The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-08
Jimmy Croly's "CoO-operatiye Thanks
giving Dinner


Jimmy Croly's mother kept the apple
stond AZ the Main street corner until the
italian started the fruit store in the North
block. Then she took 10 peddling from
door IA door. for customers preferred
dealing at the Italians 10 fumbllng IN
their nockets with gloves on, for change
on a cold night out In the street.
A few said they were sorry for Mrs.
Crolv. but they bought nothing or her'
and saving they were sorry did her niue
good. for she caught cold the night OF
the blizzard and died, leaving jimmy
without home or KIN.
Iittie chan. and IL was lonely sleeping
hack of Hedrick's meat shop and eating
where he could.
Tho middle Of November came round.
some OF the Sixth street tenement-house
bovs were sitting about the hot gratings
at the candy kitchen. warming their
feet and banterlng each other in street
bow way. Jimmy was perched on the ash
box looking rather quiet
Thanksgiving ] next week, sald
Whitley Durkin.
key Roach.
ITS in the paper"
"Wen. that don't make it So" growled
Dinkey.
"D'ye mean 10 call me a liar?" cried
Whitley, haring up.
"Oh come. boys said Jimmy; stop
your fussing. You're no better than
gang Of Polocksl"
The sduahble stopped right there; Tor
they were all afraid Of Jimmy Croly, just
because he never boosted OF what ne
could do.
Jimmy was thinking OF his mother. who
had always made something OF Thanks
giving: and he was growing trife queer
i'm the throat as he remembered the
doughnuts she had made. just the year
before. and hidden in the cracked turecn
for surprise.
Say. boys" said he. all at once, hop
ping down from the box, what are you
going 10 do this Thanksgiving"
"T'anksginn'?" piped swede Anderson;
"wot iss dcm?'
oh" said Whitley Durkin, licking his
thin lips hungrHy; there's long tables as
white as snow IN the country; and tur-
keys as big as a drummers valise. with
oUsters and spice inside. And there's
bokays and pies and puddins and things,
like "A hakeshop winder on Saturday night.
And a Teller just sets right down and
fills up: and nobody says Don't nor bats
We over the head for askin' for more.
You bet it's primei ] seen one once when
the llOitSltul- leu th' W AACA rtAttb 1Dlhc
during the big food"
"Oh, it's only Protestant day then. Is
ftp" growled Dinkey Roach; what good'll
that DO us Catholics?"
IT'S for everybody" declared Jimmy:
Catholics. and Protestants, and heathens
and-and Dagoes. too, 1 suppose" He
thought Of the fruit store and OF his
mother, but was fair 10 the Italians for all
that "As near as / can make out" he
continued. ITS this way: A good many
years ago there was a strike all over the
country, and such hard times everywhere
that folks In one place couldn't send
things to another TO help out But just
before people were pretty near starved
they settled IL somehow. and all the shops
began running full time again. Everybody
felt mighty glad, you'd better believe.
after going short commons all winter
and no wages coming In Saturday nights
and the Governor said that every year
after that everybody was TO take a day
OF from their regular job. and just be
thankful that they didn't starve to death
that time. But nowadays most folka