The state herald., 1891-08-07
JIMMIE AND PETE.

been born on Blackwell's Island at u
time when his mother was serving u
term for disorderly conduct
From the same source, no learned
that his father had been killed while
indulging in burglary, and Jimmie
fclt prouder after that He could not
remember either OF his parents, and
often wondered who had looked after
him until he got big enough to make
his own living by stealing.
But he remembered distinctly the
night that he and Pete had Joined
fortunes. 1t was night when the
wind whistled around the corners with
cruel sharpness and found It's way
through every rent in his tattcred CUR
ments- Jimmie had often told how he
had crawled into the ice cart that
night for shelter and heard the growl-
ing OF black object in one corner as
he crcpt toward the forward end.
lie remembered distinctly TINT the
growing had startled him at first and
that five minutes later he and the dog
had curled up In the corner together.
When he awoke in the morning. Pete
was still there and greeted his waking
with vigorous whacking of his tail
against the bottom of tho cart From
that night they had never bccn sepa-
rated for n moment The outcasis had
wandered about the streets together,
slept on the docks In summer, in
wagons and in alleys in winter. and
shared each others joys and fortunes.
Jimmie would steal for Pete, and tho
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 the fountain, he regarded Pete with
contcmplative air He was thinking
Of that nice little girl. with long. yell
low hair. who lived in an uptown
street He and Pete had been wander
ing aimlessly along the street, he re-
mcmbercd, the first time he had seen
her
She was playing with some other lit
tie girls, and had n big ball of popcorn
in her hand. Pete saw that she WIS
eating something. and went over to in
" h'il tilti W snfItn
the popcorn from her hand. she turned
patted him on the head and said:
Poor doggic." Pete had leapcd high
into the air, wagged his tail In per-
fcctly frantic fashion. and lecrod at
the little girl in u manner that made
her laugh. Then she gave Pc,o big
piece of popcorn. which was immcdi-
ntglv snrt.iad IN hfs vpustnr
When she saw Jimmie, tho little
girl, who was somehow different from
the little girls around Paradise Park.
came over to him and began 10 talk.
Jimmy remembered that he was almost
afraid to say any thing 10 her. she
seemed so nice. She askcd him about
his mother and father TO which he re-
piled with agrin aud n hoarsc chucklc.
Then she asked him II he ever went TO
Sunduy-school. He grinned harder
than ever and croaked: 'lIoly chcc,
Sunday-school''
Jimmie wondered why the little girl
looked 80 sorry when he told her that
he md Pete slept in the streets
And haven't you any home at allpn
sh. asked him.
Nav" he replied; what der we
want "a home furP Men Pntc's all
right mint we, Poto'n sio had
grinnod for reply,
Jimmie chucklod rs he thought of
the ut rcd-chockcd boy who had como
mp NJ this juneturo and told tho nice
liitln girl not to talk TO such dirty
boy but to come and play with him.
Jimmie didn't say anything Mt tho
time but he laughed and tho little
glrl smiled when Pete gave yelp and
dashed between the fat boys legs In n
mad chase after eat which action Of
Pe'c's had thrown tho fat boy OF his
feet.
After his first encounter with the
liitlc girl, Jimmie and pc,o had often
gone through tho street whom tho little
girl was playing there She always
spoke TO Jimmie. Sometimes he stood
on tho corner and watched her until
sho vent into the big, fine house where
all the servants were.
At this point JlmmIcs mcdi,atlons
wore interrupted by n short thlck-sot
man with nm owl face. who came over
To him aud snidi
'llcllo Jimmie Doin' anything
,o-nlrhip"
nope" WINS tho reply.
"Got n job for yer" said the other.
lnconlcnlly, meet men Bill at the
Old place. same times usual" "
''Al right Kid" snid Jimmie. and
tho man went away.
Shortly after twelve had struck that
night two men. boy and dog
emerged from II Baxter street alloy aud
y ,cccdcd uptown. When thoy had
gone n considerable distance, Jimmie,
Tor hc wis Of tho party, asked
''N hcrc's the cribp"
''lts old Johnson's. tho bankers
hou a., the Kid replied.
Uptown they wont until they came
Ia tho street where tho nice little girl
vi h the yellow hair lived. Then thoy
turned. went halfway down tho block
mud stopped In tho -hndow Of n stoop
npposiic where shc lived. .tlmmlc's
hort began to beat rapidly, and mo.
ehnnlcnlly ho placed ono hand on the
1bg H'nus I'' W'h'b W. iHo Hlh
iurc aud then pressed close against
him.
Now. Jimmie" whispered tho Kid.
well pu, ynr through tho transom.
You open the door Tor u.s."
Il don wRntor Ia 90 IN thorc," the
boy snld. beginning Ia cdR. away.
Quick as n ilnsh the Kid seized him
by tho throat. one hand tho Kid put
In lls pocket. and when he brought II
ont ihoro was long, cruol-looklng
kni'o In H.
''Scc here" he said ominously, do
ser SEQ that knife. We'll. you'll ri, II
II you come amy funny business. We
hin't got no time TO fool with you
Now, 10 ahcad. "
Jimmie md III, Kid crossed the