Nimble Ike, the Trick Ventriloquist

The girl led the way back and our hero accompanied her; they ascended to the room from whence Ike had seen the girl issue and entered, the girl still leading the way. Ike beheld at a glance that it was the home of need; on a bed lay a woman, possibly she had once been comely looking, but she did not look pretty as the boy beheld her. She was evidently quite ill and her complexion was the color of saffron.

Ike had noticed, as stated, that there were few things in the room; the woman reposed on a cot, there was a table and one chair, no carpet, and he, at the last moment, discovered that there was no stove nor any of the usual, even poor equipments that can be found in the poorest apartments. Again he left the room and soon returned with cups, plates, knives and forks, and he bustled around and set things all ready for eating. He carried the invalid a cup of coffee, and some bread and meat, which she devoured with avidity.