The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-08-02
MILES GREEN PEAS.
The Part They Played in the
Scheme of Human Events.

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 glittered, and the red lips curled
away from her tiny white teeth in
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 romping
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: f'How beautiful a
childr'
Il guess what it is" she cried. Its
green peas! It's green peas!"
Yes" said her mother; land |
shelled them on the sly, and they'll
soon be cooked. And there'n be po-
tatoes, too, with some meat left over
from yesterday. The meat will be
cold, for | haven't got time with my
sewing, to heat it. But two hot veg
etables, Mile, think of that! And
now you can run out into the street
for a 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
thoroughfare near by. Mile would
not have dared to do that, even If she
had desired. She simply trotted along
the pavements of her particular block,
just as she had done countless times
before.
The merry wind blew back her sill1en
hair below the ragged brim of her hat,
with it's one old crumpled scarlet rose
nodding on the crown.
She was going to have green peas
for dinner, and she was magnificently
happy.
Certain residents of the street knew
her, and smiled to her from their
doorways. To some of these, as she
tripped along, she would say, with a
mellow little laugh: Were going to
have green peas for dinner
Some answered her laugh rather
coldly. Others answered it in a
humaner way. Still others gave her a
sigh Of pity. They were all poor peo-
pie, but there were grades in their
poverty, self-importance and pride.
Soon she reached grim, ramshackle
tavern in the middle of the block
From its door big man with pulled,
purplish face had just emerged. Be
.f'de him was thin, frail boy, with
sunken checks. The man had gripped
the boys sleeve, and his frown was
full of threat
$50 home" he growled, land tell
your mother that if she sends We here
agin when I'm takin' sociable glass,
III send we back to her with the life
beat half out o you, SO | will.'
The boy gave faint cry of pain.
His fathers hand had clutched bruis-
ingly what slight flesh there was on
his fragile arm.
Mile came to standstill, and
stared innocently 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 EN-
Here Mile put her head on one side
and critically surveyed the wan,
sunken.cheek boy. Il guess he'd
like some green peas for his dinner.
guess he amt going to have any.
wish he was"
AS she danced away, with 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 fimsy 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 a dol
lar and gave it to the boy. That's all
I've got left, but it'll buy something.
i won't take no more drink to-day
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 well
his fathers good resolves-how soon
they melted 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
a short time.
Fifty cents meant so much! Ten
cents would buy lots of bread Twenty
cents would buy good deal of meat.
And then there would be twenty cents
left. And that for tomorrow might
stave off actual starvation at least an
other day.
As he thought this thought the pale
boy, speeding to his miserable home a
few streets away, blessed that same
little girl from the lowest deeps of his
grateful and astonished heart.
Meanwhile Mile went buoyantly
or, with the old crumpled rose on her
hat bobbing up and down in the sum-
mer wind.