The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-07
GuIIERBLQ0l&' NEW YEAR.

"4Auld years nicht," the Friendship
night" of the Scot, when bygones become
bygones, for that night anyway. "Auld
years NIGHT" twenty years ago, and the
dimly-lit streets and pavements of the
Modern Athens" huns with the NOV
ing, seeking mass of humanity.
From the castle that looms like a gi-
gantic beacon over the city, with meas
ured, firm, well-drilled step, and jaunty
air, comes the fortunate soldier " 10 has
received a pass for the night or Il fur
Tough that gives him time to visit his
fathers house, or renew the bond be-
twixt him INC his Jean.
In Parliament square a larger crowd
than usual has gathered to listen to
the fiery words of IL street preacher,
who, seemingly inspired to greater
thoughts by the unusual crowd, or
the ending of the year, thumps, to
Hanger of destruction, his portable
pulpit, and drowning the shrill broken
NOTES or a couple of street singers, who
are alning-but with little successful
induce the passers-by into buying their
doggerel ballads.
Az FerEuson's -sweetie shop are a
group of lads and lassies "bargaininy"
ABOUT their new years. Slouching thro'
lne tnrong YOU can see a drunken laan,
or a thlhly clad woman robbed by want
anhood,, sneaking her way with a bundle
under her arm, containing maybe her
wedding, shawl. or her last blanket, to
tnat exchange of the terrible poor" the
sign OF the three balls. for two or three
pennies to keep New Years. So flows the
human the. Some with happy. smiling
face; eyes agleam with the JOY that they
feel in carrying pleasures to others, even
tho it be but for a day; others pawning
or popping to use the High street eX-
preston. what is their best article, to
borrow Il streak of sunshine for their hog
money: But enough of the lark sile.
U Ieith street rolls a figure, whose
OF his calling, would tell one at a glance
that ne was more at home on i ships
deck than Oh Il citys pavement.
Two days ashore he was saying to
himself, two days ashore in this beasrly
city, but Jack must enjoy himself, and
vial shipmates." And he gave his we'll
lined pockets a shake that made a wan
looking object, standing on the corner,
start towards him. "Somc derelict," NUT
tered Jack. as he threw him a tlorin.
We'll, poor devil, l hope he'll make good
use of what l gave him."
AS we neared Princess street he was
brought to a standstill by the conversa-
ton of two little waits that stood SILVER
ing, barefooted and ragged, at Little
johns Window the paradise twenty
years age, to the city Arabs-or, to use
an Edinboro name for them, ''guttcr-
bloods'-I suppose through their sphere
being the cutters and closes of the mod
ern Athens. They were, or looked to be,
stood inhaling into their little shivering
bodies the fragrant, hungering perfumes
Of the bakeshop, the keen,% contrary winds
Edinburgh windS-swirled round them,
the taller of the two was saying as Jack
drew near:
Man: Jamie, wadnae it be grand if
L was king of the fairies, an you the son;
we wad harness up oor winged steeds
shod wi golden shoon, an yoke them
intill DOR charrit O. swan feathers an
crystal wheels, an then we wad order
oor Broonie coachman wi a wave O. ma
hand, like we seen the lord provost dae,
to drive us to Edinbro' an when we got
here. wi a whirl O ma golden wand,
Wad turn the Queens park intill a big
hall covered a owre, an warm: Then
YOU Wad gle yours Il whirl, an tables
filled wi a kinds O guild things wad ap.
pear. Then you wad gle it anither whirl
an every puir body an every puir ragged
BARN wad be clad in warm claithes. an
driven doom in fine coaches, wi lunkeys
~ Al HA uOOA III ca u
the tables. Man, Jamie! Wadnae it be
graund to see them eat!'
"Jist %glorious!" exclaimed Jamie. "And
we wad haze a kinds O Music; %bagpipes
an fddles, an kettle drums an harps
Man, Tammy, l wish we We're jist fairies
for a day"
"Fairies" exclaimed fanny, as he
frightened his wee bit coat around him
and took another 'snifter' from the bake.
house grating, fairies are no sac silly as
to live in the city. They live amoong the
t%1ooers, except sweetie yins, an then theil
wings are jist paper
Hello, young uns,' interrupted Jack
at that moment, as he laid a kindly tar
stained hand on each of their shoulders
why don't We git home; shivering ant
chattering in the cold?'
I'VE dinna la ony hame," said the
one that was called Tammy.
THAT'S an old tale to me-" laughed
the sailor. Father and mother dead
sleeps at night behind the big pillars al
the gas works, or in a barrel down at the
type foundry. Now. tell me the truth
bronzed honest face, that looked dow1
with kindly eyes on the wee dirt streaket
features of the gutterbloods.
AS shalr as daith," spake up the wee
spokesman. Am telling We the truth
But hoo hae ye ken we sleep doom at tht
SttS "OIhS buI lid dllucA . Il uSftu
He ran away and left ma mither an
she went away to find him when I was {
wee mite, SO Betty, the apple woman
told me. But Jamie's father and mithel
are bath dead. Amt they, Jamie"
And Jamie nodded while his wee eer
filled with tears.
Then you're not brothers"
"Na," said Tammy, but we're chums.'
And he threw his arm around JAMES
neck: -,
"Then,' and Jack grasped hold of q lit
tie dirty hand in Zach of his own Take
me as Il chum, too, an dim my portfolios
if we don't have a rattling, jolly good
time, this New Years. Let me think. We
must all get rugged alike. So first let us
90 where we can get a sailor suit apiece
for you lads"
Up the North bridge the threesome
prised to say anything, up till they
came to "B. Hyams, the great ready
made" shop, picking out a nice little
sailor suit that would fit each boy, and
shirts, shoes, stockings. even to cap
with "Dauntless" on it's band, the
same name as shone in silver let
and rope. Getting the shopkeeper to
tie each suit up separately, he gave
each boy his own, and away they
went over to the Royal baths.
When they came out again, going
in the direction of the "Heave Ava
Lads tavern, nobody would have
taken them for the two gutterbloods
that stood shivering and chatterine
with the cold over an hour before al
Littlejohn's window.
Jack said, as they entered the tav.
ern, "He was hungry enough to eat Il
walrus." But his hunger seemed i'll
the enjoyment he felt in watching the
two little limitations of himself: poor
little fellows, they never saw such a
meal before, or so many good things
unless thro' plate glass, and Jack
ordered a supper as only a big hearted
sailor can, and they ate as-gut.
textbooks, or to use Jacks expression,
Like a couple of shipwrecked sail.
ors."
After supper. as it was getting
late, and jovial groups turned Their
steps towards the Iron kirk, to await
the chap O twelve, when they would
klink bottles, then dispense to first
foot some either freend," Jack
hunted up, a lodging house, where
in nice. clean beds. the threesome
slept till morning. AsIeeD before