Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-25
AN OUTCAST.

He was & bad lot! Magistrates, jail
~chaplains, and police had all at various
times told him 50; and he quietly ac-
cei,tcd their Judgment, knowing it to be
prejGy near the truth. An outcast from
his very babyhood, what chance had he
ever had? Lett by an unfeeling mother
to die in 9 roadside ditch, he had been
taken to thenearest Union to be brought
up a workhouse founding. until he was
old enough to be bound prentice and
the guardians could wash their hands
of him entirely. A drunken saddler
c~ovenanted to clothe, board, and teach
him his trade, and at his hands poor
Jim had a dogs life, until, goaded to
madness by every species Of i'll treat
ment, he struck his master and fled.
For awhile he tried hard to get work in
the villages through which he passed;
but no one would take on the strange,
friendless lad. and so he made up his
mind to enlist for q soldier.
Ii only he had reached New York an
hour or two earlier Her Majesty's army
had gained a useful recruit, and poor
Jim would have had a chance to rise
and become a credit to the service. But
i'll luck would not let him go. He was
routed out Of an old stable by q zeal
GUS member of the city police, and
charged next day with sleeping out at
night or some equally heinous crime,
the result being that he was committed
to prison for seven days. This broke
down his last shred of self-respect, and
when that happens to a man or boy
heaven help him, for his doom is sealed.
jim came out Of jail utterly reckless,
everything.
Yes there was no doubling it.; he
Wa an out-and-out bad lot! And
he looked it, too, as he slouched
along the country lane With
hands deep in his empty pockets aud
his head bent to meet the rain which
the November wind drove in his face.
But he was too much used to discom-
fort to heed the weather and plodded
s%ullenly OH through the puddles in the
deepening gloom, half asleep, and SO
utterly careless of everything around
that he never heard the beat Of hoofs
until a CHEEKY voice cried, "Now, my
good fellow, if you don't want the whole
road to yourself, perhaps you will let
me pass"
Jim never looked around, but skunk
closer to the dripping hedgerow, ex,
pecting the horsman to ride on without
another world, but something quite un'
expected happened, for the CHEEKY
voice said, "Thanks!"
It was the first time that any one hat
even thanked the good-for-nothing, anl
he stared up in blank a~mazement, ant
saw a man Of about his own age in red
coat and top boots, plentifully be
spattered with mud, looking down a
him from the back Of a weight-carry
ing hunter without the least CLEAN Q
aversion or suspicion in his pleasant
fresh-colored face.
you look rather done up; been Ion,
on the road?"
ga week an more!" The reply wa
surly enough-not that Jim resente,
the question, but simply because h
was so used to insults and rough speak
ing that the idea ofa blooming swell
speaking civilly to such as he took hil
utterly by surprise.
Going home?"
Jim gave a contemptuous grunt
never La yam, guy nor!
"Poor chap! But you live some
where. | suppose"
ooh, yes" with a grim chucAle; "
live neutrality-suspicious.. Use nc
Lille some folks, must have everythin
tip-top. No, that's not my style. Ye'y
a big house. in course, and lots {
slaves to wait on ye. / lives just whel
I can, and has to fend for mysen, an
don't often get my meals regular"
And the cruel contrast between hin
self and his companion filed the tramp
heart with bitter thoughts. Why ha,
some folk all the good things Of life al
others hone Of them? Here was a me-
no older than himself with fine clotht
OF his back and a horse to carry hin
while he, poor follow, had to trude
along ankle-deep in the mud, wit
scarcely a whole thread to cover hin
Why, the very horse vas a long W;
better off and more cared for; it at lea
had a warm, dry stable and plenty
food waiting for it, While he had new,
a resting-place nor acrust Of bread
eat.
Again the CHEEKY, kind tones startl,
him: "But you have friends som
where, 1 suppose"
sNo-not me! There's never
single soul, guv'nor, in this wide wor
as cares a rap for me; and, when I Ii
down some day and dies in the ditto
therell noan be, man, woman, OF chill
as'll piss me. Nonell be sorry, zee
tin the %parish-bums as'll have to p
me underground, and they'll grud
doing Of that even." Jim gave a sho:
ugly laugh and slouched on-the wat
squish, squish, squishing out OF t
gaping rents Of his old boots at eve
step. He quite expected the Swell"