The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-22


quickly-condcmnin en- PEASANT, the eyes
and limbs Of the thieves to internal tor
ments. The clothes appeared and 1t was
an ennobling sight to see the old cr0ne
stand up and order him to search his
pockets, while she asked, cafegorically /:
sPurse? Wipe? Cigar case? Watch?
Chain ?n etc. Each had been honestly re-
placed. Kenneth then shook Biddy by
the hand and gave her sovereign to dis
tribute among her subjects.
Just then he felt something at his feet:
He had almost forgotten the girl he had
fought for. She had crawled to his feet
and kissed them; there was pathetic and
dog-like fidelity in her look and gesture.
Don't leave me here, she said. Hell
you're gone"
Kenneth paused. 1t was easier to fight
than to know what to do with the damsel
he had rescued, but he acted on impulse
and threw his card to Biddy.
There, mother, Is my card; III take the
girl and get good home for her. That 8
my address; come and see her when she
has pulled round"
"You have fought for her and won her. "
said Biddy. IN bet you're honest, and
will do well by her-so take her."
CHAPTER II.
Kenneth lived in an old-fashioned house
in Kensington. fenced from the outer
world by well-grown trees. His father
and mother had lived there before him,
and had died there Kenneth then asked
his two aunts to live with him. Aunt
Hannah was tall, bony and vigorous;
Aunt Matte fat and gentle. Hannah Cor
don was well known in the philanthropic
world; she was an active member of the
Charity Organization-in fact, organiza-
ton was her forte. Her special season be-
gan about November, when the first touch
of winter woke up the poor. Then, take
up what paper you like, and ten TO one
that in some corner of it you would find
Aunt Hannah enlightening the world as
to what they should do or not do.
Exeter Hall knew her not, nor did
she subscribe to African missions OF
soup kitchens. What she gloried in were
boards. School boards, poor boards,
parochial boards-all kinds of boards.
Nothing she enjoyed more than ferreting
out abuses and getting them remedied.
Her abomination was promiscuous charity.
1t was beautiful to put her on the track of
some philanthropic impostor and observe
with what pious zeal she would hunt him
down to the death. 1t was she that opened
peoples eyes to the iniquities of that arch
impostor, the Archdeacon of Saratoga
before that he was the darling of West
End drawing-rooms. When she took him
in hand he exchanged Belgravia boudoirs
for Holloway Jail and wasted much per-
suasive pefitence on the chaplain. How
many sham mendicants did she not ex-
pose!-pouncing upon them in the high
ways and byways. and giving them in
charge with joyful alacrity. 1t was Aunt
Hannah who plunged into crowd in
Piccadilly when poor man, seized with
epileptic tit, was surrounded by ring OF
sympathetic bystanders. Elbowing her
way through them she speedily seized him
by the collar.
s.Epileptic fit, is il? I'll soon cure YOU -
Leave the poor man alone!" cried a
tender-hearted bystander. Don't you see
he's foaming at the mouth ?"
"Soap!" cried Hannah, CONTEMPORARY
and 10 and behold the man did come out
of his very artistic tit, spat out lump of
soap, and said -
LET me go. can't yeri You're either the
devil or old Hannah!"
you're right" she said, triumphantly.
81 arm old Hannah, and, what's more, if
ever / catch you having fit again, l II run
you in"
Aunt Matte was the very reverse of this.
Aunt Hannah always alluded to her in
her milder moments as "poor, dear Mat
"that fool, Matilda" Matilda had never
been on board in her life; but if you
looked down the subscriptlob list of any
missionary society you would be sure to
find her modest initials.
81 never put my full name," she said,
meekly. Hannah makes such a FUSS
1t was to this household that Kenneth
as they drove along. Kenneth placed her
on the seat; but Sally preferred lying on
the floor of the cab, and coiled herself up
at his feet like a dog.
When they got home Kenneth carried
the tired girl in, and seeing that she was
not fit for the drawing room, placed her
on the mat in the hall, where she lay-a
little heap of rags, dirt and towzled hair.
As he entered the drawing-room he heard
Aunt Hannah reading in her very en-
phatic voice the summary of a paper she
intended to deliver at charity organiza-
ton conference next day. 1t was entitled
Sixteen reasons against the present sys-
tenn of outdoor paroceial relief" She
had got as far as the tenth. Kenneth s
entrance was hailed with Joy by the long
suffering Matte.
ooh, here you are!" she cried. ''Ten
O'Clock, and you were to be here by five''
i've brought home a girl"
Aunt Hannah dropped the sixteen reas-
ons, and calculated, ''What?" Matte
started. Those five words might mean SO
much. With the calm that precedes a
storm Aunt Hannah took off her glasses,
rubbed them slowly, and waited; but fur
ther explanation was interrupted by a
scream from Aunt Mattie:-
"Why, Kenneth, you've got great cut
on your temple, and there is blood on your
coliarr'
"It's nothing. I've had q fight. A
brute was kicking girl and licked him
and hrolIuhf the uir} homo Sha,s o,Ix- q
child"
Aunt Hannah put her glasses into their
case with a snap and recovered her voice.
Brought her homel Is this house cas-
nal ward or night refuge? Why, heaven
bless as. the boys gone stark, staring
mad.'
Matte had forgotten the girl and was
giving her mind to sticking plaster.
i've left her on the mat outside" added
Kenneth, alphabetically. ''She isn't as
clean as she might be- Hannah strobe
to the door. The hall was pretty with
fresh flowers, ferns and bright tiles-its
prettiness emphasized the incongruity OF
Saily's appearance, She was lying where
Kenneth had left her. her one shoe was
tied on with a bit of string, her frock was
ragged but the rents did not show, for her
skin was as black as her frock. One fright
fully bony arm fell across her knee and
the other hid her face.
Matte peeped from behind Hannah.
Hannah said authoritative.y:
Get up and be off with you'll" Sally i'm.
mediately gave vent to such torrent OF
bad language that the two ladies rushed
away and shut themselves in the drawing
ing room. Matte began to cry, but Han
nah seated herself rigidly in her armchair.
This is too much Kenneth"
Its getting awfuily Late said Ken.
| meth. Suppose we don't talk of this till
tomorrow. I'll get Bridget TO wash Sally
and m a Ee her nm a bod Snrpewhera