Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-19
in an excess of vindictiveness, Il hope

| we tOlleQ up the Barrel Slalr Oh tne
old tenement house to tell Granny
Scrag of our peril and escape. 1 shall
never forget the creature as she sal
on a broken chair under the skylight
her dirty cap awry on her bristline
hair her rags gathered about her skin.
ny figure, her ferret eyes fixed sharply
on me, while related my story.
You little fool" she burst out at the
close, why didn't you keep the silver
piece the woman gave you? Why
| didn't you send her to me here In Har.
] mony Alley? I'd sell Nan to her quick
enough and be glad of the chance. You
two brats are the pest Of my life!
You're sure it was Nan she wanted
eh?"
Yes" l answered, dismally; III
wasn't me, gran; she called me black
wretch" And then began to suppli-
cate. "Oh, you wouldn't sell Nan
| would you, gran! You couldn't be as
bad as that! l should die without
Mani"
"Then I'd be quit of ye both! Send
your lame lady here and see If I don't
make a bargain with her quick
enough"
IF I catch her in this house, gran
I'll push her downstairs; I'll throw the
gin bottle at her!" cried, in a fury
Tut" said gran, and she questioned
me closely concerning the appearance
of the two women. Her face fell when
spoke of their worn dress and the
shabby hack.
"Ha! they weren't rich folks, them"
she said, in a disappointed tone,
"Faugh! we want nothing to do with
'em If they hain't got brass. Maybe
they'd like to adopt you both. Nan!
Nan! you ungrateful baggage you
ungrateful baggage! you black Poll.
it's nothing but Nan with you from
morning till night"
Then she flew at me and beat me
black and blue for daring to come back
to the ally empty-handed, after which
she turned me out on the streets to beg
again, but Nan she kept behind in the
attic.
l went out to my hateful work with
a bruised, aching body and a heart like
lead. was sorry that had told gran
about the two women. A forebod-
ing of evil weighed heavily upon me
wondered If the unknown pair wound
visit the alley in my absence and Sc
sure Nan. Oh, the torment of those
hours, when my bare feet carried me
about the streets, while my heart re-
mained behind in the garrett The
misery in my ugly, dark face must have
attracted the notice Of passers-by, for
pennies came to me unsolicited, and
an old fruit woman at a corner stand
called me kindly and gave me a big
red apple.
AS soon as I dared I flew back to
Harmony Alley. Just before reaching
it stumbled upon a woman who was
pacing slowly along the uneven pave
ment, near the entrance to the foul
place. She had the air of person on
the watch. There was a veil over her
swarthy face, but saw 1t all the same.
and l knew her dress, her figure. I
think she recognized me, also. Through
the veil her sharp eyes fixed themselves
on me for a moment, and she seemed
about to speak. but on second thought
she turned and walked swiftly and
noiselessly away. 1t was the brown
woman. I flew into the alley and up
flight after flight of rickety stairs to
the attic.
Polly! Polly!"
Oh, joy! 1t was Mans little voice.
saw her angel face. In its frame Of
yellow curls, looking out for me at the
garret door. My precious little sister!
Has anybody been here, Nan?" l
asked.
NO" she answered, and l breathed
freely again.
where's gran?"
"Sck-on the bed"
knew what that meant. There was
broken food in the cupboard, and Nan
and l went out on the stairs, for the
smell of gin made the garret sickening,
her hand the apple which the old wo-
man at the corner stand had given me.
How good you are to me, dear, dear
Polly" she said, as she nestled up to
my heart.
That's because l love you So" an
swered. DO you love me, Nan?"
Yes, oh, yes;" she cried with fer
vor.
will you love me as long as you
live?"
That l WILL"
Poor baby! she little knew what she
was promising. Presently l said:
You and l never had father and
mother like other little girls, Nan, and
sometimes I've been afraid we wasn't
sisters-real, true sisters, you know,
because I'm so ugly and you so pretty
I'm so bad and you so good"
She twined her little arms round my
neck.
"Oh, but you are my sister, Polly!"
Right, Man," answered, exultantly.
I'm sure of 1t today-otherwise l
wouldn't feel so bad at the thought of
strange folks taking you from me
could 1. now?"
NO." said Nan.
For long time we sat there with
arms around each other. On the land
ing below a row was going on, as usual,
and men and women were swearing at
each other in foreign tongues. Dark
ness gathered. The organ grinder who
occupied the adjacent attic came toll
ing along, dusty and tired, up the
creaky stairs, followed by Pietro, bear
ing monkey in red cap and jacket.
l gave my enemy a malicious pinch as
he passed me, and he answered with a
dismal, protesting howl.
In some room far beneath our perch
Nan and | could hear a fiddle going
merrily, and all the while, as we sat
there, | was thinking of the brown wo-
L i