The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-11-09
LITTLE JIM.


small creature that crouched upon the
rug before the blazing fire of her little |
parlor grate-a boy nine years old, |
half naked, hatless, barefoot and wet
to the skin, for the rain was pouring
piteously without and the suburban
cottage seemed about to float away
upon sea of mud and water. II
think must let the child stay, and see
what can do for him"
You're your own mistress, Miss
Bell. said Sally, but it's my boundeD
duty to demonstrate agin it. You're
single lady, Miss Bell and I'm a wild
der We amt no men folkses about
and we amt jest the kind to take in
strangers OF that class, seems to me-"
Such baby, Sallyl" said Miss Bell.
1t was one jest as small as he is,
and Il gal to boot, that took my black
silk dress-one Mis- Wilder Croker
gimme when she went and married q
second time, said Sally 1T was as
good as new and ripped the Grape off
it and trimmed it with red velvet, and
can say fur it. it wus scrumptiousl
And Il little gal came begin, and l up
and asked Mis- Croker fur to hire her,
and she did, and fust we sent her for
narrand she off with the dress and my
BACKBONE and two han'kerchefs, and
dunno what all. | amt never been
charytable sense, nor l amt never had
a black silk gownd sense nuther, nor !
don't expect to. If let that boy stay
till he was dried and give him a dinner,
it's all I'd do. miss.
II know" said Miss Bell, Its what
any one would say, Sally; but I'll tell
you what I'll do I'll give you new
black silk dress-pattern and lining and
buttons and any trimming you like
and you can choose it for yourself at
Mr.. Potter's store-if you'll just take
that child and battle him and fix him
up in some of the boys clothes sister
Martha sent me for the church poor
Yes, and Miss Nuntle shall make it for
you, Sally, and I'll pay her, if you'll
only well. not-not"-
Not interfere, Miss Belle" said Sally
well, won't. always have said
that Miss Bell wus the liberelest lady
ever l lived with-and ever so much
obleeged mum" With that Sally
seized upon the urchin, who had been
found lying before the door face down
ward in the mud, and bore him to the
bathroom, while Miss Bell sat before
her fire and thought over plan that
had formed itself in her brain some
time before.
She was sixty she was spinster, she
had nice little fortune of her own,
and her married brothers and sisters
had chosen to scatter themselves over
the world, leaving her to herself for the
most part of the time. They could
provide for their children. Why should
not she, standing on the threshold OF
old age, take to herself an adopted soni
The big black eyes that had looked up
mt her had touched her heart. Once,
long before, such eyes in IA far older
head had done that, for she had love
story, this elderly woman who had
once been a pretty GIRL and the tale
the child had told had touched it also
Father lost at sea-mammy dead
No hone-nothing to eat.
Very evidently nothing to wear, from
another point of view than Flora Nc
Flimsey's.
1T seems as if Providence had sen
him to me-" said Miss Bell, "and
think l shall adopt him"
When the boy came down, clean ant
bright in the well patched gray suit il
which Sally had arrayed him, Miss Bel
thought him very pretty. 1t did no
occur to her, as it did to Sally, that b
was rather rosy for child that ha'
been starving for three days, and tina
his appetite was no more ravenous thal
that of any healthy boy of his age. Il
fact, Miss Bell was delighted, and afte
dinner. when she had had talk wit
him and sat watching him as he pore
over 4 great picture book-no one ha
taught him to read yet-felt, as she e1
pressed it to herself, quite like q moth
err" Yes, after she had had the chill
about her for week or SO, and mad
sure that she was not mistaken, MIS-
Rell resolved that she would legal
adopt him and make her will IN d
favor. He should go to school. 81
would see that Ire was properly brougt
I'D, and her friends might say wha
thew pleased She should have so
in her old age, and would have accon
plished good deal besides.
Even Sally began to look upon lit
Jim with less disfavor before three da!
were past, and when she had real
bought her black silk with all that wa
needful, and had it fitted by Miss Bell
own dressmaker, she softened to Tia
unconscious cause Of this favor, an
made him special turnovers, and eve
allowed him to pop corn on her kitche
range on Saturday evening after teacf
ing him how to do it.
"A child does liven up Il house, miss,
she said on Sunday evening; land "
seemed quite a family in the churc
new. somehow another"
On Monday Jim was to go to scho(
in the brand new clothes which Ia
come home Saturday night. There W;