Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-10-29


That day he was in clover. She
was mindful of what her husband
had said and gave him no money,
but some clothes and plenty to eat
and kind words.
He was there SO long that bo earn
cd but little that day, and no was
salutSd with a blow and u curse
from Fcrrati when he got home to
Saffron hill. But he did not seem to
mind so much now, for once in his
life thoro was the memory of kind
words to treasure up in his little
heart.
That evening there was confer
ence between Arnold Ingram and
his wife, III which they determined
to rescue at least ono suffering soul.
They resolved to find out Pippo and
send him homo to his native village.
But man proposes.
One day Pippo was told by the
padrono that he would take him to
friend Of his who had some work
for him to do. He was ordered to
! leave his accordion at homo this
| time. He knew that extra work did
! not mean mOnCy-nO, nor even food
in his case. If he could not do what
was expected Of him, there would
be DlOws-a tCw more or loss. What
! difference did II make? So he took
no interest III the matter.
He had come homo late after n
| 1Npr, a ~, =, ;nl
he had earned only u few Coppers;
but, strange to say, this time Marco
Ferrati did not swear at or strike
| him.
As soon as he had swallowed his
supper, consisting of bread and wa.
ter, which he partook of with the
other unfortunate boys and girls,
Marco came III and babe Pippo fol-
low him.
They went straight to HOlhorn
circus, down Fetter lane into Fleet
street and then turned westward.
Pippo had been out all day. The
little feet were weary and could
hardly keep up with the pndrone S
rapid Striding. The latter was walk
ing quicker than he need have done,
for he delighted in infiicting suffer
ing of every kind upon his little
charges out of sheer wantOn cruelty.
He need not have made such haste.
The later the better to do the work
for which Pippo was engaged.
"Quicker!' cried Ferrati. Come
] 1itt1n S,,nI
Ill break every bone in your oar
Cass.
1t may be mentioned parenthetio-
ally that little Pippo was running
just then as fast as his legs would
carry him.
AS they passed along the Strand
it was a few minutes after II. The
theater patrons were providing the
streets. How gay and brilliant and
happy those crowds looked. Yes, l
suppose so, but in the boys be-
numbed, broken life there was no
comprehension of happiness.
If he had "a yearning for nything,
it was for the vine clad hills of Va
renna, on the shores of Como, which
he could just dimly remember be-
fore he was taken away from his
mother S knee-takon away through
filthy greed, because they had been
told that he should make a fortune
in England and keep them in their
old age.
But still they are speeding along.
They have crossed Trafalgar square
and arc still proceeding westward
a long way west, for they do not
stop till they reach a public house in
the Fulham road. Here the man is
greeted by two rough looking men,
whose begrimed clothes bespeak
them to be working as navvies.
"Ferrati, the merchant" exclaim-
ed one of them, whose language was
redhot of oaths and sanguinary cpl
thets, as was the air of bad spirits
and rank tobacco.
You We been bloomin long time,
and no mistake.
1T ees long way. / come direct
re boy vas home. Pippo, geese are
gentlemen you go Wis. You come
back to me ven zey tell you to 60"
Pippo said nothing. One fate was
much the same as another, and, tired
out as he was, amid the noise and
the close. rocking atmosphere of the
gin palace, he hardly knew whether
he stood on his head or his heels.
They stayed ON till 1890, closing
time. The padrone seemed bent up
on getting drunk, and royalty
"booZed" he became, until it took
the com bined efforts of two barmen
to eject him.
The other two seemed very care
full how much they imbibed and
were quite sober when they came
out.
The streets were very quiet as
they walked along in silence.
Marco Ferrati had now left them,
and they betook themselves toward
tho better parts of Kensington.
They went down n narrow lane, on
one side of which were the garden
walls of gontlomen's houses The
elder of the men, whom the other
called Jim SiCkert, counted his steps
from the COrnsr to about the center
of the lane. The walls were not high,
and %!ckclt Clambcred up.
Nov then, Bill" no cried. "Give