Maggie: A Girl of the Streets

uped about little tables. A battalion of waiters slid among the throng, carrying trays of beer glasses and making change from the inexhaustible vaults of their trousers pockets. Li

and wavered high in air about t

ere. The great body of the crowd was composed of people who showed that all day they strove with their hands. Quiet Germans, with maybe their wives and two or three children, sat listening to the music, with the expressions of happy cows. An occasional party of sailors from a war-ship, their faces pictures of sturdy health, spent the ear

e aisle and took seats with Maggi

bee

em. This attitude affected Maggie strongly. A man who could regard su

y times before, and was very familiar with it. A kn

. He displayed the consideration of a c

deh lady a big glass! Wha

aid the waiter, with som

" said Pete, after the

and all his knowledge of high-class customs for her benefi

welcome, and began to walk to and fro, making profuse gesticulations and singing, in brazen soprano tones, a song, the words of which were inaudible. When she broke into the swift rattling measures of a chorus some half-tipsy men ne

in the glare of gas jets. She divulged the fact that she was attired in some half dozen skirts. It was patent that any one of them would have proved adequate for the purpose for which skirts

ale she fell into some of those grotesque attitudes which were at the time popular among the dancers in the theatr

aggie, leaning forw

ete, with prop

stic dolls on his knees. He made them sing mournful di

le men talk?"

e, "it's some d

casionally at concerts given under church auspices. They supplemented it with a

ce was just enthusiastic enough over it to have her return and sing a sorrowful lay, whose lines told of a mother's love and a sweetheart who waited and a young man who was lost at sea under the most harrowing circumstances. From the faces of a

is was reached in the last line of the last verse, where the singer threw out her arms and cried, "The star-spangled banner." Instantly a great cheer swelled from the throats

, wildly waving a glossy silk hat and throwing leers, or smiles, broadcast. He made his face into fantastic grimaces until he looked like a pictured devil on a Japanese kite. Th

progress of events upon the stage. He

glistening. She drew deep breaths of pleasure. No thoughts

to the sidewalk with the crowd. Pete took Maggie's arm an

late hour and stood for a moment

ve us a kiss for takin' ye

if startled, and

he said, "dat

deh hell?"

retreated

eh hell?" r

d up the stairs. She turned and

an astonished expression upon his features. He paused

wonner if I've been