The Story of the Gravelys

ing man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk,

ed, and asked,

e of a plum-pudding. His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that i

n't suppose he w

warmly. "Years have not taught him grac

is his

-Peter

n and there are two Misses Jimson who[89] are dying to ge

in. I said 'Good morning' and he looked so amiable that I thought

up your time, sir. I have merely come to ask you to

ay with a paper-knife. Then he looked

' I told him, 'and I am Mr

nd why are you interested in

e-on River Street. We

tence. I think he knew about the last of it. The

I said, 't

it to them?' he

have his[90] children demand a neces

an to play with the

ers drive them from the dirty houses, the sailors drive them

' he said, cautiously, 'but the

sir, and you can put up a magnificent building like thi

ty had its dign

harity, sir, as

e of indulgent sympathy for a youthful crank

I think you must

lay more wisdom than real par

s time, and I was wrong, but this didn't make me more comfortable[91] in my

of the city attractive,' he sai

,' I said, bitterly,

Street,' he went on. 'Property is held t

It is said to be haunted, and no sailors will g

no money,' he

ty of fresh air, for I am boating half the time, but dead children's f

nd man?' I said, poi

me, and the little children on River Street. Do you dare

was in office to save the city's

9

ow there are things it could do without. If you don

bour and capital business. Labour is unthrifty and brainless. You're young and extreme, a

,' I said, wildly, 'I'll believe anything,

ders again, and slyly

in mud and snow in winter. The people have neither decency nor comfort in their

he said, 'you have too much heart. I once had, but for years I've

E TOO MUC

I'll make it my business to find it. Good[93] morning,' an

you," said

I gathered up the children and to

id, 'do you know

the big man down

did he g

and they votes him ou

otes?'

men in t

r father

n't they Ri

n a little bit of the Mayor, and I have just been as

End have a park, the children of the South End have a park, the children of the West End have a park, but the c

, 'Duck him in the river,' and a

ldren, don't you want a park-a nice wide place with trees,

ttle girl, 'it would be just

d now, children, you can have this park

most ragged little creatures present, 'go to the city hall, take each other's hands, and when you see the Mayor comi

ld say another word, then they rushed

said,[95] 'I can't wiggle in 'count of business, but I'll give signals. You, here, Biddy Ma

and ran off, and

but, bless you, the street is so narrow that the women all kne

oy for the Mayor

teps till that gentleman betook himself home for luncheon, and then to rise an

intervals along the unhappy man's route, and by this time the little monkeys had all g

chair and laughed quietly. "We

9

lace," said Berty, indignantly

ayor take this

of my scouts. They met him on his own sidewalk, on the corner as he waited

children of the streets. I told them not to beg or

. Then he began to peer around street corners, then

the chil

ying he would do all he could to get them their park, and with

y-weren't

't expected to get at his heart so soon. Who

, I heard Roger and Tom Everest down in the library nearly killing themselves laughing. When I asked Roger

re. I believe that Mr. Jimson's men friends teased him, and

sterday," said

d did they ment

f with them. I am there half the time. You mus

he Mayor get

uncillors approved. He won't see me, though-c

is in our very bones? I didn't know I had it in me to keep even our own family together, but I have. I'd fight lik

sister. It's noble to fight for the right, but don't get to be that thing th

old woman, or a wild woman, or a tame woman, or any k