St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-05-18

lug 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.
But here poor Willie's troubles in
creased. The boys of the "Home"
crowded around the strange little ar
rival, and dubbed him "Little Jinks."
No rudeness or unkindness was meant
it was their custom, and he had to
give up asking them to call him Willie,
for ''Little Jinks" they would have him
and nothing else. The first day passed
all well enOugh-he made one or two
acquaintances, and dt night, when all |
was asleep, and the cold moonlight stole |
into the dormitory, he had a good cry,
keeping his head mutf1ed in the bed
clothes to stifie the sound.
But fresh griefs were in store fOr him. !
In an evil hour he had cOntided to some
of his new acquaintance some particu-
lars of his own life and history; and
the next day, when he found them tor
turing one Of their number, mute
named Johnnie, he Mortified them by
firing up, knocking down one of them,
releasing the sufferer, and daring them
to touch him again.
An excited circle instantly formed
around him.
"What is it ?" cried one, elbowing.
ats Jinks, the beggar, the starved
brat" spitefully answered the tioored
boy, gathering himself up and wiping
the blood from his nose. 'Why couldn't
he stay in his hole and not come in
among gentlemen ?"
"What's he done ?"
.sStuck I'M for Johnnien
"Oh, my ! Ha ! ha ~ and the jeering
laugh ran round all.
81 don't care what you say" chOkingly
returned Jinks, blushing to the ears,
and then turning dangerously white.
you're Il pack of cruel brutes."
.Ha ha ha!" laughed the boys
"What a pity his mother isn't here.
Ho no hop
Don't speak of my mother warn
you don't! !" said Jinks, with strange
flashing of the eyes.
"Ho! hol no! Do you hear him ?
His mothers "a beggar, too"
''Of course she is. He told me so,
and my uncle threw her farthing on
the street one day. Ho 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 bloodhound.
They fought long and tiercely, and small
as he was Jinks seemed to be getting
the best of it, when one of the assistant
masters suddenly appeared on the scene
and put an end to the struggle.
And now Jinks experienced the dan
ger 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 II different one.
and the majority carried the day.
Jinks and Johnnie were taken in and
caned till every bone in their bodies
ached, and then shut up in separate lit
tie rooms Oh the ground floor with Il
lunch of dry bread aud mug of water
each.
Poor Jinks thought it high time 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 i'll which he was con-
fined he fell to the ground and was
considerably shaken. Before he could
rise to his feet his terror was Increased
by policeman arriving on the spot.
"Oh sir" he managed to gasp out,
''Pm only little Jinks, you won't stop
me They beat me all over for moth
ing. But | didn't mind that, but they
called my mother a beggar, and I'm
running away from them. Oh, do let
me go. Mother will be glad if you will
let me off, indeed ?"
The policeman looked down at the
little atom with his torn shirt and stains
of blood coming through, his pitiul
face and wildly pleading eyes. He didn't
shake him or grasp him roughly. No.
he took the boy up i'll his arms. He
: tried to speak to him, but for long
5 time the words stuck in his throat, and
| when he did get them out they were
strangely husky, and not ut all harsh
OF unkind.
"PoOr little fellow ~
: The unexpected words went straight
to Little Jinks" heart. If the man had
kicked him, he would have been stone
I but the kind words drew from him {;
t convuisive sob, and must have set his
: brain reeling, for the next thing he was
| conscious of was the policeman putting
sort of fiery stuff into his mouth Out
= of Il flask, and telling him to keep UP ;
t good heart, for he wouldn't let any body
touch him.
T. They were friends in moment.
D 1t ended, however, by the kind po
llCeHliiu carry luS LlIIIe Oluhs W HE
i mother and the poor woman when she
heard the account, received him with
e open arms, and there he remained will
a her until the day of her death, and the
e day indeed, on which he stole the purse
e to keep her from starving.
= When he brought the stolen purse
in, he found his mother dying. Bu
:. the following conversation took. place
t between them:
D "Who gave it to you ?n she managed
= to ask, and then guilty, fearful re-
S morse began to gnaw at Little Jinkss'
heart.
Y "a woman down there" he got out
y ''But could you not get up and walk
| about mother? You would look better
T. then, and perhaps you could eat"
2 "No, Willie, dear. Pm afraid"
e 'Lttle Jinks" seemed to see the
words that were coming, and il grea
e wall burst from him as he placed his
S little hand on her mouth.
- "Oh, mother don't say that or II
= die ~ he wildly said. ''Pll run fol
= doctor-oh, how fast I'll go-and
you'll be well tomorrow, won't YOU p
t But she only strained him closer tC
l her breast.
e ''Pray after me, Willie" she family
n whispered, and then choking with grief
e he repeated after her little prayer
:. that God would look after poor little
n boy who would soon have no mother tC
look after him, and make him grow uI
e to be a great and good man.
II