The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1888-08-03
JIM AND THE LITTLE 'UN
BY MARY II. GROSVENoR.

Of course the Little 'Un had an.
other name, but so rarely was il
used that an expression of bewil
dered surprise crossed his face
whenever ii was heard. When the
boys We're asked why they had
given him that name, The explana-
ton was rendered in an easy off
hand manner:
"Oh, because he is such a little
'un, you know"
The first night we saw this
strange pair OF friends, was when
they strolled into our boys meet
ing: Jim, tall, muscular, with
hands blackened by his work at
the foundry, "clean dirt" as some
one has called The CRIME gained by
honest toll /; the Little 'Un, almost
baby, and small for his age, with
his face sharpened by daily contact
with poverty and sin.
lie was hanging on Jim'S sleeve,
looking up into his face from time
to time, with a loving confidence
that soltened the sharp features.
The other boys seemed rather
proud of them, and explained that
The Little 'Un belonged to the Kin.
dergarten, that his father was
sailor, and his mother a drunkard,
and that he lived in the same house
with jim.
Hes queer little chap" Jim
chimed in, looking down at the
mite beside him; "every night he's
settin on the door step waitin for
me when | come home, and every
he fetched me along TO The
Mission school, and cries If say
won't go. It's him brought me in
here tonight ma'am; said we'd
have better fun here than hangln
round corners"
They Joined in the games hearth
Iy, the Little Tn always hanging |
On his friend, resenting any efforts
10 separate them, and at the close
Of the evening they went off to.
yether through the chilling RAIN,
he Little Un's tongue rafting
along, scarcely waiting for Jim's
ihOrt but interested replies.
Upon inquiry we found the lit
le boy was the most promising
lmong our Kindergarten scholars.
Philip they called him there, in
pite Of his objection to the name,
md he was fairly drinking IN the
eaching gwen him, so it was not a
urprise to see him come into the
light meeting soon after with q
'lue bow pinned upon the ragged
title jacket to show he had become
member of the kindergarten
temperance Band. "And he's af.
er me 10 join" Jim said. with a
augh. "Wants to give me half
is ribbon"
"BDt he won't do il" Philip said,
boxing up into my face with un-
hildish wisdom. "JIm drinks too
luch now. He says il wont harm
I'm, but that's what they all say at
rst. You ask him to give it up,
Iiss Julia, won't you 2"
Jim's face flushed. He pushed
he little boy roughly from him,
nd there was a marked coldness
1 his manner towards him for the
est OF she evening; in fact, from
nat time an estrangement grew up
etween the friends which deepen
d as the days went on. IL
This was through no fault Of the
lithful Philip. lie still Saited
upon the doorstep i
lr his friend. only 10 be push
d aside with harsh words. Each
unday, each night OF the meeting,
ii he plead with Jim 10 come
nth him, but il was OF no avail.
When The little fellow wandered
! alone his sad face told the story
-ithOut words. lie never blamed
is friend, keeping silent sbOut the
arsh words, but unable 10 restrain /
be teas when questioned. Il
semed odd, bot il was true. that
hose little hands had kept jim
sck from mach that was evil, tor {
ow he had thrown them of he fell !