, 1881-12-16
Darkey Jim.

over and over III bed trying to lind him.
Il don't believe Kitty put him to bed at
ALL
Kitty was the nurse, you know, and
Darkey Jim was the black rubber doll
that Santa Claus brought last Christmas
time. L don't know why Pinlie always
wanted Jim to sleep with her, because
he was torn most to pieces. The big dog
got him once and ate whole leg off, and
one night Jim was left outdoors in the
rain, and was dreadfally soaked out of
shape. But Pinkie had little sister
Ruth, who slept in another room, just
through the doorway, so when Darkey
jim wasn't found that night, Pinkie call
cd out:
'Ruth, are you asieep?"
But TO answer came.
Il believe she's got him herself, and
won't tell, " said Pinkie.
So she got cut of bed and vent into
the next room.
Ruth, have you my Darkey Jim?'
she asked, as she came to the crib. Ruth
didn't answer, and so Pinkie began to
fell all about her for the doll, and at last
she found it. But do you suppose that
Ruth was really asleep? Not bit more
than you are at this moment; and when
Pinkie tried to lift Jim out of the crib to
take him to her own bed, she found out
that Ruth was wide awake and had tight
hold of Jim's leg.
$50 'wayw cried Ruth. sitting up in
bed and tugging with all her might to
keep hold OF Darkey Jim.
Hes mine, Ruth Vail, and you know
it," answered Pinkie. $50 give him to
me-"
They were both dreadfully cross, it
seems to me. but they were dreadfully
sleepy, too.
Well, the end of the quarrel was that
mamma, who was down stairs, came run
ming up to see what the noise was all
about. Ruth was crying, but Pinkie
wasn't-becouse she had the doll.
Hes mine, and I want him" said
Pinkie, Grossly.
81 got him first, and 1 think 1 might
keep him, do" sobbed Ruth.
"Now look here" said mamma, taking
Darkey Jim away from PInkie, this is
too bad, to make all this noise and fuss,
and neither one willing to give up to the
other. l tell you what L must do. I'm
going 10 stand Darkey Jim up here
against the door between the rooms and
have him sleep there all night. He'll be
Just as near one of you as he is to the
other, and hope both of my little girls
will be satisfied-olthough 1 must say
that / think Ruth shouldht havo taken
Jim Mt all, because he didn't belong to
her"
So that was the arrangement made,
and mamma went down stairs again,
leaving the children in bed, and Jim
standing on his one leg against the
door.
Pinkie hadn't been in bed two minutes
before she began to think:
"I don't see what use Jim is 10 any
body over there"
Then she thought little more:
''I don't think l was very good to
Ruth, particularly as she gave me half
her peach day. l know what I'm GO
ing to do. I'm going to get Jim and put
him straight in Ruth's crib"
Now it happened that Ruth hadn't
been in bed two minutes either before
she began to think:
81 expect l was real cross to Pinkie."
Then she thought some more, too:
81 don't see what good Darkey Jim's
doing over there all alone by himself. 1
know what I'm going to do. I'm going
to get him and put him straight in
Pinkies crib"
So both the little girls got softly out
of bed at Just the same time, and went
carefully across the floor.
81 must be very careful, so Ruth
won't hear me-" said Pinkie to herself.
"I must be very careful so Pinkie
won't hear me, said Ruth to herself.
So they felt along the wall and put out
their hands, and ran bump against each
other in the dark.
''You take him." said Pinkie.
take him ansWarel Ruth
"He's yours, you know-snd I'm real
sorry"
but you gave me the peach ,and was
cross, said Pinkie, holding out Jim in
the dark.
And how do you think they made it all
right?
Why, they both got into the same bed,
and Darkey Jim slept between them