The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-08-19
But please, sir" plead the little one, little

10 stamp MS DOOts ana shake MS garments III
way that gave strong proofs Of their firm
texture As soon as Mr. Jmps caught sight
of the high nose that peered like projecting
battlement over the folds of the red worsted
comforter which enveloped the lower portion
of the new comer's face, he sprang round the
counter, and Selling his hand shook it heartily,
as he exclaimed
"Why Uncle John Markham! where did
you come from! Did you snow down."
"No, Dimmie," returned the old man, taking
off his low-crowned hat, and shaking a mina-
ture snow-storm from its broad brim; but Id
like to been showed under. Who'd a thought
1t would have come by such handfulls! told
mother, when started, guessed there would
| be more snow before got back but did not
think of its coming so like u judgment Black
Simon and have had time of it, | tell you
Ommie Whew, my fingers ache ike the
toothache = he added drawing off thick
| pair OF blue and white yarn mittens, and
| spreading his hard palms to the fire.
" IL IL the worst storm we have had yet" re-
turned Mr. jumps, wincing slightly at the APP
pellation by which the old man addressed him.
In his native village, he had always been
known as "Dimmie Jmps,n it being sort of
abbrevation of the classical cognomen, Demos
themes Orestes bestowed upon him by his
father, which he had ignored ever since his es-
adjustment in the city, signing his name d.
Orestes jumps, Esq But he knew there was
no use in arguing the case with Uncle John.
He would always remain Dmmie with him :;
so he smoothed his brow and said heartily
| Come, Uncle John, take seat, and make
yourself comfortable, if you can, until some of
the boys get back then we will go up to the
house. Julia will be delighted to see you. You
will stay over tomorrow night with us, of
course. Tomorrow night is Mr.. f. Donation
Party, and you must certainly attend that He
asks after you always, when he calls" Then
CHANGING to let his eye fall on the waiting child
whom he had quite forgotten, he said, with a
gesture toward the door
You had better run home, little girl. Your
mother knows my terms-can't vary for any
one. man must have some rules and stick
by them if he intends to do anything he
added, turning to Uncle John.
AYE, sound doctrine, that Dimmie But
what is this z Who could send child out in
such n storm" said the old man, hastily
rising, and striding forward to open the door,
the knob of which the child was vanly trying
to turn. There, run home, little girl if you
don't intend to be hurled" he cried "your
folks are crazy, TO send you out in such wea-
ther,D
For a second ere she crossed the threshold,
the little pale face was turned up to his as if
to thank him. and he saw that it was wet with
tears.
"What--what?n he muttered and was
about to follow her, when he was recalled by
the voice of Mr. jumps
"Come in, uncle you will catch your death
standing in that draft y cried the little man.
"Who was that child Dimme? and what
possessed her friends if she has any to send
her out in such storm" asked the old man,
" he again seated himself by the fire
"Oh, she don't mind it. She is one of the
thousands You will find in the city--one scarce
ly knows who or what they are Her mother
came here for work and, as she was recon-
mended by one of our hands whom we could
trust we let her take some. should think
had heard some one say that her husband was
dissipated sort of fellow. The city is full
of such people"
"But what sent her here to-day! DO you
owe them anything Dimmie! :"
cove them !" returned Mr.. Jimps laughing
"You must think me hard run, not to be able
to pay for half dozen shirts. | always make
it rule to pay for each lot of work when it is
brought in and answers inspection; and that is
what call fair on all sides But this woman
wants me to do more--she has sent in half her
lot, and wants me to pay her for these before
the rest are done"
"And you didn't do it, Dmmie?n said the
old man.
mot |. | should never get my work done
at that rate If she does not like the terms,
she must look elsewhere for work.
81 s'pose there are people who would have
been foolish enough to have done it, or per-
haps, given her little something out of their
own pockets" observed the old man, watching
the face Of Mr., jumps with very peculiar eS
preston
Yes and foolish enough they are rs you
say. Now, claim to be as liberal and benev-
olent AZ most men; but ! act upon system in
this, AZ well as everything else. pay my
taxes promptly, and subscribe literally to sew
eral benevolent societies besides, my wife de-
votes half her time to their management. lf
these people really are worthy, and need aid
let them apply to some Of those, or to the city
authority Casual charity only encourages
street begging and idleness."
"But-but--I spose there are some among
them so proud that they would rather starve
than beg" returned the old man. with the
same searching glance. al dare say there are
good many just in our neighborhood, at
home, who would rub pretty close before they
would do it,"
| "No doubt of it. You would be surprised at
the degree of pride manifested by the people
who work for me, though many of them arc
poor as job. These people are doubtless Of the
same stamp Lewis" he added addressing a
young clerk, who entered, out of breath with
facing the storm, "put down those half dozen
shirts to the credit of Mrs. Ives"
a. NJ
the boy.
"No; Mrs Mary Ives, Bingham Crossing
York road, was the reply, as Mr.. jumps de-
wadded overcoat and envelOped his throat in
the voluminous folds Of costly mcripo scarf
While he was drawing on his oyershoes, his
guest took from his pocket large pocket-book
and wrote few words on blank leaf
They were soon poughing their way in the
direction Of Mr.. Jimpss residence, Uncle John
looking the storm square in the face as if it
were an old friend, and Mr. Jimps trying to
give it the cut by turning sideways It bore
this while; but at last, Us they turned cor
ner, it sprang out upon him. and Tapping the
long ends Of his scarf in his face, suddenly
lifted his shining beaver FROM his head, and
lodged it in a snow-bank, which it had been
piling up right under tho windows Of Governor
rs mansion, Ms IL for the special amuse-
ment of a group of curly headed children and
a lovely young lady who were watching the
process with delight.
ooh, if it had only happened anywhere elsol !"
thought Mr. jumps, rs, with ono glance at the
mischievous face of Miss Eva B. and the
laughing little ones, he picked up his beaver
and disappeared round the corner Uncle John
followed with steady steps No danger of the
storms playing tricks with his apparel. His
hat was jammed down upon his bald crown, as