Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-04-20
make out what; but finally we dis

make out what; but finally we dis
kivered the cause ont.
They was all settin' on to one little
feller, and when we inquired into y
they laughed and shouted and said
how't he'd been stuffin' his pockets,
and they insisted ont that he should
''shell out" as they called it, afore
they'd let him go.
Minty spoke to 'em in her pooty
way and begged on 'em to remember
we was ladies, and be quiet,
They simmered down to once then
and Minty went to the little feller and
says kindly, says she: Haven't you
ct enough? What makes you fill your
pockets? The rest don't do so, you
see.'
He looked sheepish for mint, but
he spunked up, anu says he, "Yes,
marin, I've had enough myself;
thank We, kindly; but 1 thought as
how 'twouldn't be no harm ter carry
some to Jim-Jim Rasher-he's sick,
ye know; and he hain't got nobody
but me to look out for him, he hain't. :"
OF course we was interested to
once; and we asked a good many
questions; and Minty told the boy to
wait till the others was gone, and she
put up a basket of things for him to
take along to his sick friend.
While she was talkin' 1 was a.
thinkin' and L says ter myself:
"You'd better go and see this sick
man mebby it'll ease yer mind to do
something for some coal man, if you
can't for the right one.' -
So / run up stairs and put on my
bunnit and clapped my purse into my
pocket, and was ready and waitin'
when he come out with his basket.
So we went along together, and-wall,
1 might as well tell ye fust as last
l found my coal man!
He was sick, sure enough; and he
lay in a mis- able room on a mis- able
bed, and the flies was eatin' on him
up, and there want no air in the room
fit for human bein' to breathe, and
he was tossin' and moanin,' burnt up
with fever.
Somethin' told me had found him
afore I see his face, and when went
up to him and laid my cool hand on
his head he knew me, too. He looked
at me for a minnit in that stupid,
stunned kind of a way O. hisn'n-I
remembered it perfeckly-but he
knew me, and bis great honest eyes
kinder smiled, though his mouth was
SO solemn, and he says: "Old lady, is
it your" : 5>t
I couldn't speak to once If I'd died,
but opened the basket and got him
out some grapes and Civ him, and
sent the boy for some cool water !;
then I bathed his head, and by m by
I asked him if there want no one to
take care on him. Nobody but Sam,
he said-the little feIler that come
with me-and he lived some ways off
and was as poor as himself. There
seemed ter be somethin' more he
wanted to say, but he couldn't seem
to get it out; so l went on talkin.' I
told him how felt when I found I'd
forgot his address, and how I had
worried ever sence; and all how I'd
hunted for him, and about the free
lunch, and everything. s
"And now," says l., "I want ye to
cheer right up and get well, for I'm
goin' ter send you adoctor, and will
have ye well and ridin' on your coal
cart in no time. Is the old white
boss alive and well ?" saysI. -
Upon this he smiled as bright as 9
button. I
F. eyes marm," says he, "the Ole
mares all right, thank ye." -
"Wall," says l pooty soon. 81
must leave We now. You try and
think il there amt somebody we car
git ter come and stay with ye spell
He picked at the bed-cloes and col
ored up; and finally 1 managed II
make out on 'em both that there wa
a girl he was goin' ter marry, ant
ishe'd be glad to come, but she didn'
even know be was sick yet. iEXE
So the little feller and I we wen
away together, and we hunted up tn
girl and her mother. The girls nam
was berlindy, and they promised t
60 and take care ON him, and / pai
'em some in advance, and fixed thing
all right, and went home to Minty. Z
; Minty was wonderful excited owe
4 it. "Our free lunch was a success
arter ALL" says she; and we went t
( bed that night two happy women, 4
7 we was tuckered out. y Ssa
Wall, the rest is soon told. W
KEEP an eye on Jim Rasher, and arte
5 awhile Jack give him place in hi
r own store, and Minty took Berlind
r into the house as a servant
When they were married, we helpe
ter fit 'em out, and among othe
s things, l Civ Jim the twenty dolls
3 gold piece and the mans messae
along of it. .tIa5aE- E-3E8A II
I'll He looked more stupid and stunne
q than I ever seen him afore. But b
q l-RarIindv-ahaa awallorod II al