerry.
But the good days had to go. Jerry
got hit by q winch handle; he took no
notice at the time. and carried on the
usual dull round. till he was bothered
by queer swelling on the hip, with a
slight pain. which was just enough TO
prevent him from quite enjoying his
usual games with Flop. The trouble in
creased, until no took u day off and
limped To the hospital. The case was
remarkable, and il was at last settled
that Jerry should undergo an opera
ton, which happened to be Of terri
BILE character. Sal could not exactly
understand what had taken place. but
she trembled when she saw her mans
pale, yellowish face on the pillow in
that grim ward, and she covered her
eyes with her apron when Flop order
ed his father to come and have a game.
Jerry's life was saved. but he was not
good for much in the way Of work
when hc came out. and during his
second stay III hospital he died, and
Sal saw him put away. She sighed
little when the man said: Come.
ma'am," for she felt as If she should
stop there; aud then she went along
carrying Flop, who tried TO draw her
into talk. Sal stifled her means so as
not to frighten the babblcr, and she
put him down when they got clear Of
tho vans. She moaned then; for Jcr-
ry had been kind. and never hit her,
and she was going 10 the room where
his pipe and his clothes lay. All the
evening Sal never spoke but once.
and that was when the neighbors
tried TO comfort her; then she made
answer, 1t amt no good talkin'. poor
old Jerry's gone, and he was good
chap, and got 10 work for the kid to-
morrer." She woke often in the
night, and when she did she pattcd
Flops soft legs and whispered to her
self, Ellis fathers gone. and ! got TO
60 TO work to-morrer.
Sal grew fonder OF Flop now, and
she used To take him with her 10 the
shed where she worked.
There was not much money To be
made at the yard. but Sal never missed
one hour Of overtime that could be
got, so she made up the rent, and man
aged TO give Flop plenty Of bread and
treacle, and sometimes a half pint of
milk. lie was a sharp littla fellow,
and he learned to sort the sawn pieces
Of wood, and pitched them into the
baskets with great glcc. lie thought
II the best Of all his mothers games.
Then he learned TO chatter; every new
combination Of words which lie nc
quircd was an amazing romance 10
Sal. and think she must have laugh.
ed inwardly. for she used TO repeat
the amazing stories TO the girls in the
shed. and seemed surprised il they
were not amused. The suit which Sal
got friendly tailoress 10 compound
for Flop was striking in the extreme;
but poor Sal had several times sccn
pretty little children Of the upper
class, and she wanted Flop to be up To
the mark. Like bloomin' rail-,
bow" said Pinky; and indeed Flop
wns yury splendid. Sal thought the