The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-04-09
A Little City Waif.

One day, as crossed Rose street, lit
tie girl about ten years old was engaged
in a rough -and-tumble fight with n boy
two or three years older. While she was
doing nobly, it wasn't fair fight, and !
inierfered - protect her. What is il
10 YOU ?" she hotly demanded, as she
turned on me with flashing eyes.
d" But YOU are girl, replied.
But kin lick hiln if he'll fight me
fair 20
drove him of and sat down on
doorstep with her.
"Girls shouldn't fight" SAID, as the
ragged and unkempt child at my side
grew cooler.
"Not if they are picked on p
mo"
"then they'd call me coward
"But suppose they did You come Of
a cowardly sex. Women are not brawl-
ers and fighters. They are tender and
gentle, and given TO soft words, and
peaceful ways. Tell me, where do you
live >"
down apiece and up stairs"
Father and mother living?"
" No but dad and man is. Dad is
over to the Island nam washes and
scrubs
And what do you DO?
"Mind the rooms mostly"
"Eyer 20 to school ?"
Nav -
Don't you read? ?"
"Nawr
Ever been out in the country" ?"
Nav Where is it, and what is it
likeg'
And so described something of farm
life to her, telling her of the fields of
grain, the green meadows, the barns and
orchards, and farmyards. Her eyes
opened wider and wider as ! went on,
but toward the end she grew suspicious,
and said
"Say, what sort of a dove do you take
me fur? ?"
But this is all true-upon my word
it is"
Don't believe it. If it was, mam'd
have let on. Say What dye want, any
how?
g want TO talk with you a little
longer. Ever 20 down to the Battery ?"
Nav
Or to Central Park"
Nav 2"
Ever see a COW or anox2"
I've heard of EN-, guess"
You have heard of Little Red Rid
ing Hood, haven't you?"
Can't remember"
Never heard Of Old Mother Hubbard
who went to the cupboard to get her poor
dog bone?"
Nav"
How about the house that jack built"
What Jack Was it the house in Rose
street ?"
"You have heard of the Bible ," l
continued, seeing that she was now in
ieresteI.
Yes
What is it?7
dunno :"
Where is heaven? ?"
Somewhere, guess"
Didn't any one ever tell you that you
must be good in order to go t. heaven
when you die"
Nav. Nam says must be good, or
she'll break every bone in my internal
body"
Did you ever pray ?"
Noap."
"Did you ever hear the Lords Payer"
Noap. Did you >"
! repeated it for her, and when was
through she said
Say I'll learn that some day If you'll
try me-"
Was it queer that ! met her again and
again at the same spot. and that she was
always on the lookout for me, and after
the tirst meeting she began to grow inter
ested. She also grew ashamed of her
garments, and noticed that she had
tried TO patch and mend, At the third
or fourth meeting she had clean face,
and her hair had been combed. think
the neighbors looked upon it as a great
mystery, but if they quizzed the child
she did not let me know it. We used to
talk OF the country, other cities and peo-
pie, the mountains and plains, the ten
thousand things she had never heard of.
] watched her closely. and could 81 e
that knowledge frightened her eyes and
made her face more gentle. Little by
little her manner changed to the coyness
of her sex.
reached the spot one afternoon to
discover that she haa failed me for the
frst time In her place was broad
shouldered, red-faesd woman, who walk
ed up TO me and demanded
Are you the rapscullion who has done
all this ?'
All Of what, ma'am?7
Been preaching TO my Nanny until
she got so soft and good for nothing that
fall down stains has put her in her cof-
I'm"
Nanny dead :"
And buried, sir, and she went on
about the Lords Prayer and h, ,asen and
green fields until she almost made me
crazy. Oa, you villain, {, Geo ne about
destroying poor mothers happiness in
that way. Begone, or'Ili have the police
after ye."
Who was that ringing at the from
door last night ?" The policeman .
What did he want?y He wanted
fha hahtr q. CO..