The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-01-04


his eyes, as he said:
"My name is Willie Bell, but they
all call me Little Jinks' now. That's
why / ran away from the Home But
pitched into them before l 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 the
Home suppose your mother was
pretty poor, Willie-not well off-ehp"
"That's it, sir,'' he cried, with sud-
den Intelligence flashing out of his tear
full eyes. "That's how she died-I'm
sure of it-because she hadn't enough
to eat. tried to save her by stealing
the purse after l ran away from the
| sHome;' but when got home-when
| got home-she couldn't eat-and she
died without knowing what had done.
Do you think they'll tell her in Heaven
that stole it?''
He appeared so anxious for negative
that l was forced to say:
81 don't think they will, Willie, be-
cause that would be sure to make her
nhappy-wouldn't itP''
This brought fresh burst Of Sob
bling, and then he said:
81 hope I'll be hanged. 1 want to
die now. It's no living without moth
er, and every body else is cruel. There's
nobody to put their arms round me
when l am hungry. I-I-I'm trying
not to cry made it all up before l
came that / wouldn't cry-but some
how can't help it. 1t seems very hard
that God should take her away, for l
loved her so, and I'm snch small
boy"
l could not get out an answer, and
nobody else seemed ready to speak. l
picked up the purse and motioned him
to follow 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 garnet, 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.
But here poor Willie's troubles in
creased. The boys of the "Home"
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 give
up asking them to call him Willie, for
"Little Jinks" they wonld have him,
and nothing else. The first day passed
all we'll enough-he made one or two
acquaintances-and at night, when all
were asleep, and the cold moonlight
stole into the dormitory, he had a good
cry, keeping his head muffled in the
bedclothes to stife the sound.
But fresh griefs were in store for him.
In an evil hour he had confided to some
of his new acquaintance some particu-
lars of his own life and history; and
next day when he found them torturing
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
round him.
"What is it?" cried one, elbowing in.
sits 'Jinks'-the beggar-the little
starved rat" spitefully answered the
floored 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 doneP"
"Stuck up for Johnnie"
"Oh, my! Ha! ha! hal" and the
jeering laugh ran round all.
81 don't care what you say" chok-
ingly returned "Jinks,' blushing to
the ears, and then turning dangerously
white. " You're pack of cruel brutes!'
"Ha! ha! hal" laughed the boys.
u Nv, at, pity his mother isn't here.
"Don't speak of my mother, I warn
you, don't!" said "Jinks," with a
strange flashing of the eyes.
"Ho! no! ho! Do you hear him :
His mothers beggar, too"
"Of course she is. He told me so !;
and my uncle threw her a 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 a bloodhound
They fought long and fiercely, 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
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 differ
ent 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
little rooms on the ground floor, with a
bunch of dry bread and mug of water
each.