River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-05-15

Florida and these beauties are wasting
their sweetness here"
1t must have been an inspiration with
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 you
service. Maybe I did, but I amt
never spoke of it during ten years.
Now want you to do me a service, and
maybe you'll be doing one for yourself
at the same time. You may think I
am crazy, but I'm not. It's an awful
cold day, and 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,
| amt crazy, and / 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 I'M
less the young ladies are there"
Mr.. Jimmie looked at Tim moment,
as though he actually did think him
demented, but then something of
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 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 ''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 10:30 o'clock, but, late as it was,
Migs Victoria looked as though she
hadn't been up more than ten minu-
utes, and she was frazzled and frumpy.
She gave no answer to Jimmie's Good
mornin'," but said, peevishly: 'What
is it ?"
"An azalea from Mr.. Jimmie, Miss
Victoria" said Jimmie in a 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 Mainwaringt 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 a few other choice things
that 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-
tory.
Tim looked at him with a 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 aTdibly.
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 spilling
| 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 CPL 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 reason or other Tim felt
perfectly satisfied.
Just one year from that time there
was a wedding on Schiller street, 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
legs.
One day recently Mrs. Rutgers said:
Jimmie, why was it you would have
no decorations at our wedding except
potted azaleas?"
"Weu, my DEAR" said Jimmie, ''you
must ask Tim. Edward B. Clark, in
Chicago Record-Herald.
Eating His own Words.
Perhaps no punishment of to-day
is so curious as that known as "eating
ones Words in vogue in certain parts
! e D,,.:o A faxxr x-earc aOp there wa c