The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-12-13

ABS Gl.gJTElsH EoUEeE:
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to the next people we lighted on, and the
word went round Here's wretch of a
Cheap Jack been beating his wife.
Little Sophy was such q brare child!
She grew to be quite devoted to her poor
father, though he could do so little to
help her She had wonderful quantity
of shining dark hair, all curling natural
about her. 1t is quite astonishing to me
now that didn't go tearing mad when
used to see her run from her mother be-
fore the cart, and her mother catch her
| by this hair and pull her down by it and
] beat her.
Such a brave child | said she was!
Ali with reason.
Don't you mind next time, father
dear. she would whisper to me, with
her little face still flushed and her bright
eyes still wet; s'if don't cry out, you
may know am not much hurt. And
even il | do cry out, it will only be to
/ get mother to let go and leave off. I"
What have seen the little spirit bear
for me-withotIt crying out.
Yet in other respects her mother took
great care of her. Her clothes were al
ways clean and neat, and her mother
was never tired Of working at EN- Such
/ is the inconsistency in things. Our being
| down in the marsh country in unhealthy
weather consider the cause of Sophy's
taking bad low fever; but however she
took it, once she got it she turned away
from her mother forevernore, and moth
ing would persuade her to be touched
by her mothers hand. She would shiver
and say, "No. no, no. when it was Of
fered at, and would hide her face on my
shoulder and hold me tighter round the
neck.
The Cheap Jack business had been
worse than ever | had known it, what
with one thing and what with another
| land not least what with railroads, which
viii cut it all to pieces, expect, at last),
and was run dry OF money. For which
reason, one night ut that period of little
Sophy's being 50 bad, either we must
have come to q deadlocls for victuals and
drink, or | must have pitched the cart
as did
couldn't get the dear child TO lie
down or leave go of me, and indeed
hadn't the heart to try, SO | stepped out
ON the footboard with her holding round
my neck. They all set up laugh when
they see Us, and one chuckle headed JOS
kin THAT hated for it, made the bid
ding, "Tuppenee for herr
Nov, you country boobies" says l,
feeling as if my heart was a heavy weight
at the end Of broken sash line, y give
you notice that am a-going to charm
the money ont Of your pockets and to
give you SO much more than your moneys
worth that you'll only persuade your
selves TO draw your Saturday nights
wages ever again afterwards by the
hopes of meeting me to lay EN- out with,
which you never will. and why not? Be
cause I've made my fortune by selling my
goods on a large scale for rs per cent. less
than give for EN-, and lam consequent
ly to be elevated to the house of peers
next week by the title of the Duke of
Cheap and Marks Jackaloorul. Now
let's know what You want tonight and
you shall have it. But, first of all, shall
| tell you why have got this little girl
round my neck? You don't want to know?
Then you shall, She belongs to the fai-
RES She's fortune teller. She can tell
me all about you in whisper. and can
put me up to whether you're a-going to
buy lot or leave it. Now do You want
saw No, she says you don't, because
you're too clumsy to use one. Else here's
saw which would be a lifelong blessing
to a handy man, ut four shillings. at
three and six, at three, at two and six. at
two, at eighteen pence. But none of you
shall have it at any price on account
of your well known awkwardness, which
would make it manslaughter. The same
objection applies to this set of three
planes, which | won't let you have
neither, so don't bid for 'em. Now / am
going to ask her what you do want :"
(Then whispered, ssYour head burns
SO that am afraid it hurts you bad, my
pet" and she answered, without open
ing her heavy eyes, "Just little,
father."0 "Oh! This little fortune teller
says it's a memorandum book you want.
Then why didn't you mention it? Here
it is. Look at it. Two hundred super
fine, hot pressed, wire wove pages--if
you don't believe me, count em-ready
ruled for your expenses, an everlasting
~ pointed pencil to put 'em down with,
double bladed penknife to scratch 'em
out with. book of printed tables to cal
culate your income with and camp
stool to sit down upon while you give
your mind to i'll Stop And an UNI
brella to keep the moon off when you
give your mind to it ON a pitch dark
night. Now. won't ask you how much
for the lot, but how littles How little
are you thinking Of? Don't be ashamed
to mention it, because my fortune teller
knows already" (Then making believe
to whisper | kissed her and shs kissed
me.) why, she says you're thinking of
as little as three and threepencei
4 couldn't have believed it, even of you,
unless she told me. Three and three
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