Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1902-06-12
Florida and these s.aNtlcs are waSiing
their sweetness here"

maybe your pc dong one 1Or yOurseH
at the same time. You may think
am crazy, but I'm not, It's an awful
cold day, and I want you to take my
jumper, my overalls, my old mitts and
my knit cap that pulls way down over
the ears and face and take these pots
of azealas to Missus Mainwaring's and
Missus Merrithought's yourself. No,
l amt crazy, and I want you to do
something more. Justwhen the young
ladies are going to take 'em-you can
go into the house with 'em, cause
they'll think it's me and I'm privileged
you accidentally slip and let the pots
fall and break, but don't you do it I'M
less the young ladies are there"
Mr.. Jimmie looked at Tim moment,
as though he actually did think him
demented, but tt en- something of a
light broke in on his mind, and without
a word of question he said: "Tim, I'll
do it,
IT took only five minutes 70 turn JIM
ME Rutgers into Tim, the alley man.
Jimmie took an azalea under one arm
and started out. He went by way Of
the kitchen and had the satisfaction
of hearing the cook tell him tina: she
wanted him to do an errand for her
when he came back. The coachman
called him Tim as he passed through
the stable. His cap was way down
over his eyes, and the turn-down at
tachment was brought forward to
cover his ears and his cheeks. He
reached the Mainwaring establish
ment and rang the bell at the lower
door. The maid said: "Good morning,
Tim"
"This is for Miss Victoria" said
Jimmie. cts heavy, and I'll carry
it up to the parlor myself if she's
there"
Jimmie mounted the stairway and
went to the parlor, where Miss Main
waring was reclining in an easy-chai1.
1t was 10: 80 o'clock, but, late as it was,
Miss Victoria looked as though she
hadn't been up more than ten MIMI
utes, and she was frazzled and frumpy.
She gave no answer to Jimmie's "Good
mornin',' but said, peevishly: "What
is it?''
Gan azalea from Mr.. Jimmie, Miss
Victoria," said Jimmie in croaky
voice.
Miss Victoria looked pleased, and
something of interest came into her
languid eye. just then Jimmie slipped
on rug and dropped the pot. 1t
broke into so pieces and the earth went
all over the floor.
Then Victoria Mainwaring, whom
he had known as the embodiment Of
all that was sweet and good and gen.
tie, broke out. Jimmie heard himself
called a blund ering beast, an alley rat,
scum and few other choice things
that fell from lips that he supposed
could drop nothing but pearls. He got
out of range, somehow brother, and
made his way back to the conserva.
tory.
Tim looked at him with critical
eye and probably saw something in
his face that pleased him, for when
Mr.. Jimmie left with the other potted
azalea Tim was chuckling aIdibly.
Jimmie got into the Merrithought
household on Schiller street and dupli-
Gated the Goethe street performance
up to the point Immediately after
breaking of the pot and the splitting
of the dirt all over the parlor floor
He had noted, however, that Miss
Agnes said: "Good morning, Tim,"
and had told him that it was good Of
him to bring the flower around in zero
weather When the pot was smashed
to smithereens Jimmie blurted out an
apology.
"All right, Tim,'' said Miss Merri-
thought. 'l'll call Sarah, and between
you both you can gather up the dirt
and put it in another pot and replace
the azalea and it will grow as we'll as
ever. These rugs are slippery things
and you couldn't help dropping it.
Don't feel badly about it; it wasn't
your fault"
Jimmie repotted the plant and got
out of the house some way. He didn't
feel cold, notwithstanding the fact
that, unlike Tim, he wore no sweater
under the alley mans blue jumper.
Nothing was said in the conservatory,
but for some reas on or other Tim felt
perfectly satisfied.
Just one year from that time there
was wedding on Schiller>str and
the contracting parties, it is more than
needless to say, were James and Agnes.
They are living now in a North Shore
suburb, and Tim says he likes the
country lanes better than the city al.
leys.
One day recently Mrs. Rutgers said:
Jimmie, why was it you would have
no decorations at our wedding except
potted azaleas?"
"Well, my DEAR" said Jimmie, "you
must ask Tim" Edward Il. Clark, in
Chicago Record-Herald.
The Drunmer'a Dilemma.
The drummer whose route took
him to the lumber districts of Maine
went down to the breakfast table al
the hotel one morning to find that tbs
~, SO = oil