The morning call., 1891-09-04
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS.
Life In Chicago Seen by a Keen-Eyed
Observer on the Wing.

Life In Chicago as Seen by a Eeen-Eyed
Observer on the Wing.
l saw great many things on my way to
town tue other day. L saw drunken father
under convoy of his little daughter. He
sat in the car with his head dropped in
maudlin sleep upon the shoulder of his child,
while, with Dlushes that came and went
across her face like shadows on the slope of
hill, she quietly sat and braveiy bore the
burden of her childish sh anne. says a writer
in the Chicago Herald I saw a young
hnodlum lash his horse because his own
awkwardness came near col;diDg his cab
with a cable-car. l saw policeman spring
to the rescue OF an old woman who stumbled
on the street crossing, and | saw him
bruised and trampled in the discharge of
duty. | saw pretty girl reach up with
her daintily gloved hand TO undo the check
rein OF tortured horse. l saw beaten
dog turn and fawn beneath his masters
brutal anger, and thought to myself, where
is more fond ana forgiving friendship
found? saw little golden-headed boy at
the window Of house as | passed by, aud
when l waved my hand he kissed his in re-
turn. ! saw tired mother stoop to caress
the child who fdgeted at her knee in the
depot waiting-room, and L saw another
viciously slap her baby because it sought to
fondle her cheeks with its sticky fingers. I
saw little girl get up without suggestion
crowded car TO an older person. l saw
lamed and dying bird brought down by
small boys slingshot. i saw hard-faced,
labor-grimed man step out Of his way to
protect lost dog from band of young
street arabs. l saw eleven out of every
fifteen girls l met with laced waists and
powdered faces. l saw q small boy furi-
ously beating his mother with his fists be-
cause she sought to carry him over crowded
anu dangerous crossing. and so, thought,
we treat the tender providence that some
times seeks to lift US against our will from
evil ways. l saw a little coffin in an under
takers window, waiting empty-ah, for
whom? What cradle-b keeps tonight the
precious head destined SO soon TO sleep upon
that satin pillowP l saw crowd of promi-
nent politicians come out OF liquor saloon
and | saw dead swine hanging near by on
a butchers shamble. said to myself which
of the two, the man or the defunct pig, is
the most truly dead, if life counts anything
for bravery, purity, chivalry and the ability
to command respect? Ii we must have
porcine qualities, either in two-legged or
four-egged types. let us have them inactive
i'll death. l saw nurse-girl wheeling q
baby backward in perambulatOr, the sun
meanwhile darting beneath its tender eyeids,
saw number of well-dressed men spit Gu
the depot stairway, and l wanted to throw
stones at them. saw homely girl trans
formed into beauty by simple service
accorded TO stranger. l saw woman
lean out of public conveyance to laugh at
and deride another who wore shabby clothes
and old boots. l saw half million (or 1eSs)
of human faces with only one here and there
that was clean and sweet and true. | saw
Chicago astir with the clash and turmoil of
its sordid greed for gain. / saw great
many other things, but how does the balance
strike already?