The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-11-23
"LITTLE JTNKS."
BY A LONDON DETECTIVE.

Cne mpmeuJ JuaJ saw LnaL his case was
a deserving one, l was ready TO exert
myself to the utmost to help him out of
the mire. My own mother had hard
struggle to keep her harum-scarum boy
in order; but sooner than cause . tear
to gather in her eye, l would have
chopped off my right hand. She was my
| idol whom l used to worship in secret;
and many time when she thought me
fast asleep, L have been peeping out
from under the blankets, watching her
Isewing, and wishing that were strong
and big enough to work for her myself.
But let me explain. received the lol-
lowing note one morning as entered the
office:
Il missed my purse when reached
home, SO my pocket must have been
picked somewhere between the Mansion
House and Flnsbury square,"
| InlS brief communication was signed
by well-known banker, a Jolly old
bachelor, living in Finsbury square. lie
was little man, and inclined to be fat;
but he had large warm heart-as 1 had
discovered long beforehand seemed to
i've in kind of genial atmosphere,
liked by everybody and envied by none.
even felt momentary surprise that a
thief had found 1T in his heart to victim
iZ6 such a man.
Calling at his house, the following en-
sued:
"It is not so much the money that con-
Germs me-" he said; "though the loss OF
that would be serious to poor man, but
in the inner pocket l had slowed away
some papers and an old memorandum
which l shall miss very much. 1t you
just get me them, you can let the poor
wretch keep the money"
This proposal was against all law and
order and he mIlSt have knnWn it, bnt |
had to remind him OF the tact.
"Ah, yes, l know" he said, in his
quick way, with a merry smile. ''Its
against the law, of course, but you de-
tectives can easily stretch point when
you have mind TO; and, besides, only
throw out hint. Get the contents of
the inner pockets-the rest also, if you
can"
"You did not feel yourself tugged or
ljosJled anywhere on your way hOmeW
"No l felt nothing, and did not miss
the purse until L came here"
Alter eliciting all the facts could in
connection with the matter l returned
to the office, determined to work with a
will to trace his purse and its contents.
But did not even hear of il. No one
among my numerous acquaintances
seemed particularly flush of money; the
empty purse was not picked up any
where or brought in; and began to fear
that it had left London, and the thief
with it.
In this, however, was mistaken.
A little before 10 O'clock next morn
ing, while we were chatting away, a
slim mOrsel of a boy made his appear
ance, with his eyes all red and sWelled
with crying. and asked If this was the
detective office. We all started round
and gazed at the little intruder. The
strangest thing about him was his sskin-
nyness"-he was mere shadow of a
boy, though he had prepossessing little
tace, in spite of the bearing effect OF the
crying.
Being answered in the affirmative, he
remained moment silent, during which |
| could see, by the quiYering of his lip,
that he was struggling hard to appear |
manly and firm while making his next |
speech; he then suddenly produced the |
purse of MI. So, the banker, and
hastily got out the words:
"If you please, Pm thiet-and moth
er is dead-and PVe come Tor you to |
put me in Jail"
He was.choking andlshaking all over as |
he got the words out, but it was no use,
A binding rush of tears came to his
eyes, and the heavy purse dropped at
mis- feet.
There was strange silence in the
room. Nobody rushed forward with a
pair OF handouts, or grasped him by the
collar to hustle him of to cell. He was
SO small-so forlorn and pitiful-looking,
touched him gently on the shoulder. |
"Whats your namew l asked; but l |
was not prepared for the change the
simple question produced. His face
flushed up, ana every tear burst out of
his eyes, as he said:
''My name is Willie Bell, but they call
me Little Jinks' now. That's why l |
ran away from the sHome.' But |
pitched into them before left-not for
that, but for something else." And the
recollection seemed to afford the little
man kind OF fierce pleasure.
"Oh, SO you ran away from thesHome.'
suppose your mother was pretty poor,
Willie-not well of,ehW
"That's it, sir,"he cried,a sudden intel
ligence flashing out Of his fearful eyes.
''ThaHs how she died-pm sure of It'll
because she hadn't enough to eat. tried
to save her by stealing the purse after |
ran away from the Home; but when / |
got home-she could't eat-anu she died
without knowing what had done. Do
you think they'll tell her in Heaven
that stole itp
He appeared so anxious for negative
that was forced to say:
81 don't think they will, Willie, be-
cause that would be sure to make her
unhappy-wouldn't itT
This brought fresh burst of sobbing
and then he said:
81 hope Pll be hanged. I want to die
now. lps no living without mother, and
every body else is cruel. There's no.
body to put their arms around me when
1 am hungry. I-I-rm trying not to
cry-but, somehow L can't help it. 1t
seems very hard that God should take
her away, for loved her 80, and Pm
such small boy"
could not get out an ans wer, and no.
body seemed ready to speak. i picked
up the purse and moUioned him to fol-
low me into another room, and there
poor Willie told me his mothers history,
and sad, sad history it was.
1t was the old story-a garret, pinch
ing want and hard struggle for bare
life, which finally drove the mother into
delicate health, and the boy into one of
the Homes" of London.
Bat here poor Willie's troubles in
creased. The boys of the ssHome"
crowded round the strange little arrival
and dubbed him "Little Jinks," No
rudeness or unkindness was meant-it
was their custom. and he had to piya I'M