The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-10-05

than was known TO Putty. Years before
he took the house earned my living there,
doing a drudges work and running on er-
rands when was mere child. Fly Jigger
had Il then; that was before improvements
ruined the neighborhood. The houses in
Sweet Apple lane. now mostly untenant-
ed, were crowded with tenants, and the
Joy was favorite ''house of CALI for all
sorts of bad characters who lived there,
and for the men employed in Baxter's
wharf, which was then one Of the busiest
stores for dry sailing on this side Of the
river
Fly .Jigger did we'll by legitimate trade,
but he made still more money by dishonest
means and principally by plundering Bax-
ter's wharf. For this purpose he and his
crew had made passage under the fore
shore, opening at one end into the cellar OF
the JOY and at the other end into the
cellar Of the wharf. This passage was
called the tub run, because. to prevent the
sides falling in, 1t was lined with casks
with their heads removed and set end to
end. As soon as the house was closed at
night Fly Jigger and his mates would set
to work, going through the tub run into
Baxter's wharf and-feturning with goods
from the storerooms. l have seen them
bring out as many as so hams in a night.
The secret was never found out, but when
the trade went from Baxter's and the wharf
was cleared out and closed the run was no
longer of any service. The wharf watch
man, who had been party to these robber-
les, took care to close and conceal the cellar
opening, and Fly Jigger masked the open
ing on his side with q fagstone and a bar
row load of rubbish, which, trodden down.
presented no difference from the rest Of the
cnpaved floor. Previous to that, to keep
nhe brewers out of the cellar, he had re-
moved the beer barrels, which thenceforth
he kept set up behind the bar, saying that
Il was more fair and squarelike for the Gus
TONERS to see their beer drawn from the
wood than through the engine from the
deuce knows where.
The closing Of Baxters wharf was a sad
olow to him. but worse came soon after,
Tor being of q too active disposition he took
10 smuggling tobacco and rum from incom-
mig snlps, and being discovered by the ex-
else was sent to prison, and the Joy lost
lts license. The brewers obtained q fresh
license to sell beer and put Putty in to
manage the house. When he came, the
upring tides had flooded the cellar, and see
ing that it was of no use he had the trap
screwed down to save. the expense Of put
ting new hinges on it. Since then. as Ihave
sxid. no one had ever gone down into the
cellar.
with these recollections crowding my
mind and the means they suggested Of de-
liver1ng Taras filing my heart with q wild
delight, hurried down Ferryboat alley,
and after looking about carefully to mako
oure that no one was observing me wedged
myself through the ventilating hole and
dropped into the wharf cellar. i knew ex-
octly where the opening existed, having
taken part myself In some of the old ma
rauding expeditions. and dropping down
upon my hands and knees brushed the
dit away fron the stone that covered the
hole. There Was not enough light to see
1t. but could trace the outline plainly
enough with nNy fingers.
But how was I to raise the heavy hagf
There was no ring or anything to catch
hold Of, and knew that II Iworked away
1be rubbish sufficiently to get my hands
underneath should still be unable to lift
~ ! muss have something to pry 1t up
With. A bar of iron would do. 1t struck
me that / might find what needed among
the old iron In Johnsons yard. II had
thought of that beforehand, might have
brought Il in with me, but was too inn
patient Of delay, too eager to begin, to
waste time IN regrets.
4 Clambering up to the ventilator, looked
puk Some boys were playing on the shore.
\ dared not show myself while they were
there. It seemed to me that they would
never weary Of throwing stones into the
water. but st length they gave 1t up and
went away. Then slipped out. and pre-
Hendirg to be looking for odds and ends on
the shore made my way up to Johnson's
yard and got In through q gap In the pal
ing. Il didn't take long to find what I
Wanted-a broken stoking iron looked to
me Just the thing. Asking myself IL there
was anything else should need, II oc-
uurred to ma that candle would be nee
ossary, the cellar Of the Joy being even
/, darker than the wharf cellar. The gates
of the yard opened into Sweet Apple lane,
md a. they closed imperfectly was just
ah3e tosQueexe through-thanks to being
When I had bought halfpenny candle
I'D . boz of matches out of the money
x1ven me by Putty, the trembling Of my
Knees and . feeling of faintness reminded
me that had eaten nothing all day, so I
bought small loaf and some cold fish and
treated myself to cup of coffee with my
last halfpenny. The hot coffee set me up
wonderfully, and with revived energy re-
burned to the yard and hiding the bar
under my dress sneaked back to the stairs.
Then after another cautious look around,
finding the coast clear, slipped the stok-
ing iron through the ventilator and fol-
lowed It almost as swiftly.
II was harder Job than / expected to
move the fiagstone and get it out of the
way. But stuck to it, with the perspira-
tion running down my face, until, the sem
sation OF sickness seizing me again, had
20 give over for time till had eaten my
loaf and regained strength. At length,
having worked the stone aside, about foot
ont of its place, knelt down to feel IL the
opening was large enough for me to pass
through (for had not lit the candle to do
this work.. and then TO my dismay dis
oovered that the too careful watcbman had
/ Allied the hole with rubbish. Sinking
. down on the ground. could have cried
+ with the mingled feelings of rage and dis
appointment, but thinking OF Taras des-
pcration overcame these sentiments. and
. springing up on my knees ] tore at the rub
1<f.I xxffl. m, y hands yeberuontly like N doc