Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-10-25
How Jim was Made Sorry.

iiaffN / norm was very iona OF Ittsf ana /
when his mother moved far up town. she |
thought she would have better chance to |
indulge her little boys fancy in this matter
than when they hadn't, to use her express
sion, an 81 inch of room"
But alas there is always some draw
back. There was a nice. long yard at the
back Of the house but when Harry had his
hen-house arranged at the lower end, and
his doves and chickens all nicely settled, he
one day esped boys eye peeping through
a knot-hole in the fence.
squirrel couldn't have climbed that
fence much more nimby than Harry did
and what was his disgust to discover, squat
ting on the ether side, dirty tousle
headed, small urchn, whose eyes looked so
sharp that Harry fancied they might see
through the boards, even if there had been
no hole at all.
What are you doing there ?" shouted
the boy on the fence TO the one on the ground.
"Nothin' answered tatterdemalion from
below.
Yes, you are" returned property-hoder
from above "you are peeping at my doves
and chickens"
"Wel, | amt hurtin' EN-" replied the
other
Next thing you1l be stealing them, or
something; ! know You will, so you Just
clear out, cried Harry,
"Shan't do nothin' o. the sort. That's
your side O the fence, an this 5 mine, so
clear out yourself, was the retort, accom-
panied by certain flourish Of arms and
legs aud horrible grimace.
Harry looked around. Sure enough, there
was a row of small tenement houses at the
back Of their yard and the sharp-eyed boy
was on his own territory.
Straightway Harry ran to tell his mother
| the unwelcome news of the disagreeable
neighbors, and they both expressed their APP
prehension of trouble from that quarter ;
nor were their fears groundless, for the very
next morning one Of lIarry's pigeons had a
broken leg anda week later, a chicken was
found dead in the yard.
Aftereach of these mishaps the owner of the
unfortunate birds was in state of towering
indignation, and climbing to the top of that
fence, ne eased his mind, though no boy was
visible, in this style " know you're there
Jim (he had learned that the weasel-eyed
boy was called Jim), and now | tell you
what it is, you had better let my things
alone, or III make you sorry you touched
them, you good-tor-nothng ragamuihn, you
with much more like defiance.
Not long afterward Harry had new pet
a lovely white rabbit, and he spent the
whole day succeeding its arrival in making
its acquaintance and fondlng it.
Imagine then his grief aud chagrin on
going the next morning to greet his new
tavorite, to find it dead-poisoned, This
was too much, ana though he was ten year,
old, he wept bitterly
Two or three mornings later, Harry woke
caller than usual aud thinking of his pets
jumped out of bed, ran to the window anc
looked down the yard to see if Ellen haC
opened the hen-house She had not, so tn,
lad put on his clothes aud went to do it him
self but as he reached the place he heard !
strange sound on the other side of the fence
1t was somebody crying, or rather sobbng
and in very odd manner; so again h,
mounted that paling to see what was there.
1t was Jim, lying all in heap between
an old barrel and the fence and he wa
shaking so that his teeth ratified rs the sob
came through them.
Harry gazed moment, then said "Jim
what's the matter p
No answer, and the sobbing ceased bu
not the shaking, nor the chattering teeth.
Then Harry let himself down, went clos
to the little fellow, coiled up and lookin,
like a galvanized bundle of rags, saying
Jim, jim, what ails you Z"
" Got the ager," was the answer from be
tween Jim's rafting teeth.
"What are you out of doors for then, a
this time of the morning ?" was Harry's mex
question.
"'Cause," and the boy stirred little, SC
that he could see the others face and find
ing only wonder and pity there, added, as h,
removed the arm that concealed his own Wis
age, "'Cause father put me out last night
been out all night"
Here Harry perceived that one side oil
, Jim's face was swollen and livid, so he cried
"Why what did that ?"
Father" was the sententious reply, a,
the poor boy again covered his face, anC
went on shaking and sobbing.
/ Harry forgot all about vengeance, hurried
home, reused his mother, and before half an
hour had elapsed the miserable little jim
had been brought into Mrs. Thorn's house
aud made as comfortable as possible under
the circumstances. He did not say much
for some hours, for when the ague ceased
the fever came on; and when this passed he
slept.
At last he awoke, looked around, and, see
ing Harry, said Say, | am awful sorry
killed your chicken and your rabbit.
dunno what made me do it, but guess
was mad cause hadn't nothin' an father
drinks an beats mean you wouldn't let
me look at 'em-but pr'a'ps can get you
another rabbit by'm by"
II was now llarry's turn TO be sorry
sorry he had been so selfish and cross, anC
so ready to believe evil of that unfortunat,
child OF poverty and sorrow; but both h,
and his mother made amends for their fau
OF mistake, whichever 1t might be- for the,
became good, helpful friends to the wors,
than orphan boy, and did not cease to car,
for him until he was able to support himself