The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-08
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eyes at Reds face. They We're beauti-
full eyes, in spite of the tear stains, still.
Don't 60 back on me- Red" she said
! as he helped her rise from the doorstep.
! please don't Just for de kids sake. p"
Even then his whole life's philosophy
showed signs of returning animation
He glanced nervously over his shoulder
to make sure that none of the gang
were in sight. what would dey tink
of me, Red McGann, takin' care of
Barney's sister, he thought. "Deyd
have perfect right to kick me as a
traitor"
But I say unto you, forgive your
enemies"
Crunch, crunch, up Ryan street came
Policeman Hogan. He was only half a
block away now.
Maggie realized the danger, too, as
she stood by Reds side. Give me de
kid" he said, quick"
i Maggies baby was too weak to cry
very loud The approaching policeman
| didn't hear its low moan as he came
near her.
For moment Red held it up under
the lamp post-long enough to see the
two blue eyes set in the white little
face. "Dey're like yours, Maggie" he
said, and they started up Ryan street
They both knew the street so well
that it was a very easy matter to dodge
down an alley. the end of which was
barricaded with ash barrels, and make
their way out to the Bowery.
Up Albemarle street, through Dog
alley. they trudged, Red holding the baby
in. his arms. In front Of a square brick
building Red halted
"Dis is it. Maggie" he said, ''Dis is
where yer got ter GO"
But you can't do it, Red" she plead
ed. Its after 'leven o'clock, and you
know what Cephas is" She did not
finish her sentence, but Red understood.
He saw the point she was trying 10
make.
For more than so years EST. Cephas
shelter for INDECENT women has stood
at the end of Dog alley. 1t is constant
| " referred to as model among charl-
ties A long while ago somebody or
other who had a good many sins to ac-
count for, died and left a snug sum of
money to found st. Cephas. The orig
inal theory of the original board of
trustees was that st. Cephas' doors
should always be open to any poor Wo-
man or child who had nowhere else to
go. st. Cephas did not undertake to
keep unfortunates permanently. 1t sim
pIy gave them a shelter where they
could sit down and think of how to
take the next step.
st Cephas had visiting directors and
resident directors and treasurers ana
corresponding secretaries and neatly
printed reports and especially
rules.
ST. Cephas has become as much part
of the life of the Bend as the police
station or street sweepers. -Four women
are in charge. Very precise, proper
persons, the four women are. You can
see them any Sunday afternoon with
their PRAYER books under their arms
on their way to a church uptown.
Every succeeding generation of precise,
proper women who have presided over
st. Cephas has added to its rules, until
now they form a long document when
hangs beautifully engrossed in gait
frame in the vestibule The rules are
the JOY and pride of the precise wom-
en-. and to see that they are no. vio-
/ lated is one of their chief cares.
/ The rule which particularly concerned
Red as he carried his little living bur-
/ den I'D the brown stone steps, was
that no one could, under any circum-
| stances, be admitted after II o'clock
1t was a rule Of 30 years standing-or
framing. No matter how many cots
were vacant at St Cephas, no matter
how despairing the applicant who
knocked on the door at lilo, she could
not be admitted because of the rule
"and what's the use of having rule
/ if you break it,"
| With the memorable firmness of the
/ rule Red was perfectly familiar. Under
ordinary conditions he would have no
| more dared to pass that door after Ill
| o'clock than he would to punch a po-
liceman, but conditions were not at all
ordinary that night, and so he ven
| tured
| With a strange humping of his heart
against the inside of his waistcoat, Red
put his thumb on the button of the cleo
| trio bell at st. Cephas' door. There was
| no answer, so he repeated the perform
ance. Then he bore down heavily on the
button and kept it ringing for 10 min
utes. In the stiffness of the snowflakes
| and the night, Red could hear the faint,
buzzing ring far, far away inside of st.
| Cephas.
Il wonder if dey'l call the police?" he
| thought to himself.
Once he was inclined to desist and
run for it. but one glance at Maggie
and the little pale face in his arms
sienced that thought. He stood his
ground and kept on ringing the bell.
There was n slight rustling inside the
vestibule A panel in the door opened
and woman's face appeared at the
opening.
What do you mean by disturbing the
whole household at 2 o'clock in the
morning%' she said sharply. go way,
or I'll call an officer"
Il want to get desc two in dere, said
Red, stolidly.
"'Well, you can't do it. Will the peo-
pie of this neighborhood never learn
that we don't receive any one after IL
o'clock at night?'
She raised her hand to the panel and
was about to close it, but Red prevented
her from doing so by putting his fist
through the opening.
II want to ask you, lady he said, eff
dis here st. Cephas is Christian build
ing?'
"a What?"