The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-26
A ROMANCE OF LOW LIFE.


broiled. Altogether, what with the heat,
and the mangle, and the noise next door,
where Mr.. and Mrs. Flinders were having
few words-which meant a good many
Mrs. Wicks found herself taking a decid-
edly pessimistic view of things in general,
and Bankers buildings in particular
'.Lor', what it'd seem like to be down in
the country agen! Sich fool as I were
ever to leave it. But then we're most on
us fools once in our lives an it's no use
cryin' over split milk; best thing you can
do is take cloth an wipe it up. But often
and often I've arst myself whatever l see
in Wicks to leave the village and 'ome an
friends an relations, jests though they
was lot of old lumber, an come up to
this yere great, grimy, ard-arted, over
growed wilderness o. bricks an mortar, that
there's no finding your way outer once you
set foot in it. Lawks-a-daisy me- wiping
the perspiration from her forehead, what
I'd give to see them parts agen where l
was born an brought up. with the medders
an orchids. an lanes. an edges, an the
cottage gardins where you could grow your
bits of vegetables an pick the currints an
gooseberries off yer own bushes, with
nosegay to stick in a mug on the winder
SILL"
Her eye roved for an instant towards the
window upon which the sun was concen-
trating its rays with such apparent single
ness OF purpose that one almost expected
to see the rusty Grape Horticultural decora-
tons of Mrs. Wicks's headgear put forth
fresh buds and leaves, and the mangle bios
som like the rose.
Between the blind and the curtain was a
space through which she could catch
IDorI x0x,.
buildings provided for it's inmates. 1t con-
sisted of a large asphalt square, surround
ed by tall, dingy, hideous brick erections,
pierced with many windows. Three or four
portable zinc dustbins slightly relieved the
monotony, the human interest being sup
piled by a slatternly woman sitting Gin
ders. the while her voice was appraised in
maternal admonition toward some member
of her home circle.
"You, 'Lizabeth Ham, wait till I gets
old on yer, an if don't break every bone
in yer body
mo, faint like the country" admitted
Mrs Wicks with a sigh. 1.-THE row them
two do keep up next door, too, s 'nough
to deafen any one. Seems like wooden
legged man when the drinks in inns
worsen the ordinary"
The door opened to admit a prim-looking
young woman with bundle under each
arm.
THAT you, Em'ly?"
This being the sort of salutation that
seemed to require no reply, Emily (other-
wise Miss Wicks) made none, but put down
her bundles, and, taking off her hat, hung
it on it's own particular peg beside her
mothers best black bonnet-her second BEST
as has already been intimated, graced Mrs.
Wicks's head; indeed as rule, she only
took off her bonnet to put on her nightcap.
A smash, as of crockery, followed by the
upsettng of a chair, and accompanied by a
torrent of vituperation in a high treble,
caused Miss Wicks to elevate her eyebrows
at her mother.
HE don't centrally break out so early in
the week, seeing to-day's only We n sd ",
observed Mrs Wicks depreciatingly. Pore
Mrs. Flinders do ave deal to put up
with
$50 we do, for that matter replied her
daughter. whats the good of us working
ourselves to the bone to try and keep re-
spectacle when the neighbors carries on In
SIGH style? Either the 'usban's bangs their
wives or the wives bangs their children.
There was Mrs. Priggins, in No. Z, pitching
into that gal of 'ers something shocking
not two minutes ago. 'Lizabeth Hams no
angel but lifting of 'er over the cad with
a shovel amt the way 10 better 'er as tars
I can see. I'm sick of Barker's buildings,
that l ami!
mo siker'n 1 am, comes to that" an
swered her mother. "Only what's the good?
We must live somewheres.
Miss Wicks shrugged her shoulders lmpa-
tiently, and, unpinning the bundles, pro-
ceeded to count over the contents.
A thud followed by a scream and the
noise of something heavy rolling over the
floor, seemed to indicate that climax had
been reached in the Flinders menaSe. linen
came the banging of a door, and the sound
of.~a wooden leg, somewhat the worse Tor
drink, zigzagging along the stone passage
IN be getting the tea now, salu MIS-;
Wicks Win a sigh of reilef; 'p rdpS we /!
be abe TO ave II III peace ana business.
She wiped her streaming lace Will HeI
apron. | don't beneve l got SO mucn as
dry thread on me. That there mango
nough 10 give body the nappypdrAyis VIZ ne
the sun a-pour1ng IN at the Wlluer IKE we
was a sorIer patent fuel as he was pouno
to set lignt to some oW. IL,
She was q little, bent old woman, with
scanty gray w1sps of hair grabbed back
tight and fixed into hard ball with one
time-worn haiIpin. ANY one VINO watcheo
her as she trOtted round, SettlnS OUT CWo
cracked cups and SaucerS and a battered
looking roue of a book tin teapot on the
small round table covered Win american .sll
have added at least another ten years or so
to the half century which was all she could
lay claim to. eaia =
Il ald almost think 1 could a-fancled q
bloater with my tea" she added, as she
MADE a kettle-holder of back NUMBER OF
the parish magazine. They're TWO Tor
three ha pence at the shop at the corner,
am finer you coulon't wish to see, only
what with one thing an mother
s.(5imme the money" interrupted her
daughter: ut won't take me above a minnlt,
and | feel as though l could relish one my
Her mother produced the amount from
some stronghold in her petticoats, and
Emily sticking on her hat at a raklsh an
gle departed. t. -,
Mrs WIclxs had just set the teapot on the
hob to draw when there came tap at the
door -
wish folks wouldn't come bothering at meal
times Come in. Oh, it's you, Mrs. Film
ders. Why? There amt notnlnK the nalleF'
[ Ope? -, .o.,4
This owing to a turban-like arrangement
upon the visitors head, which. constructed,
as il to all appearance was out or tower
which had seen some service since II last
encountered the washtub, was obviously
not to be taken in an ornamental sense.
Mrs Flinders, a large. habby, unkempt-
looking woman, who undoubtedly had not
used Pears or any other brand OF soap, or
late hopped down in the nearest chair
which creaked a remonstrance-ano broke
into perspiration and tears.
whats he bin ADDING or now! asked
Mrs Wicks, at once diagnosing the COM
plant. u4,ov, 30 +ho