The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-15

through her shell lorgnette and cont1ded
to the other woman that she had not en-
joyed anything so much since her visit to
Mott street opium joint.
The other woman kept up a subdued
lamentation.
When the tough girl turned hand
spring into the wings, Mrs. Manhattan
deliberately leaned forward and clapped
her little jeweled hands.
The tough girl returned, gave Mrs. Man
haitian fearful smile and sang another
verse.
II wonder" said Mrs. Manhattan mus
ingly, eff she ever had flower in her
life" and then she quickly detached a
cluster of jack roses from her gold belt
and tossed them down to the tough girl.
"Tings is comm me way, sure" said
the tough girl to an enyious circle behind
the scenes.
"Say, who's de swells?" queried one of
the company.
"Dey''s lady frens of mine" replied the
tough girl, with dignity.
"You be bowed, - was the incredulous
chorus.
GIVE knowed 'em for years. SeeP" And
the tough girl glared at the unbelieving
circle SO fiercely that they were obliged to
the steps which led to the box, opened the
door and was lost to sight.
"Come in" said Mrs. Manhattan as
she saw the dreadful face through the half
open door, ''come in. How do you do?''
The tough girl regarded Mrs. Manhat-
tan curiously. She noted the dainty silks
and laces, the jewels on tn little hands,
| the French hat, the gold and crystal vinai-
grette and the shell lorgnette.
"Gee, amt she swell!' was her in
| ward comment.
~ amt right up ter de limit" she re-
piled "Got cough OATS drivin me ter
drink And she laughed and winked
knowingly.
Mrs Manhattan regarded the tough girl
curiously. She had been Summing under
the protection of fine looking detective
who dressed like clubman and was alto
gether very charming, and she had been
to the French ball. She had supposed that
she had seen very, very tough people, but
she decided as she looked at this face be-
fore her, stamped with misery, sin and
disease, that this was a little the toughest
she had ever seen.
"Would you like something to drink"
she suddenly asked the girl.
aWould duck swims" was the answer.
Mrs Manhattan ordered three beers.
The other woman retired to corner and
had fit all by herself.
The tough girl tossed off her beer and
did not remark that Mrs. Manhattan
emptied her glass into the cuspidore.
Then the lady ordered more beers and
while the girl disposed of them she studied
this strange specimen of wOmank1nd.
Such depravity she had never seen. She
tried to discover some trace Of womanly
feeling, but in vain.
"Wot's he a-chargin yuse fer dem beers?"
suddenly demanded the girl
"Fifteep cents apiece, indifferently re-
piled Mrs. Manhattan.
"Wot? Say, yuse jest wait minute "
And the tough girl disappeared. When she
returned, she remarked proudly:
81 settled his mugs. / tole him, 'Wot
yuse cheatin lady frens of mine ferT 1
didn't know dey wuz frens of yuse e says.
sWaal, dey is. I've knowed 'em fer years
an dat goes Seer "
"I'm really obliged to you," said Mrs.
Manhattan as she paid her bill
"Dat's all right. Say, take some tickets
| fer me benefit, won't yuse. I'm workin to
git enough plunks to buy me some teeth, !"
explained the tough girl.
| Mrs. Manhattan slipped bill in the
! girls hand.
sNo, 1 don't want the tickets" she
said, ttbut perhaps you can use this" And
then she was gone, and the stupefed tough
girl looked down and saw $40 bill lying
in her thin hand.
One day. six months later, when Mrs.
Manhattan had forgotten all about the
tough girl, she received word that little
boy, in whom she had taken some interest,
had fallen off the fire escape of an east side
tenement and broken his neck. His sor-
rowing mother wrote her the details of his
sudden taking off and begged Mrs. Man
haitian for the loan of S., "as funerals
come so high"
"I will go down myself" said Mrs.
Manhattan to the other woman, "and do
what can for these poor creatures"
"You'll catch typhus," said the other
woman.
"Nonsensel'
"And cholera"
"Absurd!'
"And smallpox"
"Come, said Mrs Manhattan. sect on
your bonnet
"My bonnet?" gasped the other woman.
eyes. You're coming with me-" And
although she spluttered, protested and
prognosticated all manner of dire happen
ings the other woman finally yielded.
Their visit to the house Of death being
ended, the women were cropping their way
down the rickety stairs, slippery with filth
and dark as night.
Suddenly form INSTRUCTED their way
burly giant grasped Mrs. Manhattan's
arm and tried to wrench her purse from
her hand.
The other woman screamed. Doors flew
open, and heads were thrust out. Mrs.
Manhattan struggled pluckily.
From one wretched room haggard
woman staggered-the ghost OF the tough
girl.
"Say, yuse leave me lady frens be,
Bill" she painted. "Don't yuse do 'em no
harm. See?"
The bruiser shook off the thin hand laid
detainingly ON his arm and dealt her a
savage blow in the face.
She fell at Mrs Manhattan's feet.
Two days after, Mrs. Manhattan sat by
I'D IN, ~ all