The state herald., 1890-07-18
little JIM's FUNERAL.
Little JIm's death has caused good
deal Of talk.


deal Of talk.
OF that thcre was no doubt.
Every motherly person In that por-
ton OF South Brooklyn known as the
Patch" has been talking about 1t for
the last week, for Jim was ono of the
celebrities of that locality.
It Is not alone of his death they are
talking, however, for that had been
anticipated for some time. and be-
sides deaths are so common there that
but little is thought Of 1t. Mrs.
Moriarty. one of the leading ladies Of
lhe Patch" expressed the general
opinion tersely but fairly when she said
recently: Sure the worst thing about
= dyin' Is that betchune the docthors, the
wake, the undertakers. an the buryin'
it's chaper to live"-a rather mixed
statement, the meaning of which is
clear. however. II =
No. 1t was not the death of little Jim
that caused all the talk before referred
to.
Not at all.
1t was his funeral that gave rise to all
the talk. 1t was one of the most re-
markable funerals ever seen in south
Brooklin.
No one who knew Little Jim in life
would have supposed that he could
command such honor in death.
Jim's life was not one that even the
ordinary street arab would naturally
envy.
The locality In which jim lived aud
died does not include among its inhab-
itants any whose names figure in any
elite directory. There are sprinkling
OF longshoremen. some junkmen and
truckmen. some ordinary laborers, and
some people who neither toll nor spin.
There arc the usual dingy r,m-slops
that are moro prosperous than any
other kind Of shops. There are pigs
! and goats. and dogs innumerablc, that
always seem to be engaged in breaking
city ordinances and getting their own,
ers into trouble. Taking Il all in ALI,
Il is unique locality in more respects
than one.
tradition in the patch has It that at
one period Jim had father aud
mother. Now, society at the Patch
does not ask for much. but II would
seem that the parents OF Jim did not
come up to the social requirements Of
even this easy-going locality, % that
there was no regret when Jim's mother
died after . prolonged spree, and his
father left the Patch never 10 return.
This did not occur. however. until after
In some friendly brawl, one or the
other, or both OF them. had In some
manner. injured Jim SO that he re-
manned cripple until the day Of his
death.
1t was about this time that Timothy
Murphy, lonOhorcmen. coming home
from his work one night. and being
thirsty, directed his steps TO n resort
for the bibulously inclined. known MS
the Hole In the Wall" He was Just
9uenching his thirst. when he saw "A
dwarfish form enter. partly with the
assistance Of an improvised crutch.
The gentleman who presided IN the
establishment leaned over the counter.
We'll. what is it?" he demanded.
I'm lookin' for me fadder.n was the
reply;
We'll. yer father ant here. so you'd
better get out"
Hold on" said Mr.. Murphy. long
shoreman. at this juncture. Come
here. mo lad. It's meself that knows
Yer blaggard Of father, an it's me
opinion yen see him no more. an sorra
the much loss"
The boy set M A WINNER. and then
tho big longshoreman nut his broad
hand over his mouth.
'Whisht." he said. ..come with mo. ~
and the burly 'ongshoreman and the
little cripple left the store together.
A few moments later MIR. Sullivan.
longshoreman. appeared In his own
domicile with little Jim.
Its that bye Of Flaherty's Mary"
said he TO his motherly looking wife,
Give him sup an a place 10 sleep.
We've enough Nv our own TO feed. bn,
wan more'll make little difference. II
we've n feast we'll not miss what be
eats. II we've = famine sorry biz nv
me but thinks that he's ussd IN the
same"
And that IL tho way Jim became
domiciled with the Murphys Hard
enough times the Murpbys Ind of II
too, Tor there were DAYS and weeks
when Murphy. lopgshorcman bnd
enough TO do 10 keen bIs family I'm
lSasd. Yet tho ugly ducklIug ths, no
had taken In rot AZ mood ns Tho
Murpbys ala. TIE warm hear, NJ M,.
Murphy went out 10 The little iorlorn
crIpplc. mnd shc tre,,ed him ma ,howah
be had been her own child,
Nor was Jim unurnieful n. d..
velopcd VARIETY oi tal.p,s Tim,
brought MANY penny into thc
treasury Of lie Murrhv: ia w..
GRAND boy for mos, Of thc Patch. md
spite his crutcb could perform, a mission
NOR, quickly than most other boys ana
Win mors IntsliIccnce. Hn ,,so NAKED
I'm somehow the art OF writing In n
o,scr spidrr.iik. fashion. and wro,.
Istt-rs Tor those denI,cns Of The Patch
who could not write themselves.