The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-11-23

I
II DON'T care what you say" ehokingly
returned "Jinks," blushing to the ears,
and then turning dangerously white.
"Y0u're pack of cruel brutes.o
"Hal hal hap laughed the bows.
What pity his mother isn't here. Ho!
no hol'
'Don't you speak of my mother; l
warn you DON'T" said "JInks," with q
strange flashin g of the eyes.
"HVl hol no! Do you Aear him2 His
mothers "a beggar, tool'
"Of course she is. He told me so; and
my father threw her farthing on the
street one day. Hol ho!'-
| The last speaker didn't get his laugh
out for though he lowered up tall and
strong "Jinks" had flashed through the
air at his throat, like a bloodhound.
They fought long and tiercely, and small
as he was, "Jinks" seemed to be getting
the best OF 1t, when one of the assistant
masters suddenly appeared on the
scene and put an end to the struggle.
And now "Jinks" experienced the
danger of going against the majority.
The small boy and himself gave the true
version OF the story; the other boys, one
and all, gave quite a different one-and
the majority carried the day.
| "Jinks" and Johnnie were taken in
and caued till every bone in their bodies
ached, and then shut up in separate lit
tie rooms on the ground floor with a
hunch Of dry bread and mug OF Wafer
each.
Poor 'Jinks" thought it high time now
to make his escape from place where
he was so miserable, and get back to
his mother. In getting through the win
dow Of the room in which he was con-
| hn a tn orr
siderably shaken. Before he could rise
to his feet his terror increased by q po-
liceman arriving on the spot.
| "Oh, Sir" he managed 10 gasp out,
"Pm only Little Jlnks,' you won't stop
me? They beat me all over for nothing.
But didn't mind that; but they called
my mother begSar; and Pm running
away from them. On, do let me of, in
deedw
The policeman looked down at the lit
tie atom, with his torn shirt and stains
of blood coming through, his pitiful lace
and wildly pleading eyes. He didn't
shake him or grasp HIM roughly. No, he
took the boy up in his arms. He tried to
| speak to him, but tor long words stack
| in his throat, and when he did get them
out they were strangely husky, and not
at all harsh or unkind.
"Poor little fellowp
The unexpected words went straight
to "Little Jinks'" heart. lfthe man had
kicked him he would have been stone;
but the kind words drew from him
convulsive sob, and must have set his
brain reeling, for the next thing he was
conscious OF was the policeman putting
sort of oily stuff into his mouth out Of
flask, and telling him to keep up a
good heart, for he Wouldn't let anybody
touch him. ~g
They were friends in moment,
1t ended, however, by the kind police
man carrying Little Jinks" to his
mother; and the poor woman, when she
heard the account, received him with
open arms, and there he remained with
her until the day of her death, and the
day, indeed, on which be stole the purse
to keep her from starving.
When he brought the stolen purse in
he found his mother dying. But the fol-
lowing conversation took place between
them:
"Who gave it to you" she managed to
ask, and then fearful, guilty remorse
began to gnaw at "Little Jinks'" heart.
GA woman down there,'e he got out.
tBut could you not get up and walk
about, mother? You would look better
then, and perhaps you could eat"
mo, Willie dear. l am afraid"
Little Jinks seemed to see the words
that were coming, and great wall
burst from him as he placed his little
hand on her mouth.
ooh, mother, don't say that, or Pll
dep he wildly cried. "fI run for a
doctor-oh, how fast I'll gol-and you'll
be well tomorrow, won't you?'
But she only strained him closer to her
breast.
spray after me, Willie," she family
whispered, and then, choking with grief,
and burning with sense of guilt, he re-
peated after her little prayer, that God
would look after poor little boy who
would soon have no mother, and raise
him up great many kind friends to look
after MIN, and be the same as a mother
to him, and make him grow up to be
great and good man.
After speaking the prayer "Little
Jinks" had but one thought-how he
could let his mother die without confess.
ing his crime. Every moment it was at
the tip OF his tongue, but then he thought
the awful news would strike her dead in
his arms. He let her sleep on while he
watched her breathing.
Toward morning she stirred Slightly
and opened her eyes.
"KIss me, Willie," she said.
1t was only whisper, but he heard
every word.
SNOW put your arms around me-
tighter, tighter"
These were her last words. Her
breathing got fainter and slower, and
then, as her eyelids dropped, Wfllie's
screams brought in some of the neigh |
bors.
They took him gently from the room,
and were kind and good to him, poor
though they were; but when they told |
him that his mother was away some |
where and would not be back for awhile, |
he had such wild burst Of grief that
they were afraid of his slender life. But
he was calm at last, and then he insisted |
on going out--no he wouldn't tell where,
but he would go.
He slipped out when they were in the |
next room, and found his way to Scot. |
land Yard; and this ended his story,
didn't take him away and lock him
in a cell. No, took him home to my |
wife, and then paid visit to The banker, |
After giving him the purse and the con.
tents entire and unbroken, l told him |
''Little Jinks'" story pretty much as l |
have put it before the reader. AS II
have already indicated, he was of that
derided class called soft-hearted: and |
long before had finished, he was blow
ing his nose, wiping his eyes, and finally,
crying and sobbing like a child. But