The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-15
THE TOUGH GIRL.
ny EDITH SESSIONS UPPER.

with triumphant grin.
"Say, I'm out of sight today she
stated. "Dem new togs is pretty Slick
She was CHASTITY object, though she
did not know it. The tough girl was a
serio comic singer and dancer in Coney
Island concert saloon.
She was on duty from II in the morn
ing until midnight, ready at a moments
call or a snarl from the creature called by
courtesy the stage manager to do her
turn" sing in a shrill, cracked falsetto
voice verses with touch of maudlin senti-
ment or to lift the fluted folds Of her taw-
dry skirts and execute poor imitation of
some famous high kicker.
The tough girl was q daughter of the
slums. She had been reared in misery and
nurtured in sin. Her childhood was one
of cuffs and blows and her youth night
mare.
am not making any. excuses for my
tough girl 1 am only setting her forth
plainly and uncompromisingiy as she
really existed-a product of the awful con-
ditions of the slum life OF great city.
The tough girl, having something she
called voice and nimble feet. became a
serio comic artist, but she was not earning
enough to keep her bod.' and what little
soul she possessed togethar.
$ Had she a soul?
Well that is question. Most people
would say "No." But I believe that in
every hearts desert, however parched ana
arid, there is always one little patch Of
green.
And SO let us admit that our tough girl
had soul, though she didn't recognize
that fact herself. Only ia curious dumb
fashion she sometimes realized that she
was different being from the fine, dainty
ladies who drank champagne On the broad
piazzas of the big hotels, from the pretty
girls who splashed and foundered in the
surf, and especially did the truth that the
whole world was not made up of tough
girls come home to her when she saw the
happy, CHEEKY faced wife of some young
mechanic oarrying'a bouncing baby in her
arms, while small boy or girl chung to
her skirts and yelled in transports OF de-
| light at the big elephans or the accommo-
| dating COW of Coney Island.
| But any little attack OF depression the
| tough girl was won't to drown in a schoon-
| or Of stale beer or pony of vile brandy. ii
| happily she could afford the latter luxury.
| After such ibations she returned to her
| kicking and screeching with renewed
yigor.
The tough girl had managed in some oa-
cult fashion to get what she was pleased
to denominata "new togs.'' These con-
sisted of cheap green tights and accordion
skirt of the same hue, with bodice, low
enough to reveal her consumptive chest
and long, skinny arms. When she had
donned these gauds and fripperies and
stood to admire herself before going on to
turn liphap. she was an awful sight.
But she smiled at the counterfeit pre-
sentiment Of her charms, and that hideous
grin revealed the loss of three front teeth
They had been knocked out during vari-
GUS little misunderstanding with the
tough girls 'tfellef, +" himself bruiser of
no mean reputation.
The loss of these teeth the tough girl
considered serious drawback to her sue
cess as an artist. She had tried to save
money enough to replace them, but the
| flesh was weak, and when it came to a
choice between teeth and beer, the latter
| commodity usually got the better of the
| former.
Come, get along, slim shanks,
| growled her gentlemanly manager. 'fDo
your turn and step blankety blank lively
| now"
In another moment the tough girl was
| fiuttering her green skirt over the foot
| lights and adjuring her beloved to meet
her when the waters rippled and the moon
beams shone.
1t was just at the close of the first verse
that the tough girl happened to glance in
one of the stuffy little boxes.
Her eyes met those of Mrs. Manhattan.
Mrs. Manhattan was student of hui
man nature and ascuriosity seeker She
had money and leisure. She employed her
time in going about searching for novel
adventures She was fond of seeing life
in all it's phases. Had she been poor
woman, she would have made capital
bohemian. AS it was she was merely
connoisseur of rare and ugly human brio
a-brac
Mrs Manhattan was doing Coney Island
that day with friend, whom we will call
the other woman. She had been bored to
death all the morning by thepeople on the
hotel piazzas.
"Why, these creatures are the same you
can see in New York, " she said to the 9th
or woman. 81 want to see a different
species. I'll tell you what We'll do. Well
20 over in the Bowery and study it's in
habitants."
''For heavens sakel" shrieked the other
woman. "Suppose we were to meet some
one who knows u.s."
"We WON'T" replied Mrs. Manhattan
coolly. besides, if we do, he or she will
say, ooh, it's Mrs. Manhattan hunting Gu
rios "
These ladies wandered through the Bow
cry, looking about with interest, until
they came to the museum where the tough
girl performed. A touter in was extolling
the attractions of the place, and Mrs. Man
haitian paused to listen.
"Walk right in, ladies' he said, with
| an encouraging smirk.
Mrs. Manhattan accepted the invitation.
The other woman followed, groaning and
expostulating.
"Hev box, ladies?" asked a seedy in
dividual.
"Why, yes miaAs as well take one, -
| said Mrs. Manhattan. How much?'
"No charge, ladisA = was the answer,
and Jmusing upon tbs phenomenon thSg