24. “DIGGING A GRAVE

of the whole biling of parents, in Westmin-
“ister ? ‘They drink and fight over gin all
night, and drive every ‘scrap of a starving
child they can eet, to beg and steal for the
gin, all day ; it’s the children keep the parents.
I havn’t got none. Oh, my Nelly! my
Nelly! ”? she continued, with a sudden burst
of grief, as she cast herself on the steps;
' “T have nothing now.”’

Terrified at the violence of the little girl,
Pegey addressed herself to a policeman, in
whom she recognized | an acquaintance ;—
- You've heard what that poor child said;
can’t you see to her? has she no one be-
longing to her ?”’

‘“V’ll make her move on presently,’ he
replied; “that’s all I can do for her, until
she does something; it’s like enough she’ll
assault the woman, for she’s a regular tiger
kitten, and those poor apple girls are often
greatly attached to each other; she’s ag