Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1891-07-23
JIMMIE AND PETE.
A Pathetic Story OF an Outcast
Boy and His DOG.

No morc disrrputabIc-looking couple
coa1i be found than they. The boy
wore n soft hat that was pulled far
down 81 n pair of sharp. ~shrcwdiy
%twinkling eyes Ills coat was short
ragged ut the elbows and ends Of the
sleeves. and was buttoned closely mp
to his chin. The Trousers he wore were
faded. and had evidently belonged 10
some ono larger than nc. for they ver,.
rolled M at the bottoms. JUS. enough
to keep them from resting on a pair ~
shoes that were cracked and run down
ami covered with dry mud
His hands were thrust deep in his
trousers pockets. and he leaned for
wari a. he shufied over the pavement
and up u the fountain in Paradise
park Looking at his face. one would
judge him % b. anywhere between ten
and twenty years % aye In stature.
he did not appear 10 be more than
twelve.
The boys companion was n dog
!oHg-leggcd. ~thin-bodicd dog. about the
size 81 = bull terrier.
Wh~rr there was hair on It's bodv-it
had been torn off in many plaee-,hc
animal was biac.- It, Jaw was long
anil deep. and when the skin was drawn
back from the teeth. the dog seemed %
be- rrinniug The animals ewes
heightened such an effect. for they
were Of a kind that rolled in an *
prss-ive manner.
tn " were Jimmie and Pete. As Jim
ME. the boy had always been known
shout the locality An old policeman.
who had locked him up oncc Tor steal
ing some money from a drunken sailor.
hal told the hoy that he hal been
bora on Biackve,l's island at a time
when his mother was serving a term
fcr di-orierly conduct
Prom the same source he learned
that his father had been killed while
ndGlgin- IN burglary, and Jimmie
felt prOuter after that He could not
remember either 81 his parents. and
often wondered who had looked after
him until be got big enough 10 make
his ovn living by stealing.
I;ut he remembered distinctly the
night that he and Pete had Joined for
tunes Il was a night when the wind
whistlcd around the corners with a
cruel sharpness and found its wav
through every rent in his tatterrd gar
meat~ Jimmie had often told how he
had crawled into the i~cc-cart that night
for shelter and heard the growing OF =
black object in one corner As he crept
toward the forward end
lie avraw.Har-I .Fs..+-.r- 81. a
growing had startled him at first. and
thar i've min-tes later be and the dog
had curled mp IN the corner together.
When be awoke in the morning Pete
was still there and greeted his waxing
with a vigorous ~whaeking Of his tail
against the bottom Of the cart. Prom
that night they had never been separ-
atsd for a moment The Outcasts had
wandered about the streets together.
slept on the docks in summer. in wag-
ons and alleys in winter. and shared
each other joys and fortunes
Jimmie would steal for Pete. and
the dog would steal anyhow. No
butcher dared leave his front door open
when Pete was in the neighborhood.
As Jimmie leaned against the edge of
h fountain he regarded Pete with a
contemPlative air. He was thinking
Of that nice little girl, with the long
yellow hair, who lived in an uptown
street. lie and Pete had been wander
ing aimlessly along the street. he re-
membered. the first tine he had seen
her
She was playing with some other lit
tic girls, and had a big ball of popcorn
IN her hand. Pete saw that She was
eating something. and went over to in
vestiSate- When he tried To snatch the
popcorn from her hand. she turned.
patted him on the head and said. Poor
doggie Pete had leaPed high into the
air. waggcd his tail in a perfectly
frantic fashion. and leerrd at the little
girl in a manner that made her laugh.
Then she gave Pete a big piece Of pop
corn, which was Immediately carried
Ia his master.
When she saw Jimmie. the little girl.
who was somehow vers different from
the little girls around Paradise park
cam over To him aud began To talk.
Jimmie remembered that he was a.
. afraid To say ANYTHING 10 her. she
seemed 50 slice. She asked him abou,
his mother and father. To which he r.
piled with a grin and a hoarSe chueLIe.
Then she asked him II he ever went L,
Sunday-schOol- Tie grinned harder
thar ever and croaked: Holy chez
>unday-school.-
Jimmie wondered why the little girl
looked 80 soTry when ne told her that
he and Pete slept in the streets.
And haven't You any home at aIIe~
She asked him.
Nav. he replied. what do We
want a home fur Men Pete-s all
right. amt wc- Pete9~ Pete hal
grinned for reply
Jimmie ehuckled as ne thought of the
fat. red-cheeked boy who had come mn
AZ this Jancture and told the nice little
girl not 70 talk TO such a dirty boy but
To come and play with him.
Jimmie didn't say anything AZ the
time, but he laughed ard the little girl
smiled when Pete gave a vein and
dashed between the fat boys legs in q
mad chase after a cat. which action OF
Pete's had thrown nc fat boy of hi,
feet
After his hrst encounter with the liz
tie girl. Jimmie and Pete had often
gone through the street when the little
girl was playing there. She always
spoke &c Jimmie. Sometimes he stood
n the corner and pitched her until