Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-05-23

it was their custom, and he had to give up
asking them to call him Willie, for
g Little Jinks they would have him and
nothing else. The first day passed all
well enough-he made one or two ac-
quaintances, and ut night, when all was
asleep, and the cold moonlight stole into
the dormitory, he had good cry, keep
ing his head mufllcd in tile bedclothes to
stitle the sound.
But fresh griefs were in store for him.
In an evil hour he had confided to some Of
his new acquaintance some particulars of
his own life and history; and the 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
around him.
What is it?" cried one elbowing.
It's Jinks, the begger, the starved
brat" spiteiully answered the floored boy,
gathering himself up and wipng the
blood from his nose. Why couldn't he
stay in his hole and not come among gen
What's he done?"
Stuck up for Johnnie,
"Oh, my Ha! ham and the jeering
laugh ran round all.
Il don't care what you say" chokingly
returned Jinks, blushing to the ears
and then turning dangerously white.
" You're pack of cruel brutcs.'
IIa! ha! har" laughed tine boys
" What pity his mother isn't here. Ho,
no! hor'
Don't speak of my mother; l warn
you don't!' said Jinks, with Il strange
flashing of the eyes. y
Io! ho! no! Do you hear him? His
mothers begger, too"
"Of course she is. He told me so,
and my uncle threw her larthing on the
street one day. IIo! hon'
The last speaker didn't get his laugh
ont, for though he lowered tall and strong,
Jinks had flashed through the air at his
throat like bloodhound. They fought
long and tiercely, and small us he was
Jinks seemed to be getting the best of it,
when one Of the assistant masters sudden
ly appeared on the scene and put IN 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 different one, and the major
ity carried the day.
Jinks and Johnnie were taken in and
caned till every bone in their bodies ach.
ed, and then shut up in separate little
rooms on the ground floor with lunch Of
dry bread and II 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 window of the room
in which he was confined he fell to the
ground and was considerably shaken. Be
fore he could rise to his feet his terror wa:
increased by policeman arriving en- the
spot.
g. Oh, sir" he managed to gasp out
" I'm only little Jinks, you won't stoE
me? They beat me all over for nothing
But | didn't mind that, but they called
my mother beggar, and I'm running
away from them. Oh, do let me 90
Mother will be glad II you will let me OIL
indeed?"
The policeman looked down at the little
atom with his torn shirt and stains OF
blood coming through, his pititul face anC
wildly pleading eyes, He didn't shake
him or grasp him roughly. No, he took
the boy up in his arms. He tried tc
speak to him, but for long time the
words stuck in his throat, and when h(
did get them out they were strangely
husky, and not at all harsh or unkind.
" Poor little fellow!
The unexpected words went straight tC
Little Jinks'" heart. If the man haC
kicked him he would have been stone; bu
the kind words drew from him convul
sive sob, and must have set his brain reel
ing, for the next thing he was conscious
of was the policeman putting sort o
frey stuff into his mouth out OF flask
and telling him to keep up II good heart
for he wouldn't let anybody touch him.
They were friends in moment.
1t ended, however, by the kind police
man carrying Little Jinks to hi
mother; and the poor woman when sh'
heard the account, received him with oper
arms, and there he remained with her un
til the day of her death, and the day indcec
on which he stole the purse to keep he
from starving.
When he brought the stolen purse in
he found his mother dying But the fol
lowing conversation took place between
them:
Who gave it to you?" she managot
to ask; and then n guilty, fearful remors
began to gnaw ut Little Jinks'" heart
:" A woman down there" he got out
&" But could you not get up and wall
about, mother? You would look better
then, and perhaps YOU could cat"
" No, Willie, dear l am afraid"
Little Jinks seemed to see the word
that were coming, and great wall burs
forth from him as he placed his little han'
on her mouth.
"Oh, mother don't say that or I'll die!'
he wildly said. IN run for doctor
oh, how fast I'll go-and you'll be well to
morrow, won't you?"
But she only strained him closer to he
breast.
Pray after me- Willie she faint,
whispered, and then choking with grief
he repeated after her little prayer, tha
God would look after poor little boy wht
would soon have no mother to look aftc
him, and make him grow up to be grea
and good man.
After speaking the iT prayer E,,' ldl,I' Llltl