Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-11-24
ACROSS THE RIVER.
A Sketch from Life in a Great
City.

ever ye were. Come right Inlet me
take the things of this chair-now sit
ye down. How's the good man and all
the childer2 All, hal Ye're putin
and BLOWN like porpoise. Ye're not
the light-footed gyurl that used to skip
up Rathfne hill in the good ould days"
maggie Bertelli, 1t - pooh - it nd
make inny wan-blow TO climb thin
stairs. How have you bcen for the last
six months, since you came up to llar-
lem TO see us?"
"We've all been dom finely. Now
take off your bonnet and shawl, and
I'll pour ye out cup o. tay that I'm
keepin' warm for Mary aninst she
comes home from the cloak shop"
"l'll be deprivin' the child objected
the visitor.
"Sorra bit. There's enough in the
taypot for half Dozen" and Mrs. Ber-
tell hurried to the stove on her hospit-
able mission, while Mrs. Mulligan took
OFF her bonnet and shawl, smoothed
out the creases In the terchief that COW
cred her ample shoulders, and surveyed
the tidy apartment with an experienced
housewives critical eye.
maggie" she remarked TO her host
ess, "it's beyant me to know how you
can live down here in double decker
In Sullivan street among all the dagos
-widout manin' oifcnse to your good
man-whin you might just us well be
Twin up in Harlem among your own
kind, where you could get breath Of
fresh air now and again"
well, Mary Ann,ye see Tony's work
Is down here, and Mamie sews over in
Broadway cloak house, and its con-
vanicnt for thin. The neighbors Is
quiet, harmless folks, and |, not know
in their talk, have little to do wild
thin. AS for Tony, he's the best hus-
band and father that ever lived. Now
here, take this sup o. tay while it's
hot;" and Mrs. Bcrtilli put the cup OF
'tay" on the table, in front of her guest.
"You might a gone furdcr and Jared
worse than marryin' Tony" said Mrs.
Mullgan, as she slipped the beverage.
but In these barracks, crowded with
furrincrs of all kinds, you run n risk
Of catchin' some kind o. sickness"
"Thruc for We. There was two min
an babe, sick wild smallpox, taken
out o the big tinemeDt next door on'y
a couple o. weeks ago." replied the
hostess,
Look ut that. nowl Sure it's the
dirt of the haythens, with their rooms
turned into ragshops."
Mrs Bertclli's information about the
sickness seemed to have disturbed her
friend, for after u moments silence she
said in slightly hushed voice:
~ hope you have no smallpox in this
! house. Me little Tim amt as hardy as
he might be. and wouldn't want to
carry the disease homo to him"
"Make yer mind easy" replied Mrs.
Bertelli. There's none nv it here. I
hear me daughter Mamie's step on the
stairs. Wait ill We see what fine big
! gyurl she's grown. Good nvcnin' to
| We, miss" cried Mrs. Bcrtelli as the
| girl entered. "Do ye see who's here?
Me old friend Mrs Mulligan, from
| Harlem" and the mother beamed
proudly on the tall, pretty young wom-
an who kissed her, and gave welcome
TO her mothers friend.
"Arrah, Mamie, ! wouldn't know you
II met you on the street." exclaimed
Mrs. Mulligan. You've grown SO tall
and handsome. You've got your
fathers big black eyes and curly raven
locks, and the beautiful rosy checks
your mother brought wild her from the
ould dart"
"She's roster than usual this aven-
In" said Mrs. Bertilli. "Ain't ye
feelin' well, acushla2 Why, yer hand
Is burnin'."
I'm not very well tonight, nanny.
I've had headache all day long"
"Give her hot cup o tsy, Mary
Ann. tn do her good. Thin cloak
shops Is SO crowded and stiflin' they dc
give the girls the headache to be in
thin all day." said the girls mother.
81 couldn't eat or drink, NANNY.
I'll rest awhile on the bed IN see you
again before you leave, Mrs. Multi
gam" and Mamie passed into the bed
room
"It's fever she has, Maggie" viii
pered Mrs. Mulligan, land as soon al
Tony comes in you'd betther sind foS
the docthor Now, it's gettin' late" she
continued, thinking about little Tim
"who wasn't as hardy as he might be,
and the possibilities Of Mamie's fever
proving contagious. Its gottin' late
and have a long journey afore me, Sc
I'll be goin'. BE sure now and com'
up and see rs soon"
"Ye've taken the heart out o me
Mary Ann, wild yer talk about fayer
That gyurl's the apple o. me eye. an /
innything was to happen to her, Coz
help me, don't know whatd beoom'
o. me. An her father, poor man, hi
heart an souls wrapped up in ber
There never was betther young won
an or betther daughter, Why, sh'
spint the hest part Of her nights tindin
that sick baby next dure, just TO give
its mother chance TO get some rest
and now"-the good-natured eyes WERE
dimmed with tears.
"Cheer up, Maggie. The grill b
all right in tho mornin'. Now good-b!
TO you, and come up aud SEQ us soon.
"Good-by, good luck TO ye, we Away
had the cheer-in' word for a sorrowin
heart Mary Ann" and Mrs. Bertell
took the lamp from the table an'
lighted the way to the long staircase.
| When the cottpA Of har yisftoraa foot