Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-17
JERRY SAVED THE MILL.

The dull cold day was at it's close; but the
heavy rain and strong south wind which had
swept the town since early dawn still continued
with undlmlnished fury. The gale shrieked as
II tore about the corners and dashed the faces of
the few hurrying foot passengers; while the
driving rain penetrated everywhere, drenchng
the streets, flooding the cutters and collecting
In deep, treacherous pools at the corner cross
ings. The bare trees moaned and writhed and
wept; the swinging sign-boards in front of small
taverns creaked and groaned dismally; the tall
chimney of the Dumbleton knife works rocked
threateningly: and in the midst of all the tu-
mutt the great river was swelling and straining
at its wlntry bounds. while sharp cracking
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 has come in like lamb: if was DEPART
ING like liOn and shrouded by wind and rain
ana heavy mist the last night of the month came
Tricky 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
In some saloon or corner grocery. the windows
along the business streets Of the town were
dark. and the rain beat unheP,iei AGAINST theii.
black panes. Few people were abroad and
even those few seemed to have been forced upon
y
the sloppy streets with bent heads shiveIing as
the sharp winds tore at their wrappngs or the
gusts of rain beat upon them
One such man. clad in u heavy oi-coth coat.
was walking rapidly up State street. when Just
at particular window corner. he came in sud
den contact with a lad who was crouchinc in
front of bakers window. where Il single lamp
still burned, cycling with hungry gaze the dant-
les within.
''lialo,' cried the man. starting back. II al
mos rnn w.
more sharply at the dripping figure before him.
he continued: Why, Jerry. is that you?'
Yes. sir. replied the other, half pulling his
battered cap from his head. If you please, sir.
it'sme."
Whats wrong?" said Mr.. Watterson. the
proprietor of the great mills that skirted the
river. for 1t was he. What's wrong? Why are
you not at home? The mills closed two hours
ago"
Il know it, sir; but I haven't worked this
week sir. for sister Nellie's sick. an I've been
a-nussln of her up to our bOardin house You
see, sir. since mother died. an our house was
soid. Heliie an me has stopped at Mis- Craw-
ford bOardin house: but mY moneys give out
an Mis- Crawford she told me this mornin-she
SAID, SIR: tins mornn-she said sir. this
mornin the boy stopped abruptly
What? Come, Jerry, speak ont. You are
not afraid OF ME. Tell me what she said:''
We'll, sir, she did gay as how must pay our
bOard every week i'll advance now: for. ii Nellie
was again to be sick an l was again to aut
work to nuss her. she didn't see how she'd fet
her money. An our week ran out to-day sir.
an my money too; all but twenty cents. an
that spent for oranges for Nellie. An Mis-
Crawford. she said as how | couldn't eat at her
table, 'thout paid first. So jest slips out at
meal times. for fear Nellie d know wasn't
eatin': an 'twOud worry her. she bein' sick
An that's how | came here SIR
The boy finished, half frightened at his long
speech 10 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.. WatteTson stood for a moment i'm deem
thought. 1t was hard for him to realize such
poverty as this, and among his own hands too
Jerry was a ''bobbin-bOyr in the mills. whom he
nad known Tor year or more by sight the only
support OF a widowed mother and Sster-noW of
the sister only: it seemed that the lad had
always been bright-faced ard CHEEKY, and the
great proprietor remembered 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 Nellie(, seemed
TO the gentlemantO terrible to be true
And yet there just before him his honest blue
eyes telling the same story which his lips had
repeated stood Jerry dinnerless, supperless and
almost homeless, upon this the widest night of
all the year.
Mr.. Watterson forgot the rising food. which
even now was threatening his mills: he forgot
the urgent errand which had driven him out in
the storm, and he seized the boy by the arm
pushed open the door OF the little bakery before
which they stood and fairly dragged him Within
Here" he cried to the bakers wife. who
came bowling and smiling, to execute the Great
man commands. "See Give this lad the best
supper you can cook and all the provisions he
can carry, and send the bill to me- Then hur-
redly drawing some money from his pocket
book, he thrust ii into Jerry's hand and said
Nhen You have eaten, go back to Mrs Craw-
fOrd and pay her for month in advance Then
find doctor for Nellie. and stay with her your-
self until she is well. After that come back to
me at the mills. II they are standing YOU shall
have work. No. not world, he continued as
the astonshed boy would have spoken. THE
money is present to you and Nellie from me-
And before Jerry could recover from his stIrprse
Mr.. NatterSon had gone.
Supper. money. and doctor for Nellie, Could
it be true: The boy unclasped his hand and
looked at the precious blsl
As he ate the bountiful meal prepared by the
bakers good wife. the bobbin-bGy pictured Mel
lies delight when he should return and tell her
OF what had happened TO him; and later. when
he faced the dreary storm, horneward bound
with great basket, heaped with buns and cakes
and oranges from the bakers shelves. upon his
arm, his heart was light and his laugh rang mer-
rily out across the darkness and the rain. as he
thought how boldly he would meet Mis- Craw
ford. and how astonished and puzzled she would
be when he paid her-not a week but a month
in advanced
Its just like fairy story" said he. half
aloud. as he climbed the sloppy steps of his
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES like fairy story. with a
great, big, splendid rich man fairyl''
Ii was almost morning. Already the black
curtain of night, rent here and there by the
furious wind. was slowly lifting toward the
east and the dull gray dawn appearing forming
sombre background. upon which. the leatiess
trees that fringed the far-away hills were
painted in waving silhouette
Since ever the sun had gone down. the wild
storm had continued, and even now the rain
driven by the mighty wind fell in long. slantiDe
lances upon the town and the frothinr river
that filled with great masses of broken ice and
debris from all the up-country roared and
plunged between its banks and shook with
giant hands the foundation of the mills beneath
which it ran.
At the head of the dam. where the channel
was the narrowest. and directly opposite the
Watterson mill. was an ice jam.
Piled block upon block. until if lowered high
in the air. pressing with terrible force against
the mills. upon the one hand and the natural
wall OF rock upon the other. the broken ice had
formed great white barricade. growing each
moment, which checked the mad rush of the
water and sent it swiring backward i'm eddyino
waves which beat furiOusly upon the mills and
threatened each instant to enguph them
HON. tt,nh y.~lN.x. Oh