Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1890-07-05
LITTLE J|M's FUNERAL
LIitls Jim's death has caused good

Little Jim's death has caused good
deal Of talk.
OF that there was no doubt.
Every motherly person in that por-
ton Of So nth Brooklyn known as the
Patch has been talking about 1t for
the lass week. for Jim was one OF the
celebrities Of that locality.
II II not alone Of his death they are
talking. however, for that had been
anticipated for some time, and be-
sides deaths are 30 common there that
but listle is thought Of 1t. Mrs.
Noriarty. one Of the leading ladies OF
the Patch" expressed the general
opinion terscly but fairly when she said
recestly: ''Sure the worst thing about
/. dyin' ID that betchune the docthors, the
wake. the undcrtakers. an the buryiu'
it's chaper to liven-a rather mixed
statement the meaning Of which IL
clear. however.
No, it was not the death of little Jim
that caused all the talk before referred
10,
Not 1t all.
Il 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 cine 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 and
died does not include among Its inhab-
ftants any whose names figure in any
elite directory. There are sprinkling
Of longshorsmen, some junkmen and
trucknlen. some ordinary laborers. and
some people who neither toll nor spin.
There ere the usual dingy rum-shops
that are more prosperous than any
other kind Of shops. There are pigs,
and gDats. and dogs innumerable. that
always seeni to be engaged in breaking
city ordinances and getting their Own.
ers into trouble. Taking L all In ali.
Il 10 unique locality in more respects
than enc.
Tradition In the patch has it that At
ons period Jim had father and
mother. Now. society at the Patch
does not ask for much, but 1t would
seem that the parcuts of Jim did not
come up to the social requirements OF
evcn this easy going locality, SO that
there was no regret when Jim's mother
died sitter q prolonged spree, and his
father left the Patch never to return.
This did not occur. however, until afteE
In some friendly brawl, one or the
other. or both Of them, had In some
manner, injured Jim so THAI he re-
manned cripple until the day of his
death.
Il was about this time that Timothy
Murphy. longshorcmeu, coming home
nom MS work one night, and being
Thirsty. directed bis steps to . resort
Tor The bibulously inclined. known as
the Hole in the WALL He was Just
qnenching his thirst when he saw =
dwarfish form enter. partly with the
assistance OF an improyised crusch.
The gentleman who presided In the
establishment leaned over the counter.
well. what Is itP" he demanded.
I'm lookin' for me ladder" was the
reply.
'.Well. yer father ant here. 50 you'd
better get oat-"
Hold on" said Mr.. Murphy. long
ehoreman, at this juncture. Come
here me lad. It's meself that knows
yer blaggard Of . father, an it's me
opinion yell see him no more, an sorra
the much loss
The boy set up whimper, and then
the Dig longshoreman put his broad
hand over bis mouth.
W hisht" he said. come with me-"
and the burly loDgsfioreman and the
little cripple left the store together.
A few moments later Mr.. Sullivan.
tongshoreman. appeared In his own
aonlicile with little Jim.
Its that bye Of Plaherty's Mary {.
eaid he to his motheiiy looking wife.
Tive him sup an o place to sleep.
we've enough Nv our own to feed, but
wan norc'll make little difference. II
we've feast we'll net miss what he
eats. II we've famine sorry bit nv
me but thinks that he's used 10 the
same"
And that Is the way Jim became
dop,icilcd with the Murphys. Hard
enough times the Murphys had Of il.
too, for there were days and weeks |
when Murphy, longshoreman, had
enough to do to keep his family in |
bread. Yet the ugly duckling that he |
had taken In got as good Is the
Murphys did. The warm heart Of Mrs.
Murphy went out to the little forlorn
cripple. and she treated him a. though
he had been her own child.
Nor was Jim ungrateful. He de-
velofed . variety Of talents that
brought many penny into the
treasury Of the Murphys. He was
GRAND boy for most Of the Patch, and
spite his crutch could perform mission
more quickly than most other boys and
With more intelligence. He also picked
up somehow tho art Of writing In = |
queer spider-likc fashion, and wrote
lettefD for those deniseus OF the Patch
who could not write themselves.
There Is formula followed in writing
such letters AZ these. for the writer
slways starts out with the rather super
6u0us announcement that be takes
his pen In hand" and always ends by
wishing this will find you In good
health as II leaves me 1t present" re-
gardless OF his actual condition of
health. This formula IL ~ immovable
Is were the laws Of the Medes and Per-
tazas. and BY biz adelity 70 Il little