The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-12
iMACK'S CONVERSION.

out begging professionally found on the
steps of the tenement in which she lived
dirty basket with dirty bit of ironing
blanket in it. Peeping under this cover
ing, she saw a baby's face.
It's an i'll wind that blows nobody any
good" said the old woman to herself.
Here I was going to borrow baby, and
when you borrow you've got to pay back
somehow, If it is only baby, and if I
don't make by this, why, can Jest chuck
it away agin somers.''
The sympathizing public soon saw this
respectable female seated at her regular
post on the steps of a public building.
with the baby in her arms. Two cents
worth of milk served for its dinner; 10
cents worth of laudanum kept it quiet for
a long while.
And the unfortunate little waif was
kept by the old woman, and in time
learned to walk, learned to fight, learned
to swear, was sent out to beg by itself
and became street boy.
The old woman died at last, and there
was no one even to cuff him. He earned
money by an odd job now and then. He
stole anything he could. He was coaxed
into reformatory schools now and then
and played repentant and had some soup.
He starved, but not to death. Some
times he went to the gallery of some cheap
theater and saw play and wished he was
noble highwayman.'
So he grew up to manhood-attained
those years when, in other classes of soci-
ETY., fresh hopes awaken, new careers are
entered upon. Even to this muddy street
creature a little alteration came.
He always had known how to smoke;
he learned by picking up cigar ends from
the cutters. But when he could get it he
could drink now also, and he had begun
to understand that a woman was some
thing to be insulted on all occasions.
For awhile one or two excellent mis-
sionaries felt sure that Mack was going to
get religion" They got lAAEa INTO church
and prayed with him. Sc had not the
slightest idea what it was all about.
He went to their big room once or
twice, a room in the worst part of the
city, hired for the purpose of attracting
the most degraded TO the meetings.
He ended by stealing the contribution
box from under the very nose of its near
sighted guardian and decamped with it to
some unknown region, leaving on the seat
he had occupied when most moved a pack
of dirty cards arranged in the order of a
finished game of solitaire.
AS for Mack, having escaped to Jersey
shores, he spent his i'll gotten gains in riot
as long as they lasted. Finally he gambIed
away the remnant at a low tavern far out
on a country road and being discovered
dead drunk and penniless at the hour of
closing was dumped out into the mud by
the proprietor Of the place and his assist
ant.
About daylight he came to his senses,
and he staggered up and away, had an
other sleep by the roadside and awoke
again to the consciousness that he never
was in a worse plight.
He was in country place. The ways
rocSih1a tn him In h0 ri u
were impossible here He had no money
for fares, though he heard the shrek of a
steam car hard by. He was hungry and
miserable
Lying all night in Jersey mud had given
him chills and fever, though he did not
know it.
So, when the sun began to glow with
noontide heat, he staggered past white
cottage with paling fence before 1t and
against those palings a dark green foliage
of a row of currant bushes, with the red
fruit glistening in pendent bunches like
so many jewels.
Fevered and parched, this fruit was a
wonderful joy to him. He stopped and put
out his hand and clutched dozen of the
berries. He put them to his lips. His
hand went out for more, when a voice in
tones not angry, but decisive, called to
him:
Young man, let those berries alone, OF
I'll set the dog on you.'
Mack looked up. There was the gentle
man whom he denominated Parson Walk
er looking over the fence. He knew of the
stealing of that contribution box. OF
course he was an enemy.
Dr.. Walker went back to his seat on the
porch, and there came to him shrill,
sweet old woman's voice from the dining
room:
"Oh, Thomas, how could you?'
''What, Betsey?'
'sWhy, Thomas, saw him as he passed
"a poor, starving soul, If ever I saw one
I've been among the poor enough to know
hunger and sickness when see 'em. He's
both, and you wouldn't let him eat few
currants''-
Il thought it was just the sort of a trick
boys are always playing" said the old
/ gentleman. I'm try to catch up with
him, and If he's hungry I'll bring him
back
So away he trotted into the woods. And
! there, looking white and wan among the
trem bling shadows of the green branches,
he found Mack.
His head was on his arm, and he was
crying.
MY boy" said the old man, bending
| over him, and softened as the old lady haG
been by the memory of lad who had dice
years before, the only one who had evel
called him father, my boy, I'm afraid
you are not well-why, it's Mackl' Ant
with the discovery came feeling of re
| pulsion.
II was dry" said Mack. Glow did
know they was your'n?"
my boy" said Parson Walker, "if yoI
were hungry or thirsty, you were wei
come; if you are either now-and thinI
you are-come home with me and hav,
some supper. came after you for that
I thought it was a mere thieving tricl
taking the currants, and I'm little fonC
of my garden.
Mack sat at table with white clotl
upon it and had all he wanted. He at
in silence. Then he lifted up his head.
''Parson Walker" he said as respect