Maggie: A Girl of the Streets

wind of early autumn raised yellow dust from cobbles and swirled it against an hundred windows. Long streamers of garments fluttered from fire-escapes. In all

Withered persons, in curious postures of submission to something, sat smoking pipes in obscure corners. A thousand odors of co

ant along the crowded ways. He was hanging bac

mmie, come ahn. Dere's Jimmie and

on. With the obstinacy of his order, he protested against being dragged in a chosen direction. He made heroic endeavors to keep

ed boy, drew near, the little girl burst into repro

swelled d

deh hell,

immie, an' yeh knows it puts mudder out when yehs come

be threw back his head an

ed Jimmie. "Shut up er I

rl reeled and, recovering herself, burst into tears and quaveringly cursed him. As she sl

r alone on the street. It's like I can never

is attacks. The babe bawled tremendously, protesting with great viole

d up dark stairways and along cold, gloomy halls. At last the father pushed o

tove to a pan-covered table. As the fathe

o dart behind the others and in the scuffle the babe, Tommie, was knocked down. He protest

until he rattled. She dragged him to an unholy sink, and, soaking a rag in water, began to scrub his lacera

at a tragedy. The father, with a newly-ladened pipe in his mouth, crouched on a backless

oundin' 'im. When I come nights I can't git no rest 'cause yer allu

ncreased in violence. At last she tossed him to

her hips and with a chieftain-li

of contempt. "An' what in the dev

out cautiously. The ragged girl retreated and the ur

and put his great mudded boot

" he murmured

husband's eyes. The rough yellow of her face and

but finally arose and began to look out at the

aid. "You'd better let up on the b

in't had a drop," s

, in which they damned each

under the table, his small f

althily over to the corn

uch, Jimmie?" she

! See?" growled

wash deh

aw

ll

y kid I'll break 'is f

he wall as if resolved

his hat and rushed from the room, apparently determined upon a vengeful drunk

he room until her children we

ear the heads of her children. She shrouded herself, puffing and snorting, in a cloud o

s, now," she cried with sudden exaspera

ing high from a precarious infant chair and gorged his small stomach. Jimmie forced, with feverish rapidity, the grease-env

he carried little Tommie into another room and laid him to sleep with his fists doubled in an old quilt of faded red and green grandeur. Then she came and moaned b

the chair with a dish-pan on it. She tottere

ther. His practised eye perceived her gradually emerge from a muddled mi

broke a

ted to her feet

n hatred. The fervent red of her face turned almost to purple. The

bled, panic-stricken, to the next floor. An old woman opened a doo

me? Is yer fader beatin' yer mudder