The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-05-12
a'EAA(9AIsa(|g|!g'!E|||j, |! 4,
The LITTLE CROSS STREET
Sad Story 1t Had to Tell Of the Work
Of the Corner Saloon Upon the
Community.

tAI l4O41 olAGcl@ IL was AAAE at uIEu
and the town was still.
That's putting 1t charitably," tn.
little cross street replied. "As a mat
ter OF fact. I'm TO be retired. I'm nc
good. I'm in the way. I'm what yot
might call a street beggar. so the
board of works is going to shove ms
on the map"
The little cross street had an empty
lonely voice.
Once" 1t said. when W. all were
new. was as likely street as any in
town. There wasn't a street In al
the town that had more ambition. But
l ran crosswise to the current oil
things was built that way, and !
could no more change my nature than
you can stop the tide Of traffic that
will flow through you In the morning.
You see what | have come to. To-
morrow the city will turn me over to
the factory yonder. my name will be
forgotten. and that'n be .ne end OF q
wasted existence"
Don't say that" the avenue an
swered. You have done a great deal
Of good In your time. I'm sure. Every
street can't be an avenue, you know.
Ancient Rome was all avenues. and
look what became Of her. Washington
has more avenues than streets"
But / might have been great" cried
the little street Many famous thor
oughfare Is no wider than | am. Look
at Broadway In New York Look at
the Strand in London. In the begin
ming were they any better than I,
Did they have any more right to at
tention than / had?"
my dear little street. lrab," said
the avenue. 1T isn't any special credit
to those streets that they are great.
They happened to be needed, that's
all. They happened to be useful to the
life Of the world. II you knew what
burdens they have TO bear, perhaps
ycl wouldn't envy them. Think of the
thousand little services you have been
allowed to do, and then be glad.
Wasn't there a block OF tenement
houses down your way oncc?"
Yes" said the little street, but 1t
was razed long ago to make room for
the factory. | don't like to remember
the houses. but I'll never forget the
children that lived in them. They
used to play on my pavement 1t was
the only playground they had"
Children" unused the avenue.
That's joy I've never known. Their
mothers think they might get hurt.
Were your children happy?"
Indeed they were. N.Y. the fun
they had Tipcat. marbles. skipping
rope--from one summer to the next
there was something doing. In that
one block there were so happy boys
and girls. and that isn't counting the
babies that sat on the sidewalk
loved the babies best of all. Some
times 1t was pretty cold for them to
be out In the thin clothing they had
to wear: but tried to keep sunny and
warm for their sake. and they were
happy"
They are gone now?" asked the
avenue.
Gone, every one Of than. We
might still be happy together; but
man came along and built saloon on
one Of my corners, and that was the
beginning Of the end.
Il dreaded that saloon. l used to
trip men up when they started in, but
they went on in Men who had liked
to sit on the doorstep evenings. with
their children laughing around them,
took to spending their time In the bar
room Late at night they would stag
ger out and go home. Then / would
hear sounds OF blows and weeping,
and the police wagon would come
Sometimes. instead of going home, a
man would fall and sleep In a gutter,
with the curbstone for a pillow. And
the children-they paid for it all
MY little folk went thinner clad.
Most Of the boys were away all day at
work. and I saw them only at night,
when they stood under the saloon light
smoking cigarettes The saloon drew
them all. men and boys. And many
little girl I've seen 90 in through the
swinging doors with tin pail in her
hand
After awhile black wagon began
to stop In front of the houses. For a
long time after It was gone the chill
dren would forget to play. And every
time the black wagon passed missed
a little form and a baby voice loved.
Then band Of men came, one day
four or i've years after the saloon was
built, and broke down the door Of one
Of the houses A woman screamed,
and children cried. and the men threw
the womaa's furniture out and nailed
a bar across the door, That night a
whole family OF my little folk slept
under the stars, and the next day they
went away.
"One By one the others left or were
taken away: and by and by the houses
had no uindowpanes. and tramps slept
there. Last OF all TO go was the sa-
loon man. and threw him on his face |
as he went"
The little cross street sighed dustsly.
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