River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-03-13


was an honest man, and not some sort
of vermin or venomous beast. A real
''tip-tOp gentleman" TOO. He must be
muddled. But the brown eyes were
looking cody enough at him, and their
owner was saying: ''Well, what 90 you
say"
Yer don't know what be; I'm bad
lot. I've been in quod oft enough"
blurted ont Jim, feeling somehow he
could not take his new-found patron in.
Il daresay you have, and deserved it,
too. But believe you can pull round
yet, IL you like; and, as / said, / will
give you the chance of regular work and
pay. Will you take it?"
In the depth Of Jim's warped nature
there glimmered something like spark
of gratitude and dim longing after a
new life, for a moment; but old habits
were too strong for him, and the clouds
closed darker again, as he shook his
head and said in tones which tried to be
civil: NO, guv'nor; yer mean we'll; but
it's no go now. I'm no good for any
thing but cadging and tramping, an
doan want to work for any master-an'
won't neyther."
He expected an angry lecture and
round abuse for refusing; but the other
said, quietly. stroking his boot with the
handle of his hunting-crop: THAT is a
dangerous way of thinking, my friend.
and will get you into trouble again.
You are fool not to try and pull up
bit; but you know your own affairs best.
Well, here is supper and bed for you,
anyway. Look out" He tossed half
crown to Jim with careless, easy good
nature, and. shaking up his horse, trot-
ted of with a nod and Good luck"
How costless word or two of sym
patty are, and yet how priceless they
may become. How easy to be gracious,
and yet how far-reaching the results.
We scatter kindly greetings here and
there as we journey on Life's roadway,
and 10. they spring up bright flowers to
gladden. some sad, weary wayfarer. We
perform thonghtlessly now and again
trivial services of courtesy and forget
them; but they shine in lone loveless
hearts as glittering stars to cheer the
midnight sky.
Hugh Boynton, smoking his high
priced Havana after dinner that even
ing in the luxurious ease of his favorite
lounging-chair, had utterly forgotten
all about the few words and the silver
coin which he had thrown to the tramp
whom he had overtaken as he rode
home from hounds. Jim, curled up I'M
der the lee of clover rick, turned the
half-crown over and over in his hand,
and thought of how for once in his life
he had been spoken kindly to by real
gentleman.
Five dreary years lad passed over
Jim's luckless head, their monotony
broken by police-court, prison-cell and
vagrant-ward experiences. He had wan
dered up and down some dozen counties
and seen the Inside of most Of their
iails, and now, as Christmas drew near,
had drifted toward York; not that he
had any particular reason for getting
there, but because il lay in his way
north, and he happened to be making
in that direction; why, not even he him
self knew. for north, south, east and
west were alike to him. He had had a
run of bad luck lately. Once or twice
he had found a casuals welcome and
slept under cover; but he had rooted
objection to it's eoncomitants. and chose
rather the cold and exposure of the open
air. He had scarcely tasted food for q
week. and had almost forgotten the feel
of a copper coin; for somehow the near
approach OF the festival of peace and
good will seemed TO have shut up mems
pockets, and sharp refusals and scornful
silence were all he got from those Of
whom he had asked help.
The afternoon was closing as he
found himself in the long, struggling
village OF MarstOn, fOotsOre and done
up. The lights at the grocer's
shop threw broad band of brightness
across the road, and Jim could see a
man in a white apron busily piling up a
pyramid of loaves which a boy had just
brought in crisp and hot from the bake
house. The sight was too much for the
famished fellow, and he pushed his way
into the shop. Now. then, what is it?'
cried the shopman, sharply, as he
scanned Jim's tattered appearance.
''Will yer give me yam Ov them little
uns. guv'nor? I'm nigh clemmed;" and
he nodded toward the bread-pile.
"NO, certainly not; / never give to
beggars or tramps."
I've not tasted bite nor sup this
blessed lay. God knows"
Cant help that, Come, get out of the
shOp-do you hear?-Or I'll set the con-
stable on to you. The likes of you ought
not to be allowed to go about the coun-
try. Come, off with you"'
So the social Outcast went forth
into the night hungry and in
suited, and the sleek tradesman
rubbed his hands and struck his loaves,
congratulating himself the while on his
refusal to countance a worthless vaga-
bond who. regarded from the lofty
standpoint of political economy.
had no right TO live on the earth. And
yet Mr.. Jonathan Binner was want to
pose on political platforms as the
Heaven-seat champion OF the masses.
Then, indeed. his sympathy flowed out
in such a mighty torrent towards the
universal brotherhood of man that there
was not so much as a drop left to give
a crust or even a civil word to q starving
tramp at his door.
Three times did Jim try his luck down
the length of the village street, with no
better success; and then he gave it up
and bitterly left the houses of his
fellow-creatures behind him and
faced the bleak open country again.
He dragged himself along for a few
weary miles, then opening a gate.
crawled into half-ruined cowshed and
flung himself down upon some bracken
and straw litter in the farthest corner,
and dozed of. When he woke up, the
moon had risen, and was shining in
through the chinks of the roof, and Jim
could see the countryside was white
with snow. He shivered, and buried
himself completely in the bracken and
tried TO sleep again and forget the cold
and his hunger. He had almost sue
ceeded. when the sound of voices came
TO him on the still night-air, and a
minute later three men entered the
shed.
Curse the cold,' growled one as he
drew back just within the shadow.
Curse ham, you mean" said another.
as he leaned thick oak cudgel against
the wall and began to blow upon his
Imbed fingers
"Tll do more than curse him when
tn time comes" answered the first
speaker.
'Ay, he'd best not have taken us i
hand Saws he when with the rest Of