The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-12-03

fhWW ANUnN AN IuFI
went and as they came home. and
bought = good many little things. but
among The first people who came after
dinner was a shabby man with gray
hair and a sharp. thin face. who strayed
along the street as il he hadn't my
thing TO DO, and yet wanted to do somc-
thing. think il he passed the stand
once he passed il ten times; then he
asked my master how worked. and
my master told him with n spring.
but very shortly. for | think he did not
like the mans looks. He spoke pleas
antly enough, thought. and by and BY
stationed himself in a doorway near by.
n kept looking ut me from under his
eyebrows and biting his lip. / think
my master had a notion that this idle
man might steal me, and was relieved
presently when he saw a p~leasant-look-
ing lady recognize the shabby fellow as
she came out Of the book store. She
shook hands with him. too. she did.
that LADY,; remember seeing that her
glove was ripping. How are you get
ting on these days, Jem?" she said, in
a nice, bright voice.
Not 50 very well. Miss Ellen,' he
answered.
Not out of work again. l hopc?-
mo. not quite; but only hal-work,
n that makes it hard to pay the
rent
Miss Ellen looked sober. "Half-
work Is hard, Jem: no one knows that
better than jLst now. People haven't
much money TO spend for pictures.
and don't know tina: they ought TO
have; but it Is hard on US who paint
them
Jem listened respectfully, but as If he
only took part Of it in, and Miss Ellen
gave a little Jump. as If she had been
talking 70 herself. ..But what about
the new invention, JemP'
Jem's face lighted up. 1--WE worked
at Il a good deal, Miss Ellen; I've more
time for 1t than / wish / had! And |
was Just wondering now how it would
do To run it by a spring, like that fellow
there" pointing to me-
Il don't know; wouldthe spring have
enough powcr?"
That's what l can't tell till I reckon
Il out. ma'am.' said Jem; and when
l was on my feet and not on my head
! could see how bright his face was.
'But, you see, II the wheel" and then
came a long discoursea about wheels and
pinions and cogs. which | don't believe
Miss Ellen understood. for all she list
ened so patiently. You know most
ONE hate machines; it is all they
can do TO keep the clock wound up-and
then some OF them wiH turn the hands
back whenever they pleased But it
matter to Jem so long as he had a
listener; I've seen the same thing since
IN that young engineer that our Miss
Jenny IS going to marry. And then.
too. between turns. ! began to see that
she was looking NJ Jem in a queer sort
Of way. AT first she had thought
about him, and not his looks; and now
the looks were foremost, and she pulled
out a little square. white thing and a
pencil and began making marks. signing
TO Jem 70 60 on telling her about his
contrivance.
Now. II the spring al make the
figure turn over that bar and back
again. why couldn't a stronger one give
the same notion" Jem was saving,
up came a gentleman and the
dearest little girl / ever saw; such a
sweet face. i fell in love with
her. and she lost her hear. to me.
!. Oh-h, papa, isn't he just elegantg"
and she jumped up and down, holding
ier fathers hand. OF urse / did my
very best tumbiing then. and she
aughed so that every one about laughed
90. and her father couldn't keep very
straight face when he tried 10 quiet her.
Then the chcstnut-boy gave a chuckle
everybody laughed again. except
Ellen. who was busy with her
,apcr, and looked as il she didn't have
lime for fun just then; but she had to
top in a moment. for the gentleman
recognized her.
.,Street studies. NellyY' he said.
over her shoulder. found out
lftcrward they were old friends.
She laughed and blushed, and showed
lin her paper.
"Capital!' said he. "Capital, Little
fine portrait hasn't as much Of
Ter real self; but the others?'
She spoke quick and low and I saw
i'm glance at the chestnut-b boy and the !
nan in the doorway. who was looking
me harder than ever. 7
"Well," he said at last. "when you
york up that sketch let me know. If
like Il finished as well as I do out F.
med, I'll give you two prices for it f,
ne for Mans likeness and one for the
picture. Is il a bargaing" /,
Miss Ellen laughed and shook her .
cad. mo, for l should always fear !
hat you would want to run when you /,
aw Il, and that would make my fingers |
II thumbs. But you shall have the first |
nance. Mr.. Orton.' with a funny way, !
: II she was pretending to do him a |
reat favor. Little Nan had not grown |
red waiting; she admired me toom much
Or that; and now she begged, "Oh, 4
apa, do buy the tumbling man; it will +,
Q 50 nice for Dick" 4