Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-04-09
sandy Jun.

"'Tain't no moe use'n t wonid be to
send mission'ries to the monkeys" said
Sarah Ann, as the door closed after the
master OF the house.
''What Is of no use. Sarah Ann?" /
asked with interest; for Sarah Ann is a
woman of somewhat original opinions.
"Why. trym' to help such people as
Sandy jim aud his mother said she.
"It's like thrown sugar into the sea |;
if you should put in thousand barrels
at once. L don't s'pose you'd change the
taste-snyhow t would be salt as ever
the next time the tide came up; and
that's Just as much good as t will do
tryin' to sweeten Sandy JIM He's
bad through aud through, and Mr..
Keepon's wastin' his sugar on him."
sim afraid that's literal truta. Sarah
Ann, said, knowing that Josiah had
that morning taken half dollars worth
of sugar and a pound of tea to "Sandy
JIm's" moiher-for Josiah is one of
| those unselish men who will put them
selves to any amount of inconvenience
/ for the sake of doing a kindness. 1t Is
one OF his pet theories that any heart,
however hardened, may be reached and
Helped, If only tie right influence can
be brought to bear upon 1t; aud he is
constantly putting his theory to test in
his WORK among the street arabs. To
one he appeals through books, 20 an
other through music; and he seemed to
think that the surest way of reaching
SANDY Jim" was through sugar and
tea for his mother.
Jim was an over-grown, sallow-com-
plexIoned 10Y of fourteen, with yellow
hair, and dull, protrudlng eyes. Alto
| gether, he was, 10 look at, one of the
most disagreeabie specimens of boyhood
that have ever encountered. Our ac-
qualntance with him began at the wharf.
We had gone to the boat to say good-b by
To party of friends, and as We stood
exchanging the last words, a splash was
heard at the side of the ship, followed
instantly with the cry, "a child oyer
boardI' Before We had fairly comp.e-
hended that 1t was our own little Phil,
a tail, gIunt figure leaped from the
pier, and the next instant the child was
handed up to Josiah, dripping and
frightened, but other wise uninJurei; !;
and from that day to this, though he
rewarded him at the time with five
dollar bill, Josiah always seemed to
feel that SANDY Jim" has a claim upon
| us.
''He saved our boy, Deborah, and We
must do what We can to save him" he
said one day, when l was inclined to
demonstrate on what seemed to me q
| waste Of kindness, as well as of sugar
| and tea.
''lf there was anything to him to
save, II might be worth while" said
Sarah Ann, who always feels privileged
10 speak her mind, and who had been
particularly mceused with what she
calls Jim's Goodness" for not content
with our fres-will offerings, Jim boldly
presented himself at least once week
10 ask for additional Contributions. ..t
he had a sperit worth savin, he'd be
above such meanness; and as for his
mother, she amt washe- for MS once
this summer that there wasn't some
thing mlssin' when she was through"
But Josiah refused to be discouraged.
He started jim in business az a boot
black, and prevailed upon him with the
promise of a new suit of clothes, to at
tend both his night-school and Bible
class. In fact, he constituted himself
the boys guarjian, and, though twice
compelled to bail him out of prison,
where he had been lodged for disorderly
conduct, he did not abandon the hope
OF reclaiming him.
"Inere must be something In him
worth saving, or he never would have
dashed into the water as he did after
Phil, he said, in answer to Sarah AIMS
argument, anu when l looked at Phil,
my precious darling, l, too, was moved
with desire to rescue him, and for
Jim's sake was willing to employ his
mother, IN spite of sgndry missing
articles AMI Sarah Ann's expostula-
tons.
But this labor of love came suddenly
to an end. Oae day as We sat at break
fast, the morning paper-that merciless
revealer OF the wIckedness of the world
brought an account OF Il robbery that
had been committed the previous night,
and named SANDY Jim" and his mother
as the chief offenders.
81 shall go at once and see If there is
any truth III it." said Josiah, pushing
back his chair; sit doesn't seem possi-
ble that jim would do it.
But on reaching the wretched hovel
that Jim and his mother called .'home,"
he found that their guilt had been clear
ly proved, and that the mother had al
ready been taken to prison, while Jim
mad cheated justice by taking himself
to parts unknown.
II told you SOL" said Sarah Ann, with
the triumph of an astute but narrow
mind; II knew well enough how it
would end"
And L must confess that I, too. was
inclined to feel that it was only what
might have been expected, but 10
slams look of disappointment kept me
silent.
81 had no very strong hopes for the
mother. but did think, perhaps,
We could save the boy" he said, regret
fully.
Ayear went by, and Sandy Jim" and
his mother had ceased to be mentioned
IN the family, except by Sarah Ann, who
could not resist the temptation occa-
sionally to refer TO them as an example
of misplaced confidence, when there
came one evening a messenger from the
city prison, saying that one of the
prisoners was lying at the point OF
death, and wished to see Mr.. Keepon.
"lou had better so with me, my
dear" said Josiah; and when We reached
tDe prison we found that 1t was SANDY
Jim's" mother VINO had sent the mes
sage,
Il know'd you'd comeT she cried,
seizing Josiah's hand. "He's been
here every week to see me, ma'am,
and he's been SO patient like and for
Al q. L L