Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-10
Jim Peters.

One day, about a year ago, the door o
my sitting-room was thrown suddenly
open, and the conndent voice of Harvey
thus introduced the stranger:
"Here's Jim Peters, mother"
looked up, not a little surprised at
the sight of a ragged, barefoot child.
Before I had time to say anything,
Harvey went on:
"He lives ronnd in blake's Court and
hasn't any mother. l found him on q
doorstep feeding birds''
My eyes rested on the child's face while
my boy said this. It was very sad
little face, thin and colorless, not bold
and vicious, but timid and having a look
of patient suffering. Harvey held him
firmly by the hand with the air of one
who bravely protects the weak.
mo mother" said I, in tones of pity.
mo, ma'am; he hasn't any mother.
Have you, Jim?"
"No," answered the child.
She's been dead ever so long; hash t
she. Jim?'
''Yes, ever since last winter he said
as he fixed his eyes, into which I saw the
tears coming, upon his face. My heart
moving toward him, repulsive as he was
because of his rags and dirt.
"One of Gods little lambs straying on
the cold and barren hills of life," said a
voice in my heart. And then felt a
tender compassion for the strange, unlove-
ly child.
"Where do you live?" Iasked.
Ground in Blake's Court" he replied.
"Whom with?"
"Old Mrs. Flint; but she doesn's want
me-"
'Why not?"
ooh, because I'm nothing tie her, she
says, and she doesn't want the trouble of
me.' He tried to say this in brave,
dont-care sort of way, but his voice tl-
tered, and he dropped his eyes to the floor.
How pitiful he looked!
"Poor child!" I could not help saying
aloud.
Light flashed over his pale face. It
was something new to him, this interest
and compassion.
zone Of Gods little lambs" I heard
the voice in my heart saying this again
Nobody to love him-nobody to care for
him. Poor little boy The hand Of my
own child, my son who is very dear &c me,
had led him in through our door and
claimed for him the love and care SO long
stranger to his heart. Could send
him out and shut the door upon him
when knew he had no mother and nc
home"
"I've got heap of clothes, motha--a
great many more than l want. And my
bed is wide. There's room enough ii the
house, and we've plenty to eat,'' aid Hal
vey, pleading for the child. l coulc not
Withstand all these appeals. Rising,
TOLD the little stranger to follow ne.
When we came back to the sitting 100 N
half an hour afterward: Jim Peters would
hardly have been known by his ole &C.
quaintances, if any Of them had been
there. A bath and clean clothes ha6
made wonderful change in him.
watched the poor little boy as be anc
Harvey played, during the afternoon
with no little concern of mind. VIVA
was to do with him? Clean and leatl,
dressed, there was look of refn,men
about the child, which had neary al
been hidden by rags and dirt. He play
ed gently, and his voice had in it a sweet
ness of tone, as it fell every now and the1
upon my ears, that was really winning
Send HIM back to Mrs. Flint's, in Blake
Court1 The change had wrought upo1
him made this impossible. No, he coul,
not be sent back to Mrs. Flint's, who didn
want the trouble of him What then?
It is just year since my boy led hin
! in from the street, and Jim is still in GU
house. No one came for him. No on
inquired about him. No one cared 70