The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-01
TIM'S PARTNER.

not thinking Of" and she paused sud
denly, eying the figure before her from
head to foot.
A strange, misshapen creature it was.
He was barely eighteen, but he might
have been twice that from the looks of
MS face, which was thin and sharp, and
wrinkled about the eyes and forehead,
surmOunted by a shock of sandy brown
hair, and matched with gray felt hat
going to tatters. A short bumped back
figure, with a body out of all proportion
to the pinChed, slender legs. The arms
were long and finished by hands twice
too large. A poor, pitiful object; yet
there was something wistful and touch
ing in the great brown eyes.
"Of gettin' married? Was you goin'
to say that, Miss May? He! he! A gal
would want husband mighty bad,
wouldn't she, when she pickedu up such a
crooked stick? The good Lord knows
why He made me this way, s'pose, fall
ing for moment into a reflective mood.
But faint that, Miss May. I've got
room of old Mother Budd, and a stove,
and mattress, and now I've taken a
pardner-Jerry; but you don't know moth
in bout him. He's a little chap what's
had a drunken father all his life, and had
to get about on two crutChes-wOrse n
me, a good sight" looking down with
pride on his thin legs and substantial
feet. "And now his fathers sent up to
the island, nd he had no place to 90. So
we've set up together. He's smart in
some ways, is Jerry-kin sew like a gal,
and cook, and Wen get along just jolly.
Only if we had some dishes and things.
You see we have to pay Il dollar week
in advance, for old Mother Budd is sharp
at bargain, looking out for tricks.
Then | bought some coal an wood, an
that took about all my spare capital"
lie gave a sort Of humorous grin as he
said "Capital."
He had shoveled off the snow and
cleaned out the gutter to perfection Miss
May had paid him thirty cents. After a
moment she said;
Come down in the basement, Tim. l
should not wonder if we could find you
an outfit. Two boys housekeeping! It's
rather funny
Tim scraped and wiped his feet, stood
his shovel in the corner of the area and
followed the young lady within. All
winter he had been on hand to clean the
sidewalk and put in the coal. Besides
his wages she had given him a few old
garments, and his gratitude had touched
her, Now she felt rather amused.
Bridget gave him a somewhat I'M
friendly stare as he entered the kitchen.
She never could understand why a lady
like Miss May should take fancies &" to
beggars and that sort of trash" DR.. May
looked rather serious about it, and wished
her mother had lived, or that Aunt Helen
knew how to interest her i'll other people
He saw quite enough of the misery and
wretchedness of the world without hay
ing his pretty young daughter breaking
her heart over it.
Come and warm yourself, Tim.
Bridget, where are those cracked and
checked dishes and old tins l picked out
the other day? And there are some
chairs down cellar. Oh, and those old
Comfortables | laid away"
"Sure, miss, was goin' to ask you if
l mightn't give the dishes to my cousin,
Ann Flynn, who is to be married on
Sunday night. They'd be a godsend to
her"
Well, divide them" and Miss May
smiled.
Bridget very unwillingly opened the
closet door. The idea of giving china
dishes to beggar! She grudged every,
thing that could 90 to cousin"
Miss May picked up two cups and
saucers, four plates, two bowls and sew
eral miscellaneous articles, including
block tin teapot and two or three dilapi-
dated pals.
go Miss May! Why, Wen feel as grand
as kings" and Tins eyes were lustrous
with gratitude.
" Here's a basket to pack them in.
Bridget, give him little tea and sugar,
and some of the cold meat left yesterday.
I'll run upstairs and find some bed
clothes"
She came back laden. Tins face
glowed to its utmost capacity, which was
large, seeing that he had been out in the
cold
There, haven't any table, but all
these will help. You are sure your part
ner, as you call him, is a trusty fellow"
He's good as gold, though he haint
no legs worth speaking of. He used to
sell papers on the cars, but he stumbled
one day and had one cut off and t'other
hurt. His father used to keep him round
begging, but he's bound to have nice
times now along o me. If you could
hear him sing, Miss May-its like a bird
hanging out of winder When the
weather comes warm he kin sell apples
and flowers, and SIGH. I'll have a little
spare capital bimeby to start him with.
And it'll be next to having folks of ones
very own. | never had any, you see.
Not that I'd want father like Jerry's. |
Poor little chap, he's had rough times,
what with beatin' and starvin'."
Miss May winked a tear out of her blue
eyes. How ready these street Arabs
were to stand by one another. Would
anybody in her "set" take in a poor
brother unhesitatingly?
Tim was grateful from the very depths
of his soul, and it was no mean one. He
bundled the articles in great pack and
shouldered them, chairs and all, and
drew his rough sleeve across his eyes,
while his good-by was very husky
sound, If Miss May could have heard
the rejoicing!
And yet it was a miserable little room
up three flights of stairs, with only one
window looking into a rear hOuSp. their |