. Small boys in big boots : a story for children of all ages . or she is in ballcostume. Wait till I tells you a story ! cries Footlights, not budging astep. Listen to me, for the good of others ; you aint hard-hearted. Rosa, listen to me for the sake of a little gal like yourown, who has been robbed! Listen to me afore you fires hisletter out. This appeal, made in a piteous voice, astonishes the actress,who sinks into a chair, and says : Go on, quick, for Ill be calledfor the second act in ten minutes ! Then, mutters Higgins, Ill paralyze you in five! andastounds her, for he whispers, in melo
. Small boys in big boots : a story for children of all ages . or she is in ballcostume. Wait till I tells you a story ! cries Footlights, not budging astep. Listen to me, for the good of others ; you aint hard-hearted. Rosa, listen to me for the sake of a little gal like yourown, who has been robbed! Listen to me afore you fires hisletter out. This appeal, made in a piteous voice, astonishes the actress,who sinks into a chair, and says : Go on, quick, for Ill be calledfor the second act in ten minutes ! Then, mutters Higgins, Ill paralyze you in five! andastounds her, for he whispers, in melodramatic hiss: HEARKEN TO THE STORY OF SoFTYs CRIME ! At this startling announcement the young lady gives a littleshriek and grows pale, while Footlights, in vivid, lucid, and ungram-matical periods, tells her the story of his wonderful adventures inPeekskill : how Myra is under his charge ; how Whiticar, who issupposed to be dead in deep water, has Softys curious voice;in fact, all that he suspects, guesses, or knows. i-, Kf*3-lrf , I * tJff-i-S I >• *. HEARKEN TO THE STORY OF : SOFTYS CRIME. ! A: TIL] R THE VOICE ON THE BOWERY, 177 During this narrative, which takes perhaps five minutes, Rosainterrupts the boy but once, and that is with a suppressed laugh,as he describes the punishment he received for smoking cigarettes ;but Footlightss face becomes so tragic at her mirth that she sup-presses it entirely. Very well, she says, after a little pause of thought. Whatdo you want me to do ? First, I want you to take charge of Myra, and put her withyour kids for the night. I wants to be sure that shes safe as if shewas in a Deposit Companys vault, and Id a coupon for her. Yousee, I must have my hands free to operate on Softy! Certainly, Ill take care of the little girl with pleasure ! returnsthe lady, thinking of her own little ones, and becoming motherlyat the thought. What else ? Then I wants you to open Softys letter. Certainly not! Why not? returns Footlights, savagely. Wha
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidsmallboysinb, bookyear1890
