Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-08-29

low. w lille MS mOCler thought ne WAS
at the university, Carroll spent his days
in the billiard rooms. He had played
away his last dollar that morning. He
was afraid to ask for more, and was con-
sequently in a savage state of i'll humor.
"Gct out of my way!" he shouted, with
an oath.
Jim had drawn up his cart to the side
walk, and was giving handful of ber-
ries to halt starved child with a baby
in her arms.
"That fellow" said Carroll to his COM
panions, ''cheats my mother by charging
double price for his stuff, and then gives
it to- beggars.'
Jim's face grew red. but he did not
turn his head.
At that moment. an open carriage,
drawn by powerful black horse, came
dashing down tho street. A gray-haired
old man and young girl were inside. The
children shrieked, some laborers sprang
after the horse, with wild yell, terrify-
ing him the more.
Carroll, in abjcct fear, though he was
not near the horse, sprang from his dog
cart and ran to the pavement.
The carriage rocked from side to side,
threatening to throw the girl out. At
the end of the square the street crossed
Fairmount-avenue, along which train of
stcam-cars was rapidly approaching.
Men and women on the streets stood par
alyzed with horror.
The horse had SHE'D when it passed
Carroll's carriage, and Stacked it's pace
little Just then. Jim, the huckster, who
had ciimed from his cart as the horse
slackened his pace, sprang directly in
front of him, and clapped an empty po-
tato basket over his head. The animal
reared, and then stopped second, trem-
bling, and wet with perspiration. The
horse was seized at once by policeman
who was standing near, and the old gen.
tleman alighted, and managed to fall as
he did so, but scrambled up and helped
his daughter out of the carriage.
A gIittering stone dropped from his
breast as he stumbled. 1t rolled into tie
gutter.
swell, here, boy! You stopped that
brute just in time'' he said to Jim, who
was packing his basket in with the 9TH
ers, "Here you deserve gold medal .!
But perhaps this will serve your turn as
wei, ," holding out bankncte.
II don't take wages for that sort of
work." said Jim, dryly, climbing into his
!! cart
80 papa," cried The young lady, "your
diamond is goneH'
"What! what! 1t must have dropped
when I got OF the carriage. Tut, tut.
One calamity brings another! Look about,
men. I'll pay big reward for it,
Two or three men and boys went crop
ing and STOPPING over the pavement
Jim alone sat calmly watching them
with keen, anxious looking on his face.
At last Carroll Hutter, rapping his boot
with his cane, sauntered to his dog-cart
and prepared to mount. jim stepped
from his cart and ran to his side, and
said, II saw you pick up that diamond
Give it back instantly" he said, in a
shrill whisper, cor I'll tell that police
man, and you shall be arrested"
The boys face took on CHASTITY pal
lor He stopped, pretended to pick up
the stone, and then stepped across the
sidewalk and gave is to the old gentle
man.
s'Aha! A thousand thanks! What re-
ward can give you?''
"Oh, he don't work for wages, eithern'
cried Jim, with laugh,as he drove off.
Twenty years after that day, tramp
found his way to great sheep farm in
Texas. The ground was titled with skill
and intelligence. The large comfortable
mansion, the outbuildings, the stately
park, all gave evidence ofrefnement and
prosperity. A gray-haired lady sat on
the portico; one or two healthy boys were
playing on the grass.
The dirty, half-drupken loafer was
making his way to the kitchen, when a
middle-aged gentleman came out of the
house. He had singularly fine face, he
was strongly built. but walked with a
slight limp.
The tramp stood still. "Who Is that?'
he asked one of the farm men.
'tThat's the judge, him as owns this
place. Elected to Congress for next term,
Thought everybody knew James Lud-
low!'.
II thought sop muttered the tramp.
"Who are you, stranger?"
The man lifted his greasy hat from his
head, with long breath. II am Carroll
Hutter. No, I'll not go in. That man g
bread would choke me!'
And he turned his back and went On
his way. The men had found different
roads in life, and had chosen them de-
liberately.