Children of the TenementsRiis, Jacob A. (Jacob August)
General
Children of the Tenements
Riis, Jacob A. (Jacob August)
New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Short stories, American; Tenement houses -- Fiction
In the battles that ensued, when Mrs. Hoffman surprised him, some of
her spare crockery was broken without damage to the monkey. Vainly did
she turn the key of her ice-box and think herself safe. Jocko had
watched her do it, and turned it, too, on his next trip, with results
satisfactory to himself. The climax came when he was discovered
sitting at the open skylight, under which Mrs. Hoffman and her husband
were working at their tailoring trade, calmly puffing away at Mr.
Hoffman's cherished meerschaum, and leisurely picking the putty from
the glass and dropping it upon the heads of the maddened couple.
The old German's terror and emotion at the sight nearly choked him.
"Jocko," he called, with shaking voice, "you fool monkey! Jocko!
Papa's pet! Come down mit mine pipe!"
But Jocko merely brandished the pipe, and shook it at the tailor with
a wicked grin that showed all his sharp little teeth. Mrs. Hoffman
wanted to call a policeman and the board of health, but the thirst for
vengeance suggested a more effective plan to the tailor.
"Wait! I fix him! I fix him good!" he vowed, and forthwith betook
himself to the kitchen, where stood the ice-box.
From his attic lookout Jocko saw the tailor take from the ice-box a
bottle of beer, and drawing the cork with careful attention to detail,
partake of its contents with apparent relish. Finally the tailor put
back the bottle and went away, after locking the ice-box, but leaving
the key in the lock.
His step was yet on the stairs when the monkey peered through the
window, reached the ice-box with a bound and turned the key. There was
the bottle, just as the tailor had left it. Jocko held it as he had
seen him do, and pulled the cork. It came out easily. He held the
bottle to his mouth. After a while he put it down, and thoughtfully
rubbed the pit of his stomach. Then he took another pull, following
directions to the letter.
The last ray of the evening sun stole through the open window as Jocko
arose and wandered unsteadily toward the bedroom, the door of which
stood ajar. There was no one within. On the wall hung Mrs. Hoffman's
brocade shawl and Sunday hat. Jocko had often watched her put them on.
Now he possessed himself of both, and gravely carried them to his
attic.
In the early twilight such a wail of bereavement arose in the rear
house that the tenants hurried from every floor to learn what was the
matter. It was Mrs. Hoffman, bemoaning the loss of her shawl and
Sunday hat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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