Maggie: A Girl of the Streets

Rum Alley. He was throwing stones at howling urchins from Devil

th fury. His small body was writhing i

get yehs," screamed a re

ith a valiant roar, "dese

de a furious assault on the gravel heap. On their small, convulsed faces there shone the

orn to shreds in a scuffle, and his hat was gone. He had bruises on twenty parts of his body, an

ed his left arm defensively about his head and fought with cursing fury. The lit

unloading a scow at a dock at the river, paused for a moment and regarded the fight. The engineer of a passive tugboat hung lazily to a rai

ears made furrows on his dirt-stained cheeks. His thin legs had begun to tremble and turn weak, causing his

e notes of joy like songs of triumphant savagery. The little boys

h an air of challenge over his eye. Between his teeth, a cigar stump was tilted at the angle of defiance. He walked with a certain swing of the shoulders which app

ed with interest

er which denoted that he held victory in his fists. He approached at t

. He scrambled to his feet, and perceiving, evidently, the size of his assailant, ran quickly off, shouting alarms. The entire Devil's Row party followed hi

mmie?" he asked of

blood-wet feature

! I was goin' teh lick dat Riley

rriors. Then the Rum Alley contingent turned slowly in the direction of their home street. They began to give, each to each, distorted versions of the fight. Causes of retreat in particular cases were magnified.

k deh hull damn Row," s

the flow of blood from his cut lips.

was doin' all deh fightin?" he de

plied the other

. "Ah, youse can't fight, Blue Bil

," replied

Jimmie th

he other in

r, clinched, and rolled

out of 'im," yelled Pete, the lad with

eir curses struggled in their throats with sobs. The other little boys clasped their h

tor was sudde

heese it! Here comes

ecstatic awe for that which was about to happen. The two little boys fi

with sullen eyes. He was carrying a din

, he regarded them listlessly. But suddenly he roa

while I belt yer life out,

llie felt a heavy boot strike his head. He made a furious effort

began to curse him. His parent kicked him. "Come home, now," he cri

oy followed a dozen feet in the rear. He swore luridly, for he felt that it was degradation for one who aim