The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-12-01
"Why. 10 Is n toomanp he cried.

"Why. IL Is n CONAN" he cried.
Yet, though Mulberry street Is almost a
poor as Broadway is rioh. the crowds ar
denser. and II is not an idle throng either
for on all sides are evidences OF thrift
All the stores are occupied, every hallwa,
Is converted into a diminutive shop. ant
there are stands at the curb, and even II
the middle Of the street. loaded will
wares which the peddlers have to offer
The whole district being thus converte,
TITO a market place, the purchasers an'
pissersby are forced 10 thread their wa,
or the sidewalk but oftenest on the as
phslt driveway. over which latter. by thu
nye, there In never a passageway fol
horse and wagon.
Yet, except for a very occasional family
row. the scene IL almost invariably or
derly. The whole Is picturesque from. the
very duaIntness or The surroundings. II
all seems so foreign to an American city
not even the English language being
heard as one walks by. l say the scene IL
picturesque, but, alas not the women
Raphael and Correggio have taught us
how beautiful the daughters OF Italy may
be. but they could not have found thell
models In such a locality, where chill
dren OF IA are attired like elderly women
and look older than they are. with their
seek the pavement because OF the stoop ir
their backs from carrying burdens. How
could beauty thrive here?
Mr.. Mitchell took In the general scene al
a glance as he turned into the alley
leaving the Kaleidoscope array OF color
behind him and passing into the gloom
beyond, where all seemed colorless
BE careful where you walk" came a
warning from Preacher Jim just In time
a
on an infant crawling along toward the
street In q state OF nudity which would
have attracted attention anywhere but In
this nc.shborhood. where children who
are nearly full grown are often clothed
with but a single garment.
At the end OF the alley was n court, sc
called hy courtesy. being in truth but lit
tie wiier than the alley itself. At the
back rose up gauntly between the mair
houses and the rising sun tall structure
erected In comparatively recent times
that the greedy owner OF the ground
might squeeze a few more dollars from
the pockets OF the outcasts whose only
hope OF happiness In this great new
land" Ia TO herd with those who can Al
least comprehend tlfAir own tongue. Wha'
matter II this back tenement shut of
both rght and air from the 20 or 50 fam
HES living IN the front houses? II yot
w.u,d reply:
II do not compel hem to remain. I
they do not like H. let them move. Thi,
Is free country"
A free country Aye. truly, Very frc,
when price IL put upon the very air.
An iron stairway running up the out
side OF the back tenement dld doubl'
service. serving both as entrance way 70
the lodgers and as fire escape. an econ
omic method OF oheying the law whicl
demands that these poor devils shall n
lrasf not be burned alive. And. since tn
fire escape must be placed on the out
side. why waste valuable--that Is to say
rentable-space by erecting stairway
within
Mr.. Mitchell followed Preacher Jim vi
20 the third floor. where they rested
moment on the landing while awaiting
some response from a loud knocking up
on the door.
THE old woman keeps her latch on {,
keep out instrusive visitors" explained
Preacher Jim aa I've repeated his sum
mons.
But after some time. there being still
no sound from within. he turned tn
knob. To his surprise. the door Yielded
and he led the way In.
She's out. ! guess" he said. "or IN
door wouldn't he open. She's got no wa,
20 lock II on the outside. The lock-
broken. It's dark enough in here, isn'
IT."
II was dark enough. though Mr. Nit
chel observed that the one window In IN,
room was obscured by neither blind
shutter nor shade. No light entered. he
cause there was no light that co';ld I'm,
a way IN.
";'ll strike a light" said the criminal
Have yoI n match?'' Mr.. Mitchell hand
cd him his match safe. and IN few
minutes n smoky lamp was dlmly illum
mating the room.
what have We here7' exclaimed Mr.
Mitchell as soon as he could make ou
anything in the room. Then. advancing
ne leaned down and examined the ohIec
which had attracted his attention
why. n II a woman he cried. "An.
she is hurt, There is blood hers,'
Blood cried Preacher Jim arouse,
10 n sudden state Of excitement which as
tonished Mr.. Mitchell lie brought tn
lamp and STOPPING down. turned tn
woman over. so that the dim light iel
upon her face. Then. with the enragc
cry OF Wild beast. he jumped up. cry
ing:
"ft IL my mother. my mo her sh
has been niurdercd-murdered. I tell YOU
I will kill the man who DID this, DO va
hear7 I4wfll hill him, 7 will tear ~,
heart out with these hands while u IL -
warm. You think could not. do you
He leaned over Mr.. Mitchell menacirgiy
his eyes ablsse with fury. and n seeme
that but a move. n word. nigh, max
him vent HIS rage al once IN some blood
act. But much OF the danger was no
even apprehsndsd BY Mr.. Mitchell. TO