Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-09-12

bllOWeO liilI " pup tpiii vi hti iAitchph
range ON Saturday evening after teach
ing him how to do it,
"A child does liven up a house, miss, >
she said on Sunday evening; ''and we
seemed quite family in the church
pew. somehow another"
On Monday Jim was to go to school
IN the brand new clothes which had
come home Saturday night There was
quite Ilutter in the small household.
A tiny blue necktie graced Miss Bells
work basket Sally did up several
small collars with great care and it was
a proof that she bad changed her mind
in regard to the boy, that when Miss
Bell said meditatively:
Sally. mean to give James the
small silver watch ! had at school my
self But perhaps I'd better keep it
until I've has made some improvement
and call it a reward of merit
The handmaiden replied, well, just
as you think best. of course, miss; but
il he wears a watch first off it will show
he is somebody. and he'll be tret bet
ter -
SO Jim wore the watch in the pocket
of his new suit, and before he went
upon his way was kissed and counseled
as tenderly as though he really had
mother.
1T made him cry, miss, " said Sally.
II saw the tears in his eyes, and III
own up that / was mistook in him.
The two women watched him out OF
sight as he went down the street, but
when school hours were past they wait
ed in vain for his return. Night fell,
and lie was still among the missing.
The school to which he had been sent
was kept by an old friend of Miss Bell.
To her house, when o'clock struck
without bringing the truant home, Miss
Bell. full of anxiety, made her way, and
to her inquiry received a most unpleas
ant answer.
He never came, my dear. The
watch and the new clothes have been
too great temptation. 1t never does
to take children like that to your bosom,
Evelina wanted to tell you that
But when you wish to do thing, you
will know you of old.
Then Miss Bell went back to her
home, which seemed more lonely than
it had ever been before, and said to
Sally Simpkins;
"Just please don't talk about it,
Sally. All that can be said has been
said by Maria PASCAL
Two days passed away. Still there
was no news of Jim. Miss Bell ex.
pected none. All through her life she
had been used by her family asa dread
ful example of what came of trusting
tales of woe and being benevolent to
unworthy objects, and this was her
crowning performance.
mo matter, she said to herself. mo
matter; it is lesson that will last my
life. | deserved il"
The third day, however, a slow step
ping policeman sauntered up the door
steps and pulled the bell.
1.-The ash barrel again, suppose,
Sally" Miss Bell said mo doubt the
authorities want it set just inside the
parlor door at exactly o'clock in the
morning. don't know what other
change they could make. They've done
everything else with it. F"
But it was not the ash barrel that
was in question this time.
What the policeman said was this:
Morning, ma'am. Do you know a
little chap named Jim9 He says you
do. He says you've been good to him
gave him watch and lots of clothes
He's got rid of them If you have, In
fact. he says he lives here. No doubt
it's all lie."
mo, no" cried Miss Bell. ''It is
true. IL took him in. intended to
adopt him I-Ohl perhaps | haven't
been deceived in him, after all, Tell
me quick.
'lf you kindly step over to the sta
ton in - street, youl hear all about
it, said the officer "At once, please. "
II took Miss Bell only few moments
to get ready, and as quickly as the lit
tie cab that Sally called could carry
her she was at the police station, and
in few moments Jim, looking very
small indeed among the large police
men, stood before her--Jim, more rag
ged than before, and shoeless again,
but quite undaunted, his eyes blazing
his fists clnched tight and hard, though
his head was bandaged and his face
bruised and very pale.
There she isl" he cried. There's
the lady She'll tell you how good she
was to me, Nobody never was good
before had clothes, swell clothes;
she gave 'em to me; and had a watch;
she gave 1t TO me; and she kissed me,
she did, and love her, do, like she
was my nanny Don't believe I've
gone back on you, miss; don't believe
Il, wouldn't"
A change swept over Miss Bells face
as he spoke 1t grew soft snd warm
and kindly again,
II know you wouldn't, ehild,n said
she. mo, indeed you wouldn't |
thought you had, but now know bet
ter" And In her prlm poplin and all
her tidy, Quakerlike belongings she
stopped and kissed poor ragged Jim
very tenderly.
Madam" said the grave elderly
gentleman at the desk, this boy tells a
very curious story You may tell it
again, Jim"
YES, sir, said Jim. when you
took me in that day, lady, | was put