The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-12-02

now JERRY SAVED TIM MILLs.

south wind which had swept the town
since early dawn still continued with
undiminished fury. The gale shrieked
as IL tore about the corners and lashed
the faces Of the few hurrying foot pas
sepgers whilo the driving rain pens-
trated everywhere, drencbing the
streets, flooding the cutters, and col
lecting in deep, troaeherous pools ut the
corner crossingg. The hare trees moan.
81 and writhed and wept the swing.
ing sixn.boards in front Of the small
taverus creaked and groaned Jismally /;
III, tall chimney m the Dnmbl.toa
knife ~oskn rpckni thrr-tsuly aud
IN 4fi.a taiGst 1T the tnmui,, shs Rrcat
river VIA s~siiina Hisd Hir-n.ipg Mt
it's ~intrY bnn,ln, while n sharp crack
ling sounded ever aud anon from the
broad field of Ice that strctched frota
shore 10 shore aud little streams Of
water began TO appear here and there,
running Gwiftly along tho frozen
plains.
March had come in like q lamb IL
was departing like lion and shroud-
ee by wind and rain and heavy mist,
the last night Of tho month came thick
ly down.
II 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 and there
in some saloon or corner grocery, the
windows along The business streets Of
the town were dark and tho rain beat
UNDECIDED against their black panee.
Few people were abroad, and even
those few seemed to have been forced
upon unwelcome journeys, for they
hastsned through tho sloppy streets
with bent heads, shivering as the sharp
wind tore at their wrappings or tho
gusis Of tho rain beat upon them.
One such man, clad ia heavy oil
cloth coat, was walking rapidly il.
State street, when, just ~ particular
ly windy corner, he csme in sudden
contact with lad who was cronching
in front Of bakers window, where q
single lamp still burned, eying with
hungry gazo the dainties within.
"Hullo !" cried the man, starting
back. II almost ran over you, my
boy" Then looking n,"re sharply at
the dripping figure I~f.re him, he con.
tinnsd: "Why, Jerry, Ia that you r.
Yea. sir" replied The other. half
pulling his tatleted cap from his head.
II you please, SIR, is's mc."
Whats worng !" said Mr. Waiter.
son, the proprietor of tho great lnilla
that skilted the river, Tor IL Was be
Whats wrong 7 Why are you not Al
homel The Mills closed two hour
ago"
knew il, sir but haven't work
ed this week. sir, for sistsr NslIir',
sick, an I've been a-nusevn of her nj
our boarding. house. You see, sir
since mother died, an our house VA
sold, Nellie an ne has stopped AZ Mis-
Crawford's boardin' house but my
moneys give out an Mia Crawford
she told mo this mornin'-she said sir
this morhia'-The boy stopped abrupt
| ly.
"What Come, Jerry, speak out
You're not afraid OF Ine. Tell m.
what she said"
"Well, sir, she did say as how
must pay our board in advance ever,
week now for If Nellie was agoin' 4
be sick an was goin' 10 quit worl
10 nuss her, she didn't see how She
get her money. An our week ran ou
to-day, sir, an my money too al
but twenty cents, an that l spent 70
oranges for Nellie. An Mis- Crawford
she said as how / couldn't eat at he
table, 'thout / paid frst. So I jes
slipped out into the street at meal
times, for fear Nellie'd know | WASH
eatin, and 'twould worry her, sh
beia' sick. An that's hSw / cam
here, sir"
The boy finished, half.frightened q
bis own long speech to 1.-The master
and again pulled at this ragged Cal
while the wild March wind tossed hi
yellow hair about bis wet face and th
cold rain beat upon his scantily ola
shoulders.
Mr.. Watterson stoel an instant i
deep thought. It was bard for him {
realize such poverty as this, an
among his own hands, too. Jerry wa
"bobbin-boy" in the mills, whom b
had known for year or more, b
sight, the only Support of a widowe
mother aad sister-now Of the siste
only, ii seemed the lad had alway
been bright-faced aRd chcery and Oh
groat proprietor remembered him
one of the happiest among his boy
That this child should actually sutfs
for food while striving to care for h
little charge, TIE orphan Nellie, seen
ed too trae.
And yet there just before him, h
honest blue eyes telling the same sto,
which his lips had repeated, stood Je
ry-dinnerless, supperless, and almo
homeless, upon this the widest mig
of all the year.
Mr.. Watterson forgot the risir
food, which even now was theatenir
his mills; he forgot the urgent erral
which had driven him out into Il
storm, he forgot the wide social Gu
between his servant and himself Al
remembering only that he was Chr
tain man, answering to his Father
heaven for the welfare of this child |
fore him, he seized the boy by the arr
pushed open the door of the little ba
cry before which they stood, and fair
dragged him within.
Here Y no cried to tho lake
wife, who came bowing and smiling
execute tho great mans commar
"See Give this lad the best supp
you can cook and All the provisions