Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-05-30
WILD NANCY.
BY MRS. M. A. DENrsoN.

Oucn WHO Lningl Slgned MISS BILL
kins, land yet so prettyi So much good
in herl What will she grow up tor"
This problem puzzled the little woman's s
head, night and day. She had no one to
live for but herself. Stitching, stitching,
right through the week, people said she
would work herself into consumption,
yet some way she kept well.
The little cooking stove was always
bright, the tables and chairs never showed
a speck of dust, the carpetless floor shone
equally with the tiny cracked mirror upon
the wall, and "someway"-MissB Blifkins
often said" providence seemed to pro-
vide."
Not that she told the neighbors this
such a Goddess set as they werel She
never would have lived in the old tene-
ment house, but it was so hard to get a
room with three windows, and the sun
pouring in all day, that she put up with
the surroundings, which were none of the
best
What with being walked up out of her
soundest slumber by drunken tailor
overhead, tormented by the constant
smell of soapsuds from across the entry,
and subject to the visits of wild Nancy,
whom she could not civilize, yet whose
welfare she felt tconscientiously interested
in, she had enough petty annoyances to
constitute good sized cross, which she
carried with becoming resignation.
aOh Miss Blif, may come in?n
sounded high, nasal tone.
Tn a vVnsv,.,ka cold f1,r. ls@t1o ~,x~...~-
driving the cloud from her brow, and
making an end of big buttonhole with
three energetic pulls, and then she put
her work, black satin vest, on the chair,
and opened the door.
"Oh Miss Blif, how nice you do always
looki Don't wish ours was a three
flight front, instead of four fight back!
Miss Blif, what pretty weskitl"
@Don'ttouch It'll cried the little woman.
rushing back to the window.
"Lal shan't pisen it," snaps back
wild Nancy, and then looks round the
room for spoils.
Wild Nancy is something worth glanc-
ing at, as she stands there dirty but pict-
utCb4uC. Oub AAOAn t1AdAy q tduklG u
lustrous brown hair shine pair of very
dark bright eyes. Her complexion, what
one can see of it for the dirt, is remark
ably clear, and tawny, healthy red
gives dash Of the gypsy to her counte-
nance.
Her apron is torn clear across, and
hangs down in an unmistakable rag, that
trails to the floor. Her shoes are what
she calls new, that is, they have been
worn for five or six months by some bet
Ter fed, and better housed mortal, and it
is evident that the girl is unused to re-
straint, and cares very little for those
who are called her superiors.
II thought you promised me you would
wash your hands and comb your hair
before you came here again." said Miss
Blifkins.
@Yes, know; but dad broke the
comb, and we amt got no wash basin,
and the bath room is nailed up.
What bath room?n asked Miss Blif-
fins innocently.
@The bath room that ought to be up in
the sky parlor. Oh Miss Blifi where'd
yOu 6AS 6AhSb
sits an old picture my mother had,
years ago. couldn't get frame and 50
] tackled it up yesterday"
Ny gracious!" cried Manly, drawing
out every vowel to its fullest extent.
.Ain't that the devil7D
1T certainly Is, said Miss Blifkins,
aand those people there are supposed to
have been very wicked. The fruits on
those trees are sins; IL you could read
you could understand them, but as you
can't sometime when am less busy III
explain to you.
@Oh Miss Blifl amt he rakin' 'em in
Oh should like to be himl I'd put old
Dow down there for hitting me yester-
day, and I'd rake Sam in for telling lies
on me. There's lots of people I'd push
down that hole, and then I'd holler and
ask them how they felt"
And suppose somebody should want
to rake you down theres" queried Miss
BIifkins.
Couldn't catch this child" shs
laughed hack, abut say, don't like
picters? Amt q day but what / 60 up
street and look In the windows. Oh
don't like pretty things7 Don't II
But / shan't never have none, slle
added refiectiyeIy.
Seems to me you might mend that
tear in your apron. said Miss BIifkinz