Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-10-29

mlne-lS IL! ne auueu mOOully.
II can't SEN i'm to the workus, Joe.
But yer can SEN me to the devil!
he snapped, sharply; and an ugly look
leapt out of his eyes.
They passed under the railway bridge
which spans the lower end of Queen
Victoria street and reached the point
where they usually parted. The girl
stopped, but the man went on.
Aren't yer goin' ter sell out, Joe!
she queried timidly as he turned In the
direction Of the river.
"Wot for?"
The tone and the manner puzzled her
more than the words.
For a moment they stood confront
ing each other, the face OF the man
working convulsively f.d the girl
features contracted with pain.
Blackfriars bridge was crossed IN
silence. Turning into Stamford street
she whispered, hoarsely: I'm sorry
for yer, Joe; but If it's hard on you it's
rough on me. Anythin' as you ars q
me to Go, Joe-anythin' as | cud do o.
meself like-I'd do ut, mate, without
sayin' why or wherefore. But SEN the
ole man TO the worlus-I can't do that,
lad, ! know yer think Z orter; but l
can't, Joel can't do ut
"A pretty fool yer made o. me now,
amt yer? / Civ up the booze an cut
tommies wen | TUX up wiz you, Liza;
but you'd see me at blazes suner AN
Civ up that drunken old wagabone wot
lives on yer, an perwents yer havn' a
man as nd be good to yer."
1T nd break me heart, Joe, ter ave
i'm die in the workus."
Yer thinks a bloomin' sight moro
Nv wrong un than yer does NV right
un." said the man savagely.
She gave him look which must have
convinced him of his error; but blinded
by passion, he refused to see.
We'll" he snarled, zone Of w as got
ter scoot--him or me. There amt room
Ter two
The girl made no reply and they went
on. But silence was too oppressive and
stifing. Near Waterloo Station the
man spoke again.
How much yer tuck, 'Liza?"
The question was abrupt, but the
tone was friendly. 1t indicated a
change of feeling.
Sewing an three
He extended his hand. She put the
money into it without a word.
Meet me at the Garding in the
mornin, Liza, and I'll stock the baskit
for yer" said he, returning her nine
pence.
1t was a curious transaction, but the
explanation was probably to be found
in the Departing utterance of the wo-
man.
Hes 'ad 'em awful bad agen, Joe.
Lars night it wur that dreadful
She stopped, warned by the cloud that
was sweeping over her companions
brow.
The mans countenance had suddenly
Garkened, sparks from the neither fires
danced in his eyes, the old hard vim
dictive look had returned.
Il wish he may die. ! wish he wur
dead! he muttered fiercely.
90. Joe! Joe, if yer love me, dun
II says 'em cos loves yer; cos it's
on'y i'm wots keepin yer frum man
as wants ter make Apply woman NV
yer. / says 'em cos | means 'em. Nc
fence ter yer, Liza"
u amt a bad sort, Joe" said the
girl. tuning her swimming eyes full on
him: but yer bit down on the ole
man" He gave the barrow an unneces.
sarily vigorous shove.
I'm goin inter the Cut Liza, tel
finish. No. ! amt dun so dusty"-an.
sweriag the question the girl had pul
TO HIM half an hour before. Il started
out WHY dozen, an this yere's tn on'y
one left" He emptied the contents o.
the basket on the board Il shall
knock EN- in the Cut at freppence
'Tain't orften they see cherries like
them in New Cut. They're city fruit
they are. Try EN-" He filed a bag
and gave it to her. "I'll look roun
arter / clear out"
AS he walked away his eyes followed
her. "She thinks a bloomin' sight toe
much. she do, O. that drunken ole
scamp, her father" he growled, staring
after the retreating figure; but | amt
all fool, mate. Critic with gold"
In the third pair back of tenement
house in Lambeth girl was kneeling
by the side of bed. A paper bag was
lying on the coverlet. and some cherries
had fallen on the floor. On the bed
lay the body OF a man. The room
reeked with the fumes Of whisky. The
long. 1.-THE fingers of the girls right
hand were clasped convulsively round
the hand OF the motionless figure ex-
tended on the bed
joel! she moaned; Joe, lad, we've
got yer wish. The old manll never
rile yer any more. / love yer, mate,
dearer than life; but it's thin worde
o. yourn as l shall hear, an not par
sons, on the day yer takes me inter
church"