Evening journal., 1891-08-05
VIRGIN ALLEY.

and in this case am bound to confess that
the subject was well nigh exhausted in its
title, 80 far as that locality was concerned.
But when once this street had won its ironio
title it ceased to be particular on the score
Of its nomenclature, and the barefooted
urchins who dangled their pinched legs
from doorsteps had names as abbreviated
az their stockings
just where this Rue de Sodom stretched
its dirty length shall not be particular TO
say. It IS not in the nature Of my subjeg
to be particular Enough said when | ex.
plain that it was the lazar spot of a certain
small town near this city; a row of low
wood colored cabins little bigger than
boxes, where the eannaille, "the un-
washed swarmed and hiyed. 1t was bare.
Earth, houses, children-all bare. No
grass. no paint, no clothes And like the
bald spot on the small head, its barrenness
was all the more conspicuous because OF
the smallness Of the village that contained
it.
The male inhabitants of Virgin alley
lived by fishing, hunting gambling and
stealing in n small way. When they drew
the line at that the town was satisfied.
The female portion of the alley-lived. |
draw the line there.
Now and then some one of the three or
four wealthy men Of the town would begin
to talk about cleaning out Virgin alley.
This was the only way these local aristo-
Gratis had Of announcing their candidacy
for president of the town board. | only
mention it because it is so refreshing to
find an instance of politicians boldly cater
ing to the yirtuous and respectable part of
a community. But when these politicians
began to boast of how they would "clean
out Virgin alley" they were reminded
that, as for the alley, fire would not burn
it and that a greater than Mr. So-and-so
had been swallowed up in its depths. This
latter allusion was intended to convey to
Mr.. So-and-so that he would better let well
enough alone and tread lightly on virginia.
toes Of the alley If he hoped to trifle with
town politics with elaborate success.
The little allusion, however, concealed
far more than it revealed. 1t is this con-
cealment that now concerns us.
A tradition sprsng up in Virgin alley
and WIS banded about the town generally
that once upon a summers day gay youth
strnck the little town and made the most
OF it, He was not a colporteur for the
tract society nor the agent for foundlings'
home, but he was rs well dressed as either
of those philanthropic gentlemen, and like
them. soon Struck his gait" and emerged
into Virgin alley. The moon was in am
other quarter when he left it. He went inn
mediately TO the railway station and thence
| TO the big city.
| II was soon whispered that this gay
/ youth was a real live lord. Inasmuch as
| he had not condescended TO make the ac-
/ Quaintanoe Of the remainder OF the town,
/ no one outside the alley was prepared TO
| dispute the rumor. So the alley had its
own way and say as to the genuineness Of
/ his lordship. Lord or not, neither his COM
/ ing nor his going seemed to make any one
| in the alley or out of it the happier. The
neighborly virgins rested their bare elbows
on their window sills and fence tops and
scolded, cursed and spat at each other as
spitefully as ever. and their faces were
just as freckled, dirty and devilish as be
fore his possible lordship came and went.
One person, however, seemed visibly af
feoted by the innovation Of the gay youth
into alley society. That person was Little
Iisette. She was sad. Those who hac
known her from childhood had never
known her to be sad before. Whatever
else she may have been, sadness was no
one of her vices. Naturally her beaut,
would have made her hated byevery femal
in the alley, but her irresistible good natur
made them forgive her for her beauty anC
love her for her sunshine Even the lazy
hounds would leap from their lairs unde
the wagOns-which always stood for lacl
! Of better shelter, ranged along the alley Il
front of the habitation of their owners
{ and wag her "A hearty welcome. She alway
stopped to stroke their pointed noses an
l pull their long, soft ears-a familiarit
Q that few dare attempt.
/, Yes, happy Little Lisette was irrevocabl
+ sad. Not so with the other virgins. Whe
y Lisette passed BY looking her saddest the
smiled wisely and seemed TO see somethin
quite laughable in the girls detection
Little Lisette was seventeen, and as CIR
y have been known to be in love at seyentee
that might explain her sorrow were it II,
Y for the fact that no one in the alley ha
y ever been known to commit that weakness
I II was contrary to the traditions OF q
!, place, and a piece Of nonsense not to be e
= Grated. In fact, the presumption Of fallir
Z in love was received as an assumption
y superiority, and was treated accordingl
4 1t did not DO for a daughter Of the alley
y become stuck up" Even favored Liset
ie found that out.
After time Little Ilsette dropped q
title Of Little and became simply 81
sette,' for the very good or bad reason th
& that diminutive prefix was needed to
y scribe smaller Lisette.
y, Six years passed and still Lisette W
u unhappy, though for the life Of them
* virgins of the alley could not tell wh
Lisette had to make her so. To be su
she was not as handsome as at seventies
but she was still the handsomest WON
nd IN the alley-and that ought to be enou
M for feminine ambitionin that locality. NJ,
in than that, Little Lisette was the hansom
to child in the alley-and Of the town, for Il
're matter The highly respectable of
town would stop the child on the sire
draw her long, golden curls through th
fingers, and sigh, What pityp
at II no one was locking these ladies woi
,ed even kiss the child's brow. Scandalous
its be surel Yet they did it. They could
les help it; the child drew them so.
Another summers day. Another 2
as. sleman emerges into Virgin alley H'
~ not the colporteur; not the agent for
80 foundlings' home. But he would pass,
,raI world over, for "AIan Of the Cloth"
49, knocks at Lisette's door and is admit
There is nothing strange about that
has occurred before. But the strange th
about It Is rnat the Man or the Cloth ]
j. sad as Liscttel
Hi, 1t is not yet noon, but Lisette and
It Man Of the Cloth are sitting in the sha
Of Of a deserted cooper shop, talking eari
cted ly The other virgins are watchin,
OF earnestly from windows and fences S
laugh and some make up hideous
hool It's all the same to I4izctte and the Ma
! of the Cloth, for the inquisitive virgins
ship not see that Lsette's CRYING or hear