Michael O'Halloran — Moccasins and Lady Slippers
Before she retired Leslie visited the slippers.
"I'd like to know," she said softly, as she touched a bronze striped calyx, "I'd like to know how I am to penetrate your location, and find and fashion anything to outdo you and the squaw, you wood creatures you!"
Then she bent above the flowers and whispered: "Tuck this in the toe of your slipper!
Three times to-night it was in his eyes, and on his tongue, but his slowness let the moment pass.
I can 'bide a wee' for my Scotsman, I can bide forever, if I must; for it's he only, and no other."
The moccasins soon had been ground to pulp and carried away on a non-skid tire while at three o'clock in the morning a cross, dishevelled society woman, in passing from her dressing room to her bed, stumbled over the osier basket, kicking it from her way.
CHAPTER III _S.
O.
S.
_ Mickey, his responsibility weighing upon him, slept lightly and awakened early, his first thought of Peaches.
He slipped into his clothing and advancing peered at her through the grayness.
His heart beat wildly.
"Aw you poor kid!
You poor little kid!"
he whispered to himself as he had fallen into the habit of doing for company.
"The scaring, the jolting, the scouring, and everything were too much for you.
You've gone sure!
You're just like them at the morgue.
Aw Peaches!
I didn't mean to hurt you, Peaches!
I was _trying_ to be good to you.
Honest I was, Peaches!
Aw----!"
As his fright increased Mickey raised his voice until his last wail reached the consciousness of the sleeping child.
She stirred slightly, her head moving on the pillow.
Mickey almost fell, so great was his relief.
He stepped closer, gazing in awe.
The sheared hair had dried in the night, tumbling into a hundred golden ringlets.
The tiny clean face was white, so white that the blue of the closed eyes showed darkly through the lids, the blue veins streaked the temples and the little claws lying relaxed on the sheet.
Mickey slowly broke up inside.
A big, hard lump grew in his throat.
He shut his lips tight and bored the tears from his eyes with his wiry fists.
He began to mutter his thoughts to regain self-control.
"Gee kid, but you had me scared to the limit!"
he said.
"I thought you were gone, sure.
Honest I did!
Ain't I glad though!
But you're the whitest thing!
You're like----I'll tell you what you're like.
You're like the lily flowers in the store windows at Easter.
You're white like them, and your hair is the little bit of gold decorating them.
If I'd known it was like that I wouldn't a-cut it if I'd spent a month untangling it.
Honest I wouldn't, kid!
I'm awful sorry!
Gee, but it would a-been pretty spread over mother's pillow."
Mickey gazed, worshipped and rejoiced as he bent lower from time to time to watch the fluttering breath.
"You're so clean now you just smell good; but I got to go easy.
The dirt covered you so I didn't see how sick you were.
You'll go out like a candle, that's what you'll do.
I mustn't let even the wind blow cold on you.
I couldn't stand it if I was to hurt you.
I'd just go and lay down before the cars or jump down an elevator hole.
Gee, I'm glad I found you!
I wouldn't trade you for the smartest dog that's being rode around in the parks.
Nor for the parks!
Nor the trees!
Nor the birds!
Nor the buildings!
Nor the swimming places!
Nor the automobiles!
Nor nothing!
Not nothing you could mention at all!
Not eating!
Nor seeing!
Nor having!
Not no single thing--nothing at all--Lily!
"Lily!"
he repeated.
"Little snow white lily!
Peaches is a good name for you if you're referring to sweetness, but it doesn't fit for colour.
Least I never saw none white.
Lily fits you better.
If you'd been a dog, I was going to name you Partner.
But you're mine just as much as if you was a dog, so I'll name you if I want to.
Lily!
That's what God made you; that's what I'm going to call you."
The God thought, evoked by creation, remained in Mickey's heart.
He glanced at the sky clearing from the graying mists of morning, while the rumble of the streets came up to him in a dull roar.
"O God, I guess I been forgetting my praying some, since mother went.
I'd nothing but myself and I ain't worth bothering You about.
But O God, if You are going to do any _big_ things to-day, why not do some for Lily?
Can't be many that needs it more.
If You saw her yesterday, You must see if You'll look down now, that she's better off, she's worlds better off.
Wonder if You sent me to get her, so she would be better off.
Gee, why didn't You send one of them millyingaires who could a-dressed her up, fed her and took her to the country where the sun would shine on her.
Ain't never touched her, I bet a liberty-bird.
But if You did the sending, You sent just me, so she's _my_ job, an' I'll do her!
But I wish You'd help me, or send me help, O God.
It's an awful job to tackle all alone, for I'm going to be scared stiff if she gets sick.
I can tell by how I felt when I thought she was gone.
So if You sent me God, it's up to You to help me.
Come on now!
If You see the sparrows when they fall, You jest good naturedly ought to see Lily Peaches, 'cause she's always been down, and she can't ever get up, unless we can help her.
Help me all You can O God, and send me help to help her all I can, 'cause she can use all the help she can get, and then some!
Amen!"
Mickey took one of Peaches' hands in his.
"I ain't the time now, but to-night I got to cut your nails and clean them, then I guess you'll do to start on," he said as he squeezed the hand.
"Lily!
Lily Peaches, wake up!
It's morning now.
I got to go out with the papers to earn supper to-night.
Wake up!
I must wash you and feed you 'fore I go."
Peaches opened her eyes, drawing back startled.
"Easy now!"
cautioned Mickey.
"Easy now!
Don't be scared.
Nobody can 'get' you here!
What you want for breakfast, Flowersy-girl?
Little Lily white."
An adorable smile illumined the tiny face at the first kindly awakening it ever had known.
"_You_ won't let them 'get' me, will you?"
she triumphed.
"You know it!"
he answered conclusively.
"Now I'll wash your face, cook your breakfast, and fix you at the window where maybe you can see birds going across.
Think of that, Lily!
Birds!"
"My name's Peaches!"
said the child.
"So 'tis!"
said Mickey.
"But since you arrived to such bettered conditions, you got to be a lady of fashion.
Now Peaches, every single kid in the Park is named _two_ names, these days.
Fellow can't have a foot race for falling over Mary Elizabeths, and Louisa Ellens.
I can't do so much just to start on, 'cause I can't earn the boodle; fast as I get it, you're going to line up; but nachally, just at starting you must begin on the things that are not expensive.
Now names don't cost anything, so I can be giving you six if I like, and you are a lily, so right now I'm naming you Lily, but two's the style; keep your Peaches, if it suits you.
Lily just flies out of my mouth when I look at you."
This was wonderful.
No cursing!
No beating!
No wailing over a lame-back brat to feed.
Mickey _liked_ to give her breakfast!
Mickey named her for the wonderful flower like granny had picked up before a church one day, a few weeks ago and in a rare sober moment had carried to her.
Mickey had made her feel clean, so rested, and so fresh she wanted to roll over the bed.
With child impulse she put up her arms.
Mickey stooped to them.
"You goin' to have two names too," she said.
"You gotter be fash'nable.
I ist love you for everythin', washin', an' breakfast, an' the bed, an' winder, an' off the floor; oh I just love you _sick_ for the winder, an' off the floor.
You going to be"--she paused in a deep study to think of a word anywhere nearly adequate, then ended in a burst that was her best emanation--"lovest!
Mickey-lovest!"
She hugged him closely, then lifted her chin and pursed her lips.
Mickey pulled back, a dull colour in his face.
"Now nix on the mushing!"
he said.
"I'll stand for a hug once a day, but nix on the smear!"
"You'd let a dog," she whimpered.
"I ain't kissed nothin' since granny sold the doll a lady gave me the time we went to the doctor's, an' took the money to get drunk on, an' beat me more'n I needed for a change, 'cause I cried for it.
I think you might!"
"Aw well, go on then, if you're going to bawl," said Mickey, "but put it there!"
He stepped as far back as he could, leaned over, and swept the hair from his forehead, which he brought in range of her lips.
He had to brace himself to keep from flinching at their cold touch and straightened in relief.
"Now that's over!"
he said briskly.
"I'll wash you, and get your breakfast."
"You do a lot of washin', don't you?"
inquired Peaches.
"You want the sleep out of your eyes," coaxed Mickey.
He brought the basin and a cloth, washing the child's face and hands gently as was in his power.
"Flowersy-girl," he said, "if you'd looked last night like you do this morning, I'd never tackled getting you here in the world.
I'd thought you'd break sure."
"G'wan kid," she said.
"I can stand a lot.
I been knocked round somepin awful.
She dragged me by one hand or the hair when she was tight, and threw me in a corner an' took the"--Peaches glanced over the bed, refusing to call her former estate by the same name--"took the _place_ herself.
You ain't hurting me.
You can jerk me a lot."
"I guess you've been jerked enough, Lily Peaches," he said.
"I guess jerkin' ain't going to help your back any.
I think we better be easy with it 'til we lay up the money to Carrel it.
He put different legs on a dog, course he can put a new back on you."
"Dogs doesn't count only with rich folks 'at rides 'em, an' feeds 'em cake; but where'll you find 'nother girl 'at ull spare her back for me, Mickey-lovest?"
asked Peaches.
"Gee, Lily!"
he cried.
"I didn't _think_ of that--I wish I hadn't promised you.
Course he could _change_ the backs, but where'd I get one.
I'll just have to let him take mine."
"I don't want no boy's back!"
flashed Peaches.
"I won't go out an' sell papers, an' wash you, an' feed you, an' let you stay here in this nice bed.
I don't want no new back, grand like it is here.
I won't have no dog's back, even.
I won't have no back!"
"Course I couldn't let you work and take care of me, Lily," he said.
"Course I couldn't!
I was just thinking what I _could_ do.
I'll write a letter and ask the Carrel man if a dog's back would do.
I could get one your size at the pound, maybe."
Peaches arose at him with hands set like claws.
"You fool!"
she shrieked.
"You big damn fool!
'_A dog's back!'
_ I
won't!
You try it an' I'll scratch your eyes out!
You stop right now on backs an' go hell-bent an' get my breakfast!
I'm hungry!
I like my back!
I will have it!
You----" Mickey snatched his pillow from the floor, using it to press the child against hers.
Then he slipped it down a trifle at one corner and spoke: "Now you cut that out, Miss Chicken, right off!"
he said sternly.
"I wouldn't take no tantrums from a dog, so I won't from you.
You'll make your back worse acting like that, than beating would make it, and 'sides, if you're going to live with me, you must be a lady.
No lady says such words as you used, and neither does no gentleman, 'cause I don't myself.
Now you'll either say, 'Mickey, please get me my breakfast,' and I'll get you one with a big surprise, or you'll lay here alone and hungry 'til I come back to-night.
And it'll be a whole day, see?"
"'F I wasn't a pore crippled kid, you wouldn't say that to me," she wailed.
"And if you wasn't 'a poor crippled kid,' you wouldn't say swearin's to me," said Mickey, "'cause you know I'd lick the stuffin' out of you, and if you could see yourself, you'd know that you need stuffin' in, more than you need it out.
I'm 'mazed at you!
Forget that you ever heard such stuff, and be a nice lady, won't you?
My time's getting short and I got to go, or the other kids will sell to my paper men, then we'll have no supper.
Now you say, 'Mickey, please get my breakfast,' like a lady, or you won't get a bite."
"'Mickey, please get my breakfast,'" she imitated.
Mickey advanced threateningly with the pillow.
"Won't do!"
he said.
"That ain't like no lady!
That's like _me_.
You'll say it like _yourself_, or you won't get it."
She closed her lips, burying her face in her own pillow.
"All right," said Mickey.
"Then I'll get my own.
If you don't want any, I'll have twice as much."
He laid the pillow on the foot of the bed, saying politely: "'Scuse me, Lily, till I get _me_ a bottle of milk."
Soon he returned and with his first glimpse of the bed stood aghast.
It was empty.
His eyes searched the room.
His pallet on the floor outlined a tiny form.
A dismayed half smile flashed over his face.
He took a step toward her, and then turned, getting out a cloth he had not used since being alone.
Near the bed he set the table and laid a plate, knife, fork and spoon.
Because he was watching Peaches he soon discovered she was peeking out at him, so he paid strict attention to the burner he was lighting.
Then he sliced bread, put on a toaster, set the milk on the table, broke an egg in a saucer, and turned the toast.
Soon the odours filled the room, also a pitiful sound.
Mickey knew Peaches must have hurt herself sliding from the bed, although her arms were strong for the remainder of her body.
She had no way to reach his pallet but to roll across the floor.
She might have bruised herself badly.
He was amazed, disgusted, yet compassionate.
He went to her and turned back the comfort.
"You must be speaking a little louder, Lily," he said gently.
"I wasn't quite hearing you."
Only muffled sobbing.
Mickey dropped the cover.
"I want my breakfast," said a very small voice.
"You mean, 'Mickey, please _get_ my breakfast,' Flowersy-girl," he corrected gently.
"Oh I hurt myself so!"
Peaches wailed.
"Oh Mickey, I fell an' broke my back clear in two.
'Tain't like rollin' off my rags; oh Mickey, it's so _far_ to the floor, from your bed!
Oh Mickey, even another girl's back, or yours, or a dog's, or anybody's wouldn't fix it now.
It'll hurt for days.
Mickey, why did I ever?
Oh what made me?
Mickey-lovest, please, please put me back on the nice fine bed, an' do please give me some of that bread."
Mickey lifted her, crooning incoherent things.
He wiped her face and hands, combed her hair, and pushed the table against the bed.
He broke toast in a glass and poured milk over it.
Then he cooked the egg and gave her that, keeping only half the milk and one slice of bread.
He made a sandwich of more bread, and the cheese, put a banana with it, set a cup of water in reach, and told her that was her lunch; to eat it when the noon whistles blew.
Then he laid all the picture books he had on the back of the bed, put the money for his papers in his pocket, and locking her in, ran down Sunrise Alley fast as he could.
He was one hour late.
He had missed two regular customers.
They must be made up and more.
Light, air, cleanliness, and kindness would increase Peaches' appetite, which seemed big now for the size of her body.
Mickey's face was very sober when he allowed himself to think of his undertaking.
How would he make it?
He had her now, he simply must succeed.
The day was half over before Mickey began to laugh for no apparent reason.
He had realized that she had not said what he had required of her, after all.
"Gee, I'm up against it," said Mickey.
"I didn't s'pose she'd act like that!
I thought she'd keep on being like when she woke up.
I never behaved like that."
Then in swift remorse: "But I had the finest mother a fellow ever had to tell me, while she ain't had any one, and only got me now, so I'll have to tell her; course I can't do everything at once.
So far as that goes, she didn't do any worse than the millyingaires' kids in the park who roll themselves in the dirt, bump their own heads, and scream and fight.
I guess my kid's no worse than other people's. I can train her like mother did me; then we'll be enough alike we can live together, and even when she was the worst, I liked her.
I liked her cartloads."
So Mickey shouldered the duties of paternity, and began thinking for his child, his little, neglected, bad, sick child.
His wits and feet always had been nimble; that day he excelled himself.
Anxiety as to how much he must carry home at night to replace what he had spent in moving Peaches to his room, three extra meals to provide before to-morrow night, something to interest her through the long day: it was a contract, surely!
Mickey faced it gravely, but he did not flinch.
He did not know how it was to be done, but he did know it must be done.
"_Get_" her they should not.
Whatever it had been his mother had feared for him, nameless though the horror was, from _that_ he must save Lily.
Mickey had thought it must be careless nurses or lack of love.
Yesterday's papers had said there were some children at one of the Homes, no one ever visited; they were sick for love; would not some kind people come to see them?
It must have been _that_ she feared.
He could not possibly know it was the stigma of having been a charity child she had been combating with all her power.
They had not "got" him; they must not "get" his Lily; yet stirrings in Mickey's brain told him he was not going to be sufficient, alone.
There were emergencies he did not know how to manage.
He must have help.
Mickey revolved the problem in his worried head without reaching a solution.
His necessity drove him.
He darted, dodged and took chances.
