St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-22
paTHos OF A PAWNsHOP.
How little Manic Tried to Sell
Her, Disreputable Doll.


Gradually everything of the slightest
value disappeared from the Clancy
household and found quarters in q
.pawnshop. A, path was almost worn
between their home, in little court Off
Hester, street. and the place of the gid
ed balls. Little four-year-old Mamie,
even, was taught the way to the money
lenders. But this was after things be-
came wofnlIy straitened.
~ John Clancy was molder, and made
good wages. Consumption putitS mark
upon him, however, and he lost position
after position. Then it was that his
wife Mary began to take in washing.
Frail at all times. never strong in her
life. the dashboard sapped her vitality.
'Byt this time John was in bed, and as
Mary. rubbed the clothes over the, CORFU
gated board he accompanied her with
his hacking cough. 1t was not the
splashing .suds that Mary wiped out OF
her eyes with her moist apron.
~ Mary felt herself failing. John was
growing weaker and weaker. and little
Mamie. the only CLEAN of sunlight In
her life, knew the Cravings OF an empty
stomach. She must work. How long
SHE could do it she didn't know, but
While her frai body, seconded by her
maternal love and indomitable will.
held out she would do her best.
These were the times that she became
acquainted with the paWnbrokerS.
Her wedding ring was lirst to go. LII
wouldn't stay on her thin finger any
more. and it bought John medicine and
Mamie bread. 80
Her clothes followed, then johns and
some OF her little child's.
Some baby clothes, belonging to her
little baby boy, Johnnie, who had died,
were in her trunk. Around these wound
all the tendrlls of her strainlng heart.
They went the same way.
Chairs followed, and as two tubs was
luxury why, one of them had to go,
too.
One morning Mary found that she
could not rise from bed. Her will was
strong, but her physical being was
wreck and beyond mental control. John
had caughed all night necessarily. lie
had taken the last of his medicine.
Now. however, he was sleeping.
''Mamie's hungry said the little tot,
Juggling at the meager bed clothes.
Tears flowed down the mothers face.
She had no control over them. Cares
seams upon her features formed little
gullies, along which the tears flowed,
unchecked.
"Papa's face is so told" was the next
remark of the little one, whose baby
lips were quiYering.
An. alarm, sudden, sharp, gave Mrs.
Clancy momentary strength. She turned
over.
John was dead.
Her shrieks brought in several neigh
bors, almost as poor as herself. They
did what they could.
II have no money, not one cent. My
poor husbands dead, and my baby's
starving" walled the beTeaved womans
Mamie's tiny brain was workings
ever. -
Mamie, dear. come here, baby" said
the mother weakly.
Thereywas no response, and. worn out
body, soul and mind, she sank into a
a deep sleep. -
The door of a pawnshop was pushed
open. A ragged little child tOddled in.
She had been there before. Her eyes
were brimful of tears, the little lip
ouvered' nervously, and she Rugged.
with all her baby strength, a parcel
wrapped in newspaper.
,'"sWelI, we!ls why don't you speak?'
said the proprietor roughly.
My mamma is sick and my papa is
dead, III they's dom to put i'm in box.
We hasn't dot any money, n | wants 90
to div me some money for ZlS."
Here the child unWrappeG her parcel,
and her eyes pretty eyes she had
Dubbed over with tears as she handed
up her doll.
One eye was gone, a leg was missing,
the nose was smashed and sawdust
dripped from bursted seams.
The pawnbroker laughed at first
The child did not. She couldn't see
the counter for tears, and heavy sobs
shook her little breast.
Il can't give you anything for that.
Get out of here!" and the doll was flung
at the child,
Here, now-d-- youw said husky
voice, and big brown hand picked up
the dolly and placed it in the hands of
the heart broken child.
-''I'll be ----- if | can stand this.
B'gees Pm cryin' myself. Here, young
one; take this N run home now," and
the owner of the husky voice showed a
teE-dollar bill into the child's hand.
I'm | wont haveter sell me dolly;
oohooh!" and hugging and kissing the
disreputable doll, the little one fled
tlIC QOOl. as IlCI Ill-CICo
feet disappeared around the corner a
man emerged from the pawnshop.
He was sport. He followed the races
and was broke. He had Just made
stake by pawning his watch and was
going to play a ''sure thing" which a
stable boy had given him.
well, this is great, this is. Here L
goes N soaks me ticker to get de cases
to play dat ciDch N now PM stone broke
agin. Mike, you're a--. No you
amt. neither. Look at that young one,
spouting de only thing she had in de
cart IN her folks on der uppers. Say.
eff you hadn'ter come down wild dat
money fer de kid you'd bin 49,,
see?
well. fIi hit up agin something,
dead sure. A fellar won't git de t'row
down fer7an ack like dat.
Hello dere, Casey, got dollar y'kln
spare? No? We'll, so long den."