Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-27

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TrY had come to the throat Of q
I.rs narrow, blind alley. An evil
g. smanated from the garbage that
SsSS the roadway. A street lamp
~ on the name board.
IA ,,cteter's Row! To Claudine the
IN. had vague, omlnous familiarity.
shivered, and Theed pretended not
xotice 1t. :
1my Of the squat slum cottages
suss;d lishts in the windows, for Huck-
"A Row knows nothing Of the meas
a Az and night. Once Theed caught
E s,m 70 prevent her falling over q
.sen man lying across the pathway.
nf. thev advanced there came the
~ ~ raucous voices droning a once
sisy ditty. Theed stopped opposite
coifase from which the sounds were
niAg.
ulins in the Slums
/ Tbeed ratified the knocker. loudly,
siins echoes in the alley Of human
htion, Presently, through q graf.
/ in me door which Claudine had not
k2Eed. a mans voice demanded:
|k!"Who are yer!"
Inv Sam. the mouthpiece, has brought
y iady friend to see her." said Theed.
sThat," said Theed to Claudine. lis
~ detestablc nickname BY which ! am
aoWn in these parts. 'Mouthpiece'
1nns solicitcr-a man who speaks for
2sn when they get into trouble, you
nsv." (,
u There came a shout from within, and
= 1oment later the bolts were drawn.
Il fheed stepped forward, and Claudine
kllewed him. There was no passage.
~ found herself standing in room
~ reeked of beer and stale spirits and
Vashed humanity. Dimly at first,
Ieush heavy haze Of strong tobacco
Ike, she could discern q number Of
- With the beady .eyed stamp of thu
1Qfworld. In the center Of the room
So table. Three men were crouche(
md It and at the head sat q y0uni
Who, by the position Of pile oi
M md silver, Claudine could see wal
iikcr at q game of chance.
M girl staggered to her feet on see.
Iler guests. ;. y
/ tkudine stared at the girl for lon,
tpad. In that second her heart missed
Frat. ',t
HI soul was slippins-slipping back
1ed over the years, and taking th'
M girl with her.
Ii ne was in the cheap, ugly little room
at had flashed in her mind when frs
Med had spoken of her daughter; bu
~ It was not on herself, but on tn,
t30d that her memory was focused
hrdy limbs that child had had, eye
bep set and blue like her fathers, ant
~ mothers red gold curls.
We'll, my dear, how goes II p Theet
1ls saying. "I've told this lady abou
Isu. and she wanted to make your ac'
aaintance."
"Pleased ter meet yer, I'm sure, '
peid Nell with the easy ringing twanl
the true Cockney. She turned fierce
B on one of the men. Eyes and hai
laahed garishly in the light.
"Tike yer at of, Jim; can't yer
Pat show your blinkin' ignoranc,
piere the gentry"
II Uaudine stood tongue. tied for tn
ltst time in her life. Conflicting emo
pens that we're too strong for her tor.
IUYnA klA ID, AZ
enbs, still 1.-the, but destitute Of grace
shere were the eyes, bright now with tn
krhnins Of Huckster's Row. There wa
@s hair struggling. unkempt, but still
tth copper streak amidst the brown
There was, above all, the reckless lif
head. the rapid play Of hands, tina
se Knew to be her own.
Shorn Of all glamour, nll device
pNudine Crayne saw herself in the per
Pcn Of Nell Of Huckster's Row.
Sit down, missis, an make yersel
y ONE Nell was inviting her. "We'r
y friends 'ere--leastways for tonight.
Caudine tried to speak, but could not
Pc had come with the intention of con
eundins Theed by claiming her daugh
~ as her own, and yet
4 Traps you'd like ter try yer luck.
Eell ratified the dice in the box. "Nah
sen, me lucky Idly. The Di'mond an
se Fart. An the more yer put dahn
ae more yer picks up" b
me men guffawed. Claudine sus
eeled vaguely that her unbending atti
kuee had turned her from a guest int
outt. She tried hard to unbend, bu
tes could not. She could feel Thee
P'owing with satisfaction.
Thank ycu," she said. ''but W
.nnot stay-.at least, we have only
J Nell, the soul incarnate Of Huckster
ncoS, was Offended--and knew how I
enge the insult in her own way.
III Lor, now, don't say yer goin' I
XW afore we've 'ad q good look !
~ she exclaimed. With the swinp
stride Of the coster girl she cor
nted Claudine. "Come on, nah. al
yPve the boys a treat
IL AZ she spoke, with a sudden de
Wenent she whisked Claudine's cloa
.ne peacock gossamers shimmered
" eandlelisht; the chain of emeral,
~ ieil from neck to waist burned vii
unholy fire. Nell stared mt sat
sables with the intense hunger Z,
au that flares in every woman
Her own rough hands dropp,
~ t0o taWHry ycl,,ox -