The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-10-12
:. MInLIE'S GREEN PEAS.
The Part They Played In the
l.: Scheme Of Human Events.

old. Her mother was very poor. and
sewed for her living in two> small
rooms of dingy New York house not
far from East Broadway. One bright
day in summer, day that made even
the shabby and dirty street seem
pleasant because of the breeze and
sunshine that were blended there, Mil
lies mother said to the child:
You've been very good for three
whole days, and promised you that
if you didn't worry and fret me the
least bit for that length Of time you
should have something nice to eat on
the fourth day"
Mile jumped for joy. Her blue
eyes gliltered, and the red lips curled
away from her tiny white teeth in a
glorious little smile. Even in her
coarse gown she was very pretty, and
if she had been arrayed like some OF
the children who then were romplng
in the uptown parks, watched by their
careful nurses, with her yellow floss
of hair neatly combed and daintily be-
ribboned. you might even have paused
and said of her: "How beautiful
child.''
Il guess what it ISL she cried. 'lt's
green peas. It's green peas!''
Yes" said her mother; land l
shelled them on the sly, and they'll
soon be cooked And therem be po-
tatoes, too. with some meat left over
from yesterday. The meat will be
cold. for I haven't got time with my
sewing. to heat it. But two hot veg
etables. Mile, think Of that! And
now Won can run out into the street
for little while. and when you come
in I'll have everything ready. But
mind you don't stay long, and remem-
Der not to pass the corner.
To pass the corner meant to invade
the great hustle and breadth of the
thorougllfare near by. Mile would
not have dared to do that, even If she
had desired. Size simply trotted along
the pavements of her particular block,
just as she had done countless times
before.
The merry wind blew back her silken
hair below the ragged brim of her hat,
with its one old crumpled scarlet rose
nodding on the crown.
She was going to have green peas
for dinner. and she was magnifcently
happy.
Certain residents of the street knew
her. and smiled to her from their
doOrwayS. To some of these. as she
trpped along. she would say with a
mellow little laugh: We're going to
have green peas for dinner
Some answered her laugh rather
coldly. Others answered it in a
humaner way. Sill others gave her a
sigh Of pity. They were all poor peo-
pie. but there were era .es in their
poverty. self-importancc and pride.
Soon she reac he'd grim. ramshackle
tavern in the middle of the block.
From it's door & NJ man with a putfed,
purpli,h face had just emerged. Be-
side him was a thin. frail boy, with
sunllcu checks. The man had gripped
the boys sleeve, and his frown was
full Of threat.
60 home," he growled, land tell
. your mother that if she sends We here
agin when I'm tal1in' a sociable glass,
III send We back to her with the life
beat hall out o you, SO will"'
Tho boy gave Il faint cry of pain.
His iati2r's hand had clutched bruis-
ingly what slight flesh there was on
his fragile arm.
NIillic came to standstill, and
stared innoccntlv into the mans face.
I'm going to have green peas for
dinner" she said. ''I've been good for
three whole days, and I'm going to
have 'em"
Here Mile put her head on one side
and critically surveyed the wan,
like some green peas for his dinner.
guess he amt going to have any.
wish he was
AS she danced away, with a faint
hum of song on her lips and the breeze
blowing her bright hair, the eyes Of
the bloated man followed her. His
hand dropped from the tlimsy sleeve
Of the boy and presently it slipped
into one of his own pockets
You said there wasn't anything
home to eat? He drew out half dol
lar and gave it to the boy. That's all
I've got left, but it'll buy something.
l won't take no more drink to-day. I
guess | can work off this spree before
tomorrow mornin'. Go home an tell
yer mother | said that. Hurry, now.
an Ill trudge on after ye."
The pale boy, with his coin close
grasped in one weak hand, FASTENED
down the street. He knew too we'll
his fathers good reselves-how soon
they me ted in air. But at least the
awful want from which he and his lit
tie sister and his sick mother were all
three suffering would be appeased for
short time.
Fifty cents meant so much! Ten
cents would buy lots of bread. Twenty
cents would buy a good deal Of meat
And then there would be twenty. cents
left. And that for tomorrow might
stave off actual starvation at least nm.
other day.
AS he thought this thought the pale
boy speeding to his miserable home .
few streets away, blessed that same
little girl from the lowest deeps of his
grateful and astonished heart.
Meanwhile Millie went buoyantly
Oh. Will lilc OlSi VI u1uPACO AOcC Ou uci
hat bobbing up and down in the sum
mer wind.
Soon she met two girls who seemed
to be quarreling One was larger than
the other and appeared to be very old
indeed She was possibly sixteen
years old, while her companion could
not have been more than fourteen.
~ won't ro baol- hov,,o E,<a eta
the Younger girl, who was pretty,
with face pink as a seashell and
great liquid eyes, full of dark, starry