Arthur Stringer

“ It was only natural, then, that following the birth of the Baby there was less bloodshed in the Ward than the oldest inhabitant or even the most vigilant policeman could remember.
But one week after Timmie had completed his wonderful cradle, his father came home, exhaling the odour of gin, and kicked the cradle out into the street. When Timmie's mother, who lay sobbing on her bed, wailed that she had no more money to give him, he prepared to kick the woman into the street after the cradle.
"Money, damn you; I must 'ave money!" roared the man, mad drunk. ”

“ At the same time he was in the habit of showing him, in a way that made poor Timmie's mother weep for many an anxious hour, how a Sharkey should be able to stand punishment.
So by the time Timmie was old enough to venture into the open street he was master of his two childish fists, and what was more, he knew it. That knowledge is a terrible and a dangerous thing in the mind of a boy. ”

“ Reilly pointed out, with quite unnecessary care and precision, just how such a journey would be watched with delight by every man, woman, and child in the Ward, and gracefully withdrew, after pointedly expressing the hope that he would n't put down a poor, dear baby to fight with any undecent blackguard as would stop to laugh at a boy who was only doing his bounden duty. ”

“ Mike Donovan had been a boxer of repute in his youth, and even at the present time three stoop-shouldered young men, wearing gold eye-glasses, came to him twice a week and were regularly sent home with puffed checks and watery eyes. ”