The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-03-16
JERICHO JIM.
.orx Oh a .sNa1eral-Rorn,, Christian.

JERICHO JIM. u. ...
story Of "Nateral-B Christian
"SAY, now, marin! Lemme in. | amt hal
so smart's look to be. l kin do more'n foul
things to help We, and I'm kinder onlucky iess
now. Mothers dead, We see, md"
Here the simple creature blubbered honest
ly, and drew his ragged sleeve across his ewes
Mrs. Ellery relented. "Wen, who be We, any
hows Where dye come from?n
Ho, Jimmy! Where dye come from?
Flat fish II foundersl where dye come from
I'm Jericho Jim; come from Jericho straight
Tuesday mornin'. No place for Jim there
Dad broke his neck last winter; drunk as Da
vid, md slipped up, m the sled fixed him out
goin' over him; mother she cried some, but
he was dead, anyhow" and with sort of fur
tive grin on his thin, sallow face and a sparl
in. the hitherto vacant gray eye, Jericho jim
sent his stick spinning in air and caught il
again deXterously.
Where be We goin' to?'' inquired the ole
lady again, resting on her broom-handle and
looking over her spectacles at the queer Great
ure before her.
"Im goin' here, marin. They said suthin'
bout the poor-house, down to Jericho; so
quit. Po0rhouses amt clean; and he gave
sidelong glance into the kitchen, neat as a
ladS's parlor, not passing over the clean cali.
co gown and stainless cap of good Mrs. Ellery
- That's so they're dirty holes. Well YOU
come in and set down. pll give We some Wit
ties, and ye can stay till husband comes home
he'll see to ye."
So Jericho Jim was set down to an abundant
supper of beans and biscuit, pie and ginger
bread, and plenty of hot tea, and proved be-
yond doubt that he was hungry
When Deacon Ellery came home he growled
a little at the new inmate of his family more
because it was his way to growl than because
he meant it; for his keen eye for business dis
cerned an inexpensive helper whom his in
nciY, Il oh,
If not needful. Somebody was once over
heard by this worthy man to ask: "Why does
Deacon Ellery alters go grumblin' round like
an old gobbler:' and the deacon saw fit to an
Swer for himself, to the great confusion of the
inquirer, who had not seen him coming {:
''Why, We see, | have ter, SOS to average
things Wife's Orful smoothly; conf table as
a pumpkin in corn lot; alters a smiin' and
chirpin'; nd it stands to reason all mlasses
amt good for this world; Is got to be some
grind, so do the grindin'." With which ex-
position of his unconscious heathenism the
deacon gave grunt and walked away. He
was better than his words, however, for his
Iheart was warm and his head clear and poor
Jericho dim soon found that his home was
haven of rest for his weary body, and did his
very best to reward the sheltering goodness
that fed and clothed him, and beamed on him
like sunshine in kind looks and words
g declare for't,' grumbled Deacon Ellery,
it beats all to see that are Teller work: dono
whether he's a fool or not. See him pitchin'
into the wood-pile, mother! Well, ye'd say
there warnt no better Teller to pile wood be-
twiXt herein Danbury; but yesterday, when
he was a sawin all of a sudden he stopped
ehort N jumped the fence IN lay down in the
sunshine md kicked his heels. jim saws !,
what be We stoppin' for?' 'So's to grow"
SEE he, c0oler'n "A cucumber. 'Grow!' says |.
Yes SEE he. It's a reel CROWN day; the
amt heap sech days; sun shnin', birds
singin', wind a blowin' reel soft mostly
we're friz to death in this world; kinder
stunted, deacon; | want to grow whilst can;
there's more'n forty days in the wilderness to
work, we know Well, if | didn't let him be
faint no use talkin' to him when he gets a
Gurus notion like that holt on him.
"There's somethin to most o. his notions,
that's fact replied the old lady. I" ! kinder
wonder whether or no he amt got the right
ont, Mr.. Ellery! Mebbe eff we'd took more
sunshine into us along back, you an me
wouldn't ha' been so dreadful rheumaticky.n
r-- : He's queer genius, anyhow muttered
the deacon, walking off; but it was to be OBJ
served after this that the old man sat in the
south doorway more than he ever had done:
and that his wife let in all the sunshine into
her bedroom and kitchen that the green
paned windows allowed. If they were too old
to be cured of rheumatism, at least the rooms
grew CHEEKY and the air sweet, and spectaces
did them more good than usual.
Before many months Jim became sort of
neighborhood courier; he peddled milk for the
deacon, and dispensed, with his quarts and
pints, all the news of the village MANY
good woman waited eagerly for his coming,
and ran out with her apron over her head, not
merely for the pitcher of fresh, sweet, rich
fluid, but to hear about "Mis'" Aliens sick
baby, or Jones' grandmother who broke her
leg last week, or Sary Penny's company from
York; and it was strange enough to see how
quantity and deftly Jim fitted his story to the
nearer With the curious instinct that some
times dwells in the souls of those we concet-
eddy call half witted he seemed to compre-
bend the characters he met, to understand
their wants and their ways; and many was the
word in season carelessly dropped from his
lips that did blessed Grand all the more be-
cause it was uttered by "the foolishness of
man."
'Did ye stop to Harris today" inquired
the deacon, as Jim rode up to the gate one
frosty morning, with Gathering empty cans.
swell, expect did"
LET the quart, l s'pose n didn't git
nothin' for't9'
'No, sir! ! give 'em somethin' to boot
Ole Harris came to the door fort she's done
up. Doctors gig was STAMINA there an he
was clus up to the winder a mixin' a mess, N
ole Harris sez BE you Ellery's foolp Yes,
4 be, you bet sez I, poorly cherk. Then he
Sarfed rough as bark Give us quart seq
he; hain't got no change to-day Well
seq /, il amt no matters longs yere hum.
Deacons willin' TO trust folks u stay TO hum
lie looked awful beat n mad, md see the
doctor larfn; but he took the milk, md
whipped up, tell ye.n
Jericho Jim never knew that Tim Harris
stayed at home through his wife's long illness,
simply to be sure, since he had no money
TO buy it with, that the delicate baby,
sole survivor of six, should have its regular
food; for, drunkard and idler as he was, he had
a passionate, reasonless fondness for his chill
dren, and when one after another they died he
sought fresh consolation at the whisky-shop.
But this one lived, thanks to its sudden wean-
ing from its heart-broken, worn-out mother,
whose bitter troubles and meager food had