The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26
DRIFTER'S FRIEND, JIMMY.
SOME QUEER ADVENTURES OF 4
MAN AND n STICK IN BOSTON.

JIMMY CouIu NOT IntH, uVt tue hbt EVhS
man. the Car Driver. ana the Ola walter
In the Cobwebbrd Tnvern Toll Some strange
Stories About the stick ana Its Mnster.
1t was in the winter OF 1880 that Jim IRE
maine, or Tree as all his chums called him,
left Newspaper Row In Boston. On the eve OF
his departure. n few OF his most intimate fricnds
dccoyed Treo to the cobwob room In the old
Bell.in. Hand tavern and there Inflicted upon
him n gold.headed ebony walking stick. Drifter
made tho presentation speech. Tree accepted
both the gift and the speech. In turn he present
ed to Drifter the stick no had carried through
his college days at Cambridge and In his mp
premiership on Newspaper Row.
Call him Jimmy" said Tree, in parting.
He not much on looks. but he has his good
points. Treat him kindly for my sake, and
you'll never regret the night you adopted my
mascot. Jimmy"
Drifter walked across the Common on his way
home that night, and, as usual, quickenod his
pace in passing the old burying ground. He
found homely Jimmy an agreeable though
silent companion. Arrived at his lodgings, he
gave Trees gift a place in the corner of tho
room furthest from the bed. Two beady black
eyes seemed to follow his every movement, and
the grotesquoly carved head cast an uncanny
shadow on the wall. Taking a decantcr and
glass from a cabinet, Drifter poured out a stiff
drink OF Scotch whiskey for n niRhtcap. AS he
raised the glass TO his lips, he turned. saying.
Here's luck to you In your new home, jimmy
The two beads shone with the brightness of
electric sparks. Tho queerly carved ears seemed
invested with life, and Drifter was ready TO
swear that one of them wagged.
"Oh. tho devill I'm nervous and tired he
said; and, downing the drink, he was soon In
bed. He had drawn the curtains. but from the
remotcst corner of the room two tiny darts of
flame pierced tho darkness and fell across
Drifter's pillow. I'm fix that monkey.face."
m~uttered the tired man after turning and twist
ing for an hour. With q towel no blindfolded
and bandaged that fantastic wooden head and
then he turned Jimmy to the wall. This worked
like a charm, and Drifter was sool snoring.
Late in the afternoon he sat un in bed and
looked around. Was he dreaming Tho hap
pcnings OF the night before. the gathering Mt
ttinctiy impressed on his mind. And jimmy !
Oh, Of course. swathed in n bath towel and
standing sta,ndI mp up face Z" E to the he wall snrnr like q ,6 d%rc ii in The HE
silent. grinning companion ensconccG under
tho bed COVERINGS; the satyr.liko hcad resting
towel, knotted and twisted exactly as 1t had
been applied in the effort to shut out the gaze of
That pair OF piercing eyes that now looked peace
fully at the wondering man.
" / didn't bargain for Q bedfcllow, but. Jimmy.
guess | can't lose you,' said Drifter, and when
he started downtown that evening Jimmy went
along and found n place alongside Drifter's desk
OF Tim Lcary. who said he couldn't edit grape.
vine news from the suburbs with that wooten
by day and by night for many months there;
after Jimmy accompanied his master. Around
the Hs" aaSppEIn nSS S Of the I psir. '' The old MS %s iolT at
the Bell-in.liand swore that Jimmy kept tab on
the mugs Of mnsty ale his owner punished.
night. See him ~swingin, away on his Adams
apple. easy, and comfortab BILE on the back of Mr..
stick begins to act as II the devil was in IT.
N,SSsr t.rt, ,nN liz t.n ,na "a not l"t I 7 ~.
those funny little eyes on me / know my bust:
ness. lis time then for Mr.. Drifter TO quit. II
falls or his perch. That's his wnrnin'. Then
t his master has Il confab with the stick. and out
The fat policeman whose nightly tour of
natrol included the Boylston street side of the
Common had his story to tell to his mates at
h ",onesr Sr ,a,S;; t they %re s.i he s said A.. "a ,n man
O'clock this mornin' they'd crossed the Common,
, Tns n% With T Goth sG Ranas A 81 hIs p wSlkin' Si MaSst
e be I'm az n, old ,die9.o fool ;n but = may S,I | be fired off thI
, trotting by his side without as much as q
finger holdin' him.
+ "Isaw it with me own eyes. was standin
y turned into the street the sleep-walkin' man
0 wabbled and almost bumped into the Ratcpost
4 As quick as wink the stick hoped around tl
\ the other side and I'd almost swear it led the
4 bus avenue. the way hos gone many and many
q night or mornm' tell you that bit of wood
z And big Homer Eaton Tim Leary and tn,
n other fellows who worked with Drifter cvcri
!; e eIsnt m l9Sfe in nfnGiRb iRG s wnaeinf ih ssiTk f ns "a SsT com
ditiOn.
to Leary one evening when news WAS especially
> and drinking like a iumberman. Watch Jimm!
+ hook-noscd monkey tonight"
To the %slippcTed old chap who hossed th'
y composing room. Leary said. with the air OF on
e big with a state secret:
+ You see Driftcr has his spells. like othc
II folks. When he comes to the office straight n
4 astring. clear headed and bright eyed, he put,
u stands. sleeping for all | know. quiet at an!
rate and well behaved until tho paper goes Il
2 g Shows H ap after ss E" a 3nli ia" tel y ;Es M II Rsi' to
wear, We know i without sizing him up. Tha
wooden head 4, tells or the story. + DTiftsT s, 5a.,
the stick begins to wabble and slide
i down 10 the floor. Then Drifter swNnrs
y IN i the corner. Tvs no use. Jimmy is t on. rowi
! he goes again. and he'll kecp, up that trick unit
If + There he stays until morning, his eyes blinking
IL but never for q moment does thai head slo
wagging unit the nights work. is over. l tel
You | believe that damned sticks alive"
q From Chelsea to Jamaica Plain car driver
y and conductors had their yarns to spin abou
IL Jimmy. Morrlsscy. who for many years ha
$. G Gbesser a r bsd t Sar from {o saI bf 10 he SG aponS to IN n 70
" waiting room at the stables:
There do be fairies now the same MS ivcl
ie Shure one rode wild me The night of the hi
snowstorm. Mr.. Drifter got on tho front plal
form, and wild i'm wnz the bit ny a shtick h
inside, for it was frazin' | wor mesilf. l'Nive
i noind. Mike SEE he, Jimmy nd IN kape y
to dhrap to warrlm us up Wild that he pulls on
n flask and give me a drink. He TUX wan hi
n n self. and, seq he, I niver overlook mo fricn
o Jimmy
to Right forninst ne eyes that divil's head of
~ shtick began n Vaughn. Mr.. Drifter put tn
y mouth Of the flask under that spalpcon's nos
~ II and shure the dhrink that shiick TUX wud ~
or me to Shape. Did | see Il? Faith an | di,
70 Phware did the whiskcy go il there's not Il fair
" in that Quare bit nv a shticki"
"a Then ono of the conductors Clipped il
Jimmy, he said. always kept watch on his mas
Ut ter and never let him sleep beyond his dcstin;
II, ton. Another INSERTED that Jimmy took Drift
II, er's part in n %scrimmngc mp at the North En-
~ one night, and by liking his evil eye on an Aide
he street rutflan sea red him SO that he fled, leaviu
n Drifter and Jimmy safe and chuckling,
IN Dan, the steward at losy's cafe. said; IN
Ia Drifter's stick is charmed. lie can stand it n
re anyWhcrc, tell il to wait for him, and that car