Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-02-28
MACK'S CONVERSION.

..a,,s ~ the tenement in which she lived n
s,r,v baskcO with dirty hit of ironing
tIa,,lrt in it, Pceping under this cover
ing sine saw n baby's face.
rs an i'll wind that blows nobody any
,od - said the old woman to herself.
eIicro was going to borrow baby, and
,rhen YOU borrow you've got to pay back
,a,nebow, il it Is only baby, and II l
Son,t make by this, why, l can jest chuck
a. away agin somers.
The svmpathizing public soon saw this
,os,ectable female seated at her regular
nost on the steps Of q public building,
nth the baby in her arms. Two cents
,rorth OF milk served for Its dinner; 10
oopts' worth Of laudanum kept it quiet for
a long while.
And tho unfortunate little waif was
Sent BY the old woman, and in time
Harmed to walk, learned to fight, learned
IN swear, was sent out to beg by itself
and became street boy.
Tho 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 rcformatory schools now and then
and played rcpentant and had some soup.
He starved, but not to death Some
times he went to the gallery OF some cheap
tbeater and saw play and wished he was
a"noblc 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 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 1t he
could drink now also, and he had begun
to understand that woman was some
hing to be insulted on all occasions.
For awhile one or two excellent mis-
uonnrics felt sure that Mack was going to
get religion" They got him into church
and prayed with him. He had not the
slightest idea what 1t was all about.
He went to their big room once or
twice. n 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 1t to
some unknown region, leaving on the seat
he had occupied when most moved pack
OF dirty cards arranged in the order OF
finished game OF solitaire,
y
shores. he spent his i'll gotten gains in riot
as long AS they lasted. Finally he gambled
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 worse plight.
He was in country place The ways
and means possible to him In the city
were impossible here He had no money
for fares, though he heard the shrek of a
steam car hard by. He was hungry and
Iusera bic.
Lying all night in Jersey mud had given
him chills and fever, though he did not
know 1t.
So, when the sun began to glow with
noontide heat, he staggered past white
cottage with n paling fence before it and
against those palings a dark green foliage
OF n row OF currant bushes, with the rcd
fruit glstcnng in pendent punches, like
SO many jewels,
Fcvered and parched, this fruit was a
wonderful joy to him. He stopped and put
out his hand and clutched a dozen of tie
berries. He put them To his lips, HIS
hand went out for more, when voice III
tones not angry but decisive, called u
him
Young man, let these berries alone, or
I'll SGT the dog on you.
Mack looked up. There was the gentle
man whom he denomnated ParSon Walk
err looking over the fence. He knew OF the
stealing Of that contribution box. or
course ho was all enemy.
Dr. Walker went back to his scat on the
porch, and there came to him shrill,
sweet old woman 5 voice from the dining
room
ON, Thomas, how could you:
w hat, Bvt-cy:"
why, Thomas, SAW him ns he passed
"A poor, starving soul, II ever | saw one!
I've b,cA among the poor enough u know
hunger and sickness when scc EN-. lie :
both. and yuu wuuldn t let him eat IA few
eurrants'
'Ithuught it was just the sort Of trick
bows are always playing, slid tho old
gentleman / II try to catch up with
him. and If he's hungry III bring him
back j"
so away he trotted into the woods And
thcro loukIug white and wan among the
trembling 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 hao
been by the memory OF q lad who had dice
years before, the only one who had evei
called him father, my boy, I'm afraid
you are not well-why, it's Mack AND
with the discovery came feeling of re
pulsion.
II was dry" said Mack. How did
know they was your'ni'
My boy" said Parson Walker "if you
Were hungry or thirsty, you were vel
CONF; II you are either now-and l think
you are-come home with mo and have
some supper. came after you for that
l thought it was mere thieving tricl
taking the currants, and I'm q little font