Evening journal., 1892-01-12
A WHITE ONE.

fences and thought nothing Of them
They chatted continuously over thei
work, not because they were happy Or be
cause they had anything particular TO say
but because they had no conception Of tht
dignity Of silence. The conversation wa
perhaps not Of the most edifying descrip
ton, and the language employed WA,
forcibe. FURNISHED by slang and not FIRE,
from superiluous explosives, for these uirl,
were not Of the highest type.
There WIS curious tawdriness, or rather
gaudiness about their, for the most part
ragged dresses they had big, heavy frinRes
| which the steam had taken out of curl. n
that in nearly every instance they strng
gled into the bold eyes beneath them: theil
faces, too, were in striking contrast totheii
hands In the matter of cleanliness. for i,
was not compulsory 20 put them in the
water 70 earn livelihood but they were
better in this respect than they would be
nearer the end of the week, for today was
only Tuesday
The only exception to the universal un.
tidiness was manifested in the person OF
one whom the girls called Liza tthe Il be.
ing pronounced ny IL it was the diphthong
all This Liza. the preliminary "en OF
whose name was invariably dropped by her
acquaintance, WAS hunchback and her
face, though it possessed the merit Of clean
liness, was almost repulsively ugly.
The complexion WIS sallow the mouth
badly shaped the eyebrows ohtrusively
dark aud heavy; very sad were the ewes
beneath them had there been any one Co
note their wistful look. but Liza did not
encourage scrutiny, aud indeed the brown
eyes were not remarkable 10 themselves
and were moreover half hidden by the
dropping lids, from which she glanced in a
sideways, half sinister manner Liza was
not very popular among her companions
partly because she chose TO be exclusive
and partly because she could on occasion
say unpleasantly sharp things. But there
was one person whom she loved. and that
WAS Miss Calender.
BY and BY the ringing Of bell created i
diversion among the workers. Almost
simultaneously eight pairs OF red, soapy
arms were drawn out Of the waahtubs
eight pairs 81 red, crinkled hands were
wiped ON some portion Of convenient ap
parel, and eight pairs OF III shod feet
trampled into an adjoining room.
AT table in this room stood a vounp
lady, very sweet in appearance and pref
tily dressed. She nodded Ia a friendly wav
70 the girls, and shook hands with each
one ~ they passed She had their interest
at heart, and made It iier duty to come two
or three times week and provide them
with dinner. This dinner consisted usually
as on this ocoasion, OF plate Of soup ana
a large slice OF pudding for which they
paid penny; a second helping Of either
could be had fora firthing. 80 the payment
was merely nominal; but the girls were
exempt from the feeling that they were
the recipients OF charity.
The coppers were ''dabbed" down on the
table in q little pile. and Miss Calender
ladled out the soup, which was quickly
and noisily consumed. The young lady
watched the other women. smiling. Per-
fectly dainty herself, their roughness did
not seem 70 repel her.
Girls" she said presently. in her quiet.
clear voice II am going TO give party in
the Mission hall. Will you Gomez"
There was chorus OF delighted assent,
accompanied By a general gathering Of
spoons on the almost empty plates.
lor'' Miss; what sort Of a party might
il be, now?n
"Oh, friendly said Miss Calender.
Music and plenty 70 eat, and--you may
bring your sweethearts"
This caused a prolonged giggling.
Might we bring more than oney" in
quired Polly Blanes, who enjoyed the dis
tinctlon Of being the prettiest Of the girls.
Miss Calender shook her head disap
provingly.
You oughtnt TO have more than one.
she said, smiling
oh, AZ for that. miss. I don't want any
I'm sure; but there, the more You draws
on. the more they comes on. That's how
i is with men, and that's why them a.
don't want 'em always has the most al
mirers."
And Polly, conscious Of a fascinating re-
trousse nose and adimpled chin, tossed her
head 10 the air.
Whereupon all the girls, not 10 be out.
done, and by no means reticent on the sub
iect Of their love affairs fell 70 talking
ahout them. finding the topic eminently
congenial, and treating it In a manner
which displayed no more vulgarity 81
hesrt than is concealed by certain ladies'
Hiss Calender rather encouraged than
checked them, she liked them to be per
tectly natural before her, and was glad Of
anything which gave her an insight into
their lives and character
Two there were who kept silence-one a
little newly married woman to whom love
$3.50 w. oAt~AAA A0N A0AAAAou speech. ana
Liza.
The pudding she had begun 10 attack
seemed TO stick in 'Liza's throat, and she
had great difficulty in gnlping it down,
for the other hunger OF which she was
often conscious, the hunger of the heart.
now 50 asserted itself as TO make her OBJ
livious Of bodily needs. Something there
was, too Of bitterness in her mind as she
listened 70 the talk Of these others Per
haps PotlY's words did more to cause il
than anything else. Them as don't want
EN- always has the most admirers" Look.
ing up she suddenly met the eyes q this
girl. To her morbid imagination they ex-
pressed pity. perhaps scorn. She Grim
soned.
There was momentary lull so that
they all heard her when she said In De
culiarly load harsh, defiant voice:-
Mine isn't living: mine isn't"
"Yoursi did you have a sweetheart
oncey asked the married woman, not un
gently. though there was the slightest per
ceptihie accent on the pronoun
And why nos" asked Liza. and her
voice was iouder than before. 1T isn't
only pretty girls as has people caring fnr
en-. There's other things besides looks.p
'Oi course there are, dear" said Miss