Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-03-05

young ruffians like himself. As they
were coming slowly home after night
fall, they heard, to their establishment,
the cry OF an infant. The sound seemed
to issue from a long, narrow, dirty ally
which opened on the street, aud at the
other end OF which hung dimiy flick
ering lamp. After short consultation,
the street boys ventured softly into the
passage, and one of them espied, behind
the door, little bundle of rags which
struggled aud walled. He seized hold
of it, and the whole party ran into the
street, triumphant, stopping under a
lamp to examine their capture. 1t proved
to be a baby girl few weeks old,
wrapped up in series of dirty cloths, a
poor little innocent abandoned to the
charity of strangers.
A council was held to decide what
should be done with the booty, an the
young captors gave free play to their
mischievous imaginations. One s1id to
put the baby back where they had found
it; another, to hide it in half. empty
prune- box which stood at a grocer's
door; third proposed to climb
up to second story balcony and
leave the youngSter there, and
how astonished the people would
be next day! But Zizi Monkey face
secuted 90 these ideas aud declared that
the baby must be given to the gypsies.
There was band of these people near
by, who practiced iu gglery ard fortune
telling, and instances of kidnapping were
by no means rare.
Monkey faces decision was hailed wit h
enthusiasm, and he claimed the right to
carry the treasure-troye in consideration
of his having made the plan.
HGive US the kid" he said. The baby
had, all this time, been screaming
piteously, but it stopped suddenly when
Monkey face took hold CT it, and while
he walked along with an air of triumph,
it fixed Its great blue eyes upon his
ugly face, aud smiled, at the same time
stretching its tiny hands out as if to
caress him.
"She is laughing" cried the boy in
delight, "see how she looks at me-
Then new impulse seized him.
81 will not give her away, he said,
81 will keep her myself"
His companions protested Indignantly,
but in vain, for as they well knew Zzi
Monkey face had at the end of each arm
an argument so strong that it would be
useless as well as unsafe to oppose his
wishes.
When he reached home with his
burden the fish peddler exclaimed
furiously.
"Do you think l have not enough to
do to fill your mouth, you lazy i'm 2
Take that brat to the police-quiGk
now" PIT, pat! A box on each ear
showed the boy that she was in earnest,
and he fed from the house.
That night he did not return, and the
next morning he was in the factory as
soon as it opened, fof the first time in
his life.
"Mr. George, he sail timidly to the
overseer, chow much will you pay me if
1 work hard all day2'
81 have already told you, twenty
cents answered the man in surprise,
and Monkey face worked indefatigable
until night. The overseer, amazed aul
delighted at the change paid the boy
for his work aud gave him twenty cents
in advance, in order to encourage him.
That night Monkey-face was again
absent from his home, aud his cousin,
the fish peidIer, went to the factory the
next evening, lay in wait for him, aud
dragged him home in spite of his strug-
giles, administering thrashiug on the
way. But it was no use; as sooa as the
old woman turned her back to cook the
soup for dinner, the boy slipped out OF
the house and did not return.
The factory overseer having been in
formed of the state of affairs made MP
his mind to settle the matter at once by
finding out where Monkey face spent his
nights, and for this purpose watched the
lad as he left the factory. Mr.. George,
in company with one of the workmen,
followed the wanderer at a short distance
aud observed him enter bakery and buy
small loaf of bread; next he went into
dairy and came out carrying a bottle
of milk, and then turned his steps
towards lonely deserted quarter near
the river. Suddenly his followers saw
him plunge into muddy alley; the place
having no lamps was as dark as an oven,
but Monkey-face was dimly visible as he
stopped before board fence. The next
minute he had scaled it with the agility
of the animal that was his namesake, and
was lost to sight.
The two men determined to discover
his hiding place, climbed over the wall
and found themselves in a large vacant
lot, surrounded with weeds and rubbish,
but of Moakey-face there was not a
sign.
At last they espied in the farthest
corner, low wooden shed which had
evidently once served as fowl. house,
and through the cracks of which a faint
light was shining. They approached it
uoiselessly and peered through crack.
Great was their establishment. In the
middle of the wretched hut, in which a
man would not have been able to stand
upright sat the young runaway, candle
stuck in the ground beside him; he was
gravelY pouring milk into feeding
bottle, and in corner on bed of dried
leaves, a baby was sleeping soundly
wrapped up in an old blanket.
Zizi Monkey face transformed into
nurse!
"What are you dong hereF" asked
the overseer. throwing open the door of
the cabin suddenly, and the boy startled
at first by the intrusion soon recovered
himself and answered slowly.
''Haven't l got right to have a little
sister,
Then after pause he added grandly,
81 earn twenty cents day. That is
enough for us both, and we don't ask
any one for anythIng!'
The narrator paused, smiled softly aud
added:
"The next day the owner of the fac
tory being informed of the matter raised
my pay to forty cents-just double"
"What?" l cried, sit was your
cab, l have betrayed myself" said
Durand. ''Yes, was the young rascal
who was in fair way to come to the
gallows, and thanks to the blue eyes of
that little girl, l become good work
man, and afterwards set up for myself
Now you understand why keep that
little blue cap; she had it on her when
we found her"
''Aud what has become of herr"
asked eagerly.