Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-11-30
HOW JERRY SAVED THE MILLS.


but the heavy rain and strong south
wind which had swept the town since
early dawn still continued with undi-
mlnished fury. The gale shrieked as it
tore about the corners and dashed the
faces Of the few hurrying foot passengers;
while the driving rain penetrated every
where, drenching the streets, flooding
the cutters, and collecting in deep,
treacherous pools at the corner crossings.
The bare trees moaned and writhed and
wept; the swinging sideboards in front
of small taverns creaked and groaned
dismally; the tall chimney of the Dunn
bleton Knife Works rocked threatening
~; and in the midst of the tumult the
great river was swelling and straining at
its wintry bounds, while sharp crack
ling sounded ever and anon from the
broad field of ice that stretched from
shore to shore, and little streams of
water began to appear here and there,
running swiftly along the frozen plain.
March had come III like a lamb, it was
departing like lion; and shrouded by
wind and rain and heavy mist the last
night Of the month came thickly down.
Lit was past supper time, past closing
time for the mills and factories, past
trading time for the stores, and except
for an occasional light here in some
saloon or corner grocery, the windows
along the business streets of the town
were dark and the rain beat UNDECIDED
against their black panes. Few people
were abroad, and even those few seemed
to have been forced upon unwel-
come journeys, for they fastened
through the sloppy streets with bent
heads, shivering as the sharp wind tore
at their wrappings or the gusts of rain
beat upon them.
One such man, clad in heavy ol-cloth
coat, was walking rapidly up State
Street, when, just at particularly windy
corner, he came in sudden contact with a
lad who was crouching in front of bak-
ers window, where a single lamp still
burned. and cycling with hungry gaze
the dainties within.
"Hullor' cried the man starting back
Sc almost ran over you my boy" Then,
looking more sharply at the dripping
figure before him, he continued: 'tWhy,
Jerry, is that you?'
eyes, sir,' replied the other, half
pulling his tattered cap from his head.
" IL you please sir, it's me-
"What's wrong?" said Mr.. Watterson.
the proprietor of the great mills that
skirted the river, for it was he. "What's
wrong? Why are you not at home? The
mills closed two hours ago."
81 know it, sir; but / haven't worked
this week, sir. for sister Nellie's sick, an
I've been a-nussin' of her up to our
boardin' house. You see, sir, since
mother died, an our house was sold,
Nellie an me has stopped at Mis- Craw-
ford's boardin' house; but my money
give out, an Mis- Crawford she told me
this mornin'-she said. sir, this mornin'
she said, sir, this mornin' 1.-THE boy
stopped ABRUPTLY.
"What? Come, Jerry, speak out
You're not afraid of me. Tell me what
she said"
ssWelI, sir, she did say as how I must
pay our board in advance every week
now; for, if Nellie was agoin' to be sick
and was agoin' to quit work to, nuss
her, she didn't see how she'd get her
money. An our week ran out to-day,
sir, and my money too; all but twenty
cents, an that I spent for oranges
for Nellie. An Mis- Crawford,
she said as how I couldn't eat at her
table, 'thout paid first. So jest slips
OUT 1nGO the street at meal times Tor Tear
Nellie'd know L wasn't eatin' an 'twould
worry her, she bein' sick. An that's
how came here, sir"
The boy finished, half frightened at
his long speech to the "master," and
again pulled at his ragged cap, while the
March wind tossed his yellow hair about
his wet face and the cold rain beat upon
his scantily clad shoulders.
Mr.. Watterson stood for moment in
deep thought. : 1t was hard for him to
realize such poverty as this, and among
his own hands too. Jerry was bob
bin-boy" In the mills, whom he had
known a year or more by sight, the only
support of a widowed mother and sister
now of the sister only. 1t seemed that
the lad had always been bright faced
and CHEEKY, and the great proprietor re-
membered him as one Of the happiest
among his boys. That this child could
actually suffer for food while striving to
care for his little charge (the orphan Mel
lie), seemed to the gentleman too terri
bile 10 he trfe