Silas K. Hocking

“ The days began to shorten, and the evenings to be cold. Nelly felt the change in an unmistakable manner, for her cough returned worse than ever, and her appetite and strength began to fail rapidly. But the hopeful little child battled bravely with her growing weakness, and each morning went forth to earn her daily bread.
One afternoon in October Benny was down on the pier, when he saw Perks coming towards him, and not wishing to have anything to say to him, he was about to turn away, when Perks called out—
"Does yer want to 'ear a bit o' news?" ”

“ Please make her better. If I was in Your place, an' You was a little chap like me, I'd let Your Nelly stay. I would for sure. An' oh, if You'll let my Nelly stay an' get better, I'll be awful good. Amen."
Benny waited for a few minutes longer in silence, then got up and crept to the doorstep, and in five minutes after he was fast asleep.
He was aroused in the morning about nine o'clock by the door being opened suddenly, against which he was leaning, and he fell into the passage. He got up as quickly as possible, but not in time to escape a fierce kick dealt him by a hard-featured woman. ”

“ Bill Tucker said as 'ow she was hurt in the street an' brought here."
"Yes, a little girl was brought in two or three hours ago."
"Wur she very white, an' had long hair?"
"Yes, my little man."
"Oh, that wur Nelly. Let me see her, please."
"You cannot to-day, it's against rules; you can see her to-morrow morning, after ten o'clock."
" Oh, do let me jist peep at her."
"I cannot, my little fellow; and besides, it would do her no good."
"But it 'ud do me good," said Benny, gulping down a great lump in his throat. "She is all I has in the world." ”

“ God, I's in great trouble, for Nelly's got hurt, and they's took her into the 'firmary, an' won't let me see her till to-morrer, but You knows all about it, I specks, for Joe says as how You knows everything. But I dunna want her to die, for Joe says You takes people who dies that is good to a mighty nice place ”

“ He was told that he mast be very quiet, and on no account excite her, or it might prove fatal to her, as she was in a very critical state. She had recovered consciousness on the previous night, but she was so weak, and her nervous system had received such a shocks that she could not bear any excitement. ”