Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-12-09
CHAPTER l,

~IHE night workers had long
since begun their weary tramp
home through the darkness in
~ the crowded tenement district
Of which Market street Is the longest
ed center, the most densely populated
thoroughfare of New York. The
streets were still empty In comparison
with what they should be few hours
later. but quiet-never.
At no hour Of the day or night Is
that quarter Of the city without its
noises. They succeed each other in
Regular. daily repeated order. One
can tell by them each hour Of the
twenty-four. And as the street has
.its. noises, so has each house.
An alarm clock ratified In a large
room In one Of the towering tene-
ments, built Of brick, without orna-
mehtation. made hideous by row upon
row of narrow windows.
= A young woman seated at table in
a corner of squalid room had not
looked up or stopped for moment in
her occupation of gliding plaster fig
ures with brush which she dipped
from time to time in pan. A lamp.
shaded SO as TO throw all the light 1t
gave directly upon her work. stood be-
side her. The rest Of the room was
dark.
A mans sleepy. quarrelsome voice
came from somewhere beyond the
room.
What time is it, Jenny?''
after I. You'd better get up"
The girl was strikingly handsome
In a buxom. sensuous way. but the
droop of resignation of her mouth
struggled with the line of revolt that
met it from the delicate nostrils down
ward. Her eyes shone dark under the
arched eyebrows. In them there were
unrest and knowledge of good and
evil. vague wonder and a look of
hunger of mind and heart.
The room as she turned around to
survey 1t was seen to contain two
iron bedsteads. in one of which there
were a man and two children. while
the other contained younger man.
Both beds were tousled and untidy
The young mans clothes had been
thrown In heap on the foot of his.
The elder mans lay partly on chair,
partly on the floor beside It.
Moran. Jenny's father. sat up in bed
Jenny returned to her work. sitting
down with her back toward the beds
Cant sleep with that kid cough
ing and kicking" grumbled Moran.
Didn't sleep a wink"
He slid his feet on to the floor, drew
on his shoes, hitched up the trousers
In which he had slept, crossed over to
the sink and washed his face and
hands. Then he turned to bare table.
which. with three cheap. rickety
chairs. completed the furniture.
He cut off hunk Of bread and ate.
grumb.ing the while. his watery eyes
wandering along the wall. staring un-
seeingly at the cheap color prints of
the rulers of Europe that formed it's
incongruous ornament.
A large picture of young man in
diving costume. a veritable Hercules.
his heavy helmet resting on his arm.
occupied place of honor all by itself
on another wall
Moran had weak. discouraged face.
with anonymously scowling eyes.
The younger man had propped him.
self up in bed. lighted candle and
was now reading paper. He was
Joe Caffrey. the widower of Jenny's
elder sister. who had died three weeks
before Now. like the two children.
he was ''boarder' of Jenny's.
Hello" said Joe. looking up from
his paper. Here's description of
John ]. Haggleton's private yacht. He
sails today on a cruise"
"Haggletonw growled Moran. THAT'S
our landlord. I'd like to have him
herem
Joe Caffrey kept on reading.
"Oh. say. listen to this" he exclaim-
ed: 1.-THE walls are paneled in satin
wood; under foot are velvet carpets
twelve feet WIDE and
Moran jumped up In rage.
I'D millionaire" he shouted.
1t was broad daylight now. Jenny
extinguished the lamp; Joe blew out