The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1902-06-21

| Ouc VI THESE pidnlS 10 MibS Mdl0WdIlu}
and the other to Miss Merrithought
My father and mother are both il
! Florida and these beauties are wasting
their sweetness here"
| 1t must have been an inspiration will
Tim. He knew the Mainwaring and
the Merrithought households as Mas
ter Jimmie never dreamed of knowing
them. He knew the young ladies, too
Yes, it must have been an inspiration
Mr.. Jimmie" said Tim, you've told
me time and again that once done yot
service. Maybe l did. but / amt
never spoke of it during ten years
Now want you to do me service, and
maybe you'll be doing one for yourself
at the same time. You may think
am crazy, but I'm not. It's an awful
cold day, and want you to take my
jumper, my oyeralls, 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;
| amt crazy, and I want you to do
something more. just when 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 un-
less the young ladies are there"
Mr.. Jimmie looked at Tim a moment,
as though he actually did think him
demented, but then something of a
light broke in on his mind, and without
a word of question he said: "Tim, I'll
do it,"
1t took only five minutes to turn jim
mic 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 that 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 rundown 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. "It's 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-chair.
1t was 1o:3o o'clock, but, late as it was,
Miss Victoria looked as though she
hadn't been up more than ten minu-
utcs, and she was frazzled and frumpy.
She gave no answer to Jimmie's "Good
mornin'." but said, peevishly: "What
is it?"
IAN 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 laundering beast. an alley rat,
scum and few other choice things
hat fell from lips that he supposed
could drop nothing but pearls. He got
out of range, somehow or other, and
made his way back to the conserva-
'ory.
Tim looked at him with a critical
we and probably saw something in
lis face that pleased him, for when
Mr.. Jimmie left with the other ported
lzalea Tim was chuckling av5ibly.
Jimmie got into the Merrithought
household on Schiller street and dupIi. |
ated the Goethe street performance
Up to the point Immediately after
'reaking of the pot and the splitting
Il the dirt all over the parlor floor. /
lie had noted. however, that Miss
agnes said: "Good morning, Tim"
md had told him that it was good of
linn to bring the flower around in zero
When the pot was smashed
o smithereens Jimmie blurted out an
pology.
"All right, Tim" said Miss Merri
bought. '1'll call Sarah, and between
on. both you. can gather up the dirt
nd put it in another pot and replace
he azalea and it will grow as well az
yer. These rugs are slippery things
nd you couldn't help dropping II.
'on't feel badly about it; it wasn't
our fault"
Jimmie repotted the plant and got
ut of the house some way. He didn't
Eel cold, Notwithstanding the fact
hat, unlike Tim, he wore no sweater
nder the alley mans blue jumper.
'othing was said in the conservatory,
ut for some reason or other Tim felt
erfectiy satisfied.
just one year from that time there
'as wedding on Schiller street, and
be contracting parties, it is more than
eedIess to say, were James and Agnes.
hey are living now in North Shore
nburb, and Tim says he likes the
,untry lanes better than the city al.
US.
One day recently Mrs. Rutgers said:
Jimmie, why was it you would have
. decorations at our wedding except
otted azaleas?"
swell, my DEAR" said Jimmie, "you
ust ask Tim" Edward Il. Clark, ir
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