e." She nodded, and her
cap-ruffle flapped over her face.

"If ye see that omadhawn of a Biddy Brady in yer travels, jist send her
home. The babby's screamin' himself into fits. Won't her mother give it
to her whin she comes in!"

Down below the next corner, there was a throng of children. One big boy
was whistling a jig tune, and clapping on his knee.

"That's old Mrs. McGiven," explained Hanny. "The school-children go
there for cake and candy and slate pencils, because hers have such nice
sharp points. And--Biddy Brady!"

Jim was with the boys. He gave Hanny a nod and laughed and joined the
whistling.

"Oh, Jim--Biddy's baby is crying--"

"Come, start up again, Biddy. You haven't given us half a cent's worth!
You don't dance as good as the little Jew girl on the next block."

"Arrah now--"

"Go on wid yer dancin'."

Biddy was a thin, lanky girl with straight dark hair that hung in her
eyes and over her shoulders. A faded checked pinafore, with just plain
arm-holes, covered her nearly all up. To her spindle legs were attached
mismatched shoes, twice too large, tied around the ankles. One had a
loose sole that flapped up and down. It really wasn't any dancing, for
she just kicked out one foot and then the other, with such vigor that
you wondered she didn't go over backward. Her very earnestness rendered
it irresistibly funny. She certainly danced by main strength.

Hanny began again. "Jim, her baby is crying--"

"He gets his living by crying. I've never heard of his doing anything
else."

Biddy brought her foot down with an emphatic thump.

"There now, not another step do yees get out o' me fur that cint. I've
give ye good measure and fancy steps throwed in. An' me shoe is danced
off me fut, an' me mammy'll lick me. See that now!" and she held up her
flapping sole.

They had to yield to necessity, for none of the crowd had another penny.
When Biddy realised the fact, she ran off home and bought a stick of
candy to solace herself and the baby. Mrs. Brady went out washing, and
Biddy cared for the baby when she wasn't in the street. It must be
admitted the babies languished under her care.

The school-children had a good deal of fun hiring her to dance. Biddy
was shrewd enough about the pennies.

Jim joined the cavalcade as the boys went their way.

"Why, she likes the money," he said in answer to an upbraiding remark
from Hanny. "That's what she does it for."

"It was very funny," declared Daisy. "