The Coconino sun. [volume] (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1891-1891, 1891-07-25
JIMMIE AND PETE.

huOWH dDOul UuO ltNdllb1s All olo pO-
liceman, who had locked him up once
for stealing some money from drunk
en- sailor, had told the boy that he had
been born on Blackwelfs Island at q
time when his mother was serving a
term for disorderly conduct
From the same source, he learned
that his father had been killed while
INDUCING in burglary, and Jimmie
felt 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 q night when the
wind whistled around the corners with
a cruel sharpness and found its way
through every rent in his tattered gar
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 crept toward the forward end.
He remembered distinctly that the
growing had startled him at first and
that five minutes later he and tho 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 the cart. From
that night they had never been sepa-
rated for moment. The outcasts 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 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 the fountain, he regarded Pete with
contemplative 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-
membered, the first time he had seen
her.
A1hS 90 pay WIN sOlIc OllACI III
tie girls, and had a big ball of popcorn
n her hand. Pete saw that she was
eating something, and went over to in
vestigate. 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. wagged his tail in a per-
f,.a,,tfa fo1htnp nj loA.Al ~,
the little girl In a manner that made
her laugh. Then she gave Pete a big
piece of popcorn, which was immedi-
ately carried to his master.
When she saw Jimmie, the little
girl, who was somehow different from
the little girls around Paradise Park,
came over to him and began to talk.
Jimmy remembered that he was almost
afraid to say any thing to her. she
seemed so nice. She asked him about
his mother and father to which he re-
piled with a grin and boarse chuckle.
Then she asked him II he ever went to
Sunday-school. He grinned harder
than ever and croaked: Holy chez!
Sunday schoolr'
Jimmie wondered why the little girl
looked so sorry when he told her that
he and Pete slept in the streets.
'.And haven't you any home at allPn
she asked him.
Nav" he replied; what der we
want a home fur? Men Petes all
right amt we. Pete2n Pete had
grinned for reply.
Jimmie chuckled as he thought of
the fat, red-cheeked boy who had come
up at this juncture and told the nice
little girl not to talk TO such dirty
boy but to come and play with him.
Jimmie didn't say anything at tho
time, but he laughed and the little
girl smiled when Pete gave yelp and
dashed between the fat boys legs in
mad chase after cat which action of
Pete's had thrown the fat boy off his
feet.
After his first encounter with the
little girl Jimmie and Pete had often
gone through the street when the little
girl was playing there. She always
spoke to Jimmie Sometimes he stood
on the corner and watched her until
she went into the big, fine house where
all the servants were.
At this point Jimmie's meditations
were interrupted by short, thick-set
man with an evil face, who came over
TO him and said:
Hello, Jimmie. DOM anything
tonight"
Nope" was the reply.
Got job for yer" said the other,
laconically; meet men Bill at the
old place; same times usual"
"Ali right Kid" said Jimmie, and
the man went away.
Shortly after twelve had struck that
night two men, boy and dog
emerged from Baxter street alley and
proceeded uptown. When they had
gone a considerable distance, Jimmie,
for he was OF the party, asked:
Where's the cribP"
'It's old Johnson's the bankers
house" the Kid replied.
Uptown they went until they came
to the street where the nice little girl
with the yellow hair lived. Then they
turned, went halfway down the block
and stopped in the shadow of stoop
opposite where she lived. Jimmie's
heart began to beat rapidly, and me-
chemically he placed one hand on the
dogs head. Pete looked up into his
face and then pressed close against
him.
Now, Jimmie, I" whispered the Kid,