The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-19
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, AUGUST 10. 1894

! LuUlEu us OhutE DOlt udtl DeEu us
membered and had fallen from sight be-
/ hind.
| Every hallway and stairway was heaped
| with apparently lifeless bodies. Males
| and females lay against steps. copings,
l area ratings, or were stretched across
| sidewalks, doubled in cutters. or still lay
prone upon the nOisOme stones of the
! street A few of all these hideous forms
/ and faces were pinched and thin and
| drawn and pallid from pain and want /;
| but most were blOwsy and blOated and
fiery from endless drink
There was a horrible fascination in the
revolving scene which drew Aunt Mirandy
on and on. With her skirts instinctively
gathered about her and her Quaint old
viniagrette clasped tightly to her CULVER
ing nOstrils, she picked her way here and
there, or leaped gingerly over sodden
bodies, muttering Mercy, mercy! mer-
Cyl all the dreadful way.
The recurring sounds of business life,
the clang and clamor of the great trade
thOroughfares beyond, finally recalled
her TO her mission.
Huh ~ she startlingly exclaimed. IF
l amt dom just like all the rest; loolin
at these horrors like a play-show and
leavln' EN- horrors still! Mercy me!
Where shall l begin1''
She retraced her steps, stood still for a
little. shook her viniagrette ferociously
and gazed distractedly up the winding
street. loathsOme in its Sinuous trailing
as the discarded skin Of a huge snake.
just then a horrible volley of oaths.
oaths from women, too, with the unmis-
takeable sounds of cuttings and thump-
lngs, arrested her attention. They issued
from dark basement stairway almost
beneath her.
Stepping to the iron railing, she peered
cautiously into the darkness below. When
hGars arrsa hs1A haa - -,
shadows OF the nauseous pit, she saw in
the turn of the passage way wriggling
mass of heads and legs and fists and
heels.
When the oaths and the blows had
somewhat stilled from exhaustion, she
dimlY discerned the forms and faces of
three girls; of those girls of the slums
with little, chunky bodies; with strangely
symmetric forms and marvelously agile
physical powers; with unconscious and
exquisitely graceful movements, and
often with winsomely nodded features; of
those girls who never knew girlhood,
between whom and maidenhood lies the
impossible gulf, to whom womanhood is
forever barred; of those girls altogether
as cunning as imps of darkness and hard
as the pavement stones, from which, for
all they know, or the world cares, they
have been given luckless birth.
Right here's the place to begin!" said
Aunt Mirandy determinedly.
Without hesitation she descended the
slippery steps, hustled the girls upon
their feet in a corner tidied their cloth
ing, primped their hair rubbed up their
faces with her handkerchief; and all
with such rush of aptitude and uncon-
sciOuS kindly authority that there was no
further show of protest than a few ami
mal-like gurgles and grunts of curiosity
and surprise.
Come long to breakfact now; all of
youu' she commanded, herding the rum
pied and tOusled lot before her. Need
some more myself" she continued as the
girls eyes opened wide in establishment
Got rung away from mine this morn
ing by beggar; an audacious beggar,
too! Wouldn't like that, would you,
girls"
''Nope?" they chorused, slyly prodding
each other with their nimble elbows
while snickeriug brazenly.
Here we are. This'll do" insisted
Aunt Mirandy, still herding her lot be-
fore her into an unpretentious restau-
rant.
But few patrons were now at the
tables and a waiter, noticing the strange
party, stepped forward with a quizzical
look in his face
Now, no airs, waiter!' said Aunt
Mirandy sternly.
No airs, waiter, " echoed the trio, Ger
tn old un an us'll do ye!-see?"
Where's your washstand9" Aunt
Mirandy demanded unmoved.
Yes, where's de hydran' plug, corkey?n
mimicked the girls uproariously
The waiter, with solemn ceremonious-
ness, led the way to little alcove, turned
the water on with swish into four
basins, and retreated to respectful dis
tance.
Here, go an get me a comb and
brush!'
She gave him bank note and an addi-
tional command While you're at it.
bring throe tidy chip hats for these three
these three young friends of mine.
Keep the change"
Then, while the girls rolled up their
eyes, Aunt Mirandy rolled up her sleeves.
WASH she said tersely. Here.
water and soap, mind"
She did not stand idly by. She lathered
her own hands, and, one by one, soaped
those girls hands and arms and necks
and heads, and secured and soused and
rinsed and dried and when the comb and
brush and package of hats had come,
after general directions to the waiter for
"a good breakfast for four2' she worked
on those girls pretty but frowsy heads
beTOically; braiding this ones locks, con-
verting into handsome knot that ones
tangled treSSeS, and deity winding over
her fingers the other ones curls: until
anyone would have thought her travel
ing hair dresser; and when the three
neat little CHIP hats were on their heads,
and they had worked over each others
not ungainly apparel with a wisp- broom
in barbarously playful vim, Aunt Mi
randy sat down in a chair before them in
gratitied admiration with the enthusiast
tic remark There amt three finer on
Fifth avenue!" which brought shame
dazed but proud light into their swapping
eyes, the quick flush of emulation into
their cheeks, and to their lips the CRATE
full tribute to their unaccountable com
panion of:
"Hully gee! Git on ter wat de fairy's
did,
Upon which they went awkardly. be.
cause now somewhat consciously, TO
their table and ate like ravenous beasts.
while Aunt Mirandy could scarcely
watch their outlandish actions closely
enough, by the mists which constantly
gathered in her old and happy eyes.
Now girls-you amt goin' to be pes
tered about any Twin thing-but what's
YOUR names anyhow asked Aunt Mir
andy, encouragingly.
de dead right ones, er de ones US sa-
shays roun' onl'
oh, just your short, common, every
day ones. Them'll do"
"She's Name, de Terror, - said one
Jerking her head toward the one with the
Grecian knot, "kase She de slugger of