The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1897-09-18

to most men. But, as I said, this time
there was a kind Of contempt Of our
feelings in the performance hat rasped
me; besides it was a last straw. And
Mrs. Cunningham was reluctantly
brought to consent to my plan. l hunted
Jim up in Chicago. A nice time I had
doing it, but never mind that. I found
him in a squalid hole. He had pawned
the very clothes on his back to the sa-
loon keeper whose little room he was
occupying. Such a room And Jimmy,
who must have perfumed water in his
bath and a barber of his ownl He looked
CHASTITY, his pale face smouched with a
week old beard and a big strip of black
plaster ON his forehead that didn't hide
a half healed cut. But he gave me a
most u~nrepentant grin, that sent all my
pity flying. Hope you brought a cab
with you, says he, easy as a soda foun-
tain. l felt myself growing warm, but
I motioned the messenger with me to
put a large Gladstone that he was car
rying on the cleanest looking chair, and
l replied in the same tone. In that
bag, said /, are some clothes. They
are not swell clothes, such as you are
used to wear, and they will not fetch
much at a pawnshop, but they are clean
and whole and suitable to u man who
has to earn his living. That is you in
future. If you will put on those clothes
I have a cab outside, and we will go to
a private hospital where your board
will be paid until you are strong again.
Then the doctor will buy you a ticket
and give you a sum of money, and here
after you will have to depend on your
self. For we are done, JIMMY did
think of calling him James to be i'm
pressive, you know, but there was a
twinkle in his eye, unshorn, ill and
shabby as he was, and / hadn't the
nerve to try James on-'yes, we are
quite done, and if you get into any
more trouble you will have to get out
by yourself.
81 hardly was prepared for Jimmy's
reply. 4 guess you have hit on a good
notion said he, rubbing the stubble
Oh his cheek with an air of impartial
meditation, precisely as if he were some
one else. Anyhow it is worth trying.
Say, you don't expect Inc to stay out in
the cold indefinitely, do you? The fat
ted calf oughtn't to get past veall 1t
is a period of probation, isn't it, say a
year? You are an awfully good fellow,
Roger, but you never were original, and
this plan of yours is usually u year.
Let's make it a year. By the way, don
you think it would be nice for me in
the meanwhile to pay that money of
yours that I-ah, anticipated back in
installments, like the honest boy in the
First Reader who breaks the plate glass
Window
"I said that it might be a little com-
fort to his mother.
"'I dare say the dear old mater has
hopes of me yet, said he. You will
have a deuce of a time, Roger, keeping
her from flying the track and sending
me supplies Oh the sly. But I'll help
you out, old man. Don't get discour-
aged And l give you my word the
scamp patted mt OF the back. l packed
him into his clothes and took him away.
On the way to the hospital he was nei-
Their sullen nor depressed. In fact, to
my shame be it spoken, he gave me an
account of life among the lowly saloons
that was SO funny I was laughing when
we drew up before the hospital, and l
saw the doctor come solemnly out to
hand Jimmy down. Now, here's a great
moral problem: Why do we weakly for
give amusing r%eprobates SO much more
readily than the equally undeserving
who don't amuse Us? Jimmy's funny
stories disarmed me. l am ashamed to
say l sent him another suit of clothes
and a box Of my best Henry Clays (the
predilectos S. S. p, judge-Jimmy
liked those), and privately doubled the
fund in the Doctors hands. If / could
be such a weakling, you may fancy l
felt pretty shaky about Mrs. Cunning
ham. But Jimmy was as good as his
word. A week later MS mother received
a letter. 1t explained that he had not
gone away from Chicago, having pro-
cured IAN honest though not brilliant
job in the city The doctor would re-
turn the money for his ticket. He would
write every Sunday. Roger had left him
plenty of clothes, and she was not to
worry, and with all his faults he loved
her still. 1t is wonderful what a com
fort that letter was to my mother-in-
law. Well, l believe she has it tucked
away in the leaves Of her Bible yet. l
am very fond Of my mother-in-law g.
Jimmy? Oh, he kept his word this time
too. There came a short letter to his
mother every week for three months.
Once during that time, dining with q
friend, I thought l saw Jimmy at
well, at a Chicago hotel; he was serv-
ing a country client of mine, Reisling
by name, and he was placing the dishes
and uncorking the wine with all the
suave decorum of a veteran. He met my
startled gaze without a sign Of recogni-
ton, but | could not be mistaken. /
thought of speaking to him, then I re-
iected: Better not. Jimmy is at least
working hard; better keep my hands of
for awhile
To BE CONTINUED.
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