The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-06-27

conservatory and pointed out two pot
ted azaIeas, both laden with white
blossoms.
''Tim,'' he said, 81 want you to take
one Of these plants to Miss Mainwaring
and the other to Miss Merrithought.
Ny father and mother are both in
Florida and these beauties are wasting
their sweetness here
1t must have been an inspiration with
Tim. He knew the 8Iainwaring and
the Merrithought households as Mas
ter Jimmie never dreamed Of knowing
them. He knew the young ladies. too.
Yes, 1t must have been an inspiration.
Mr.. Jimmie" said Tim, you've told
me time and again that I 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 Pm not. It's an awful
cold day, and I 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 Nissus Mainwaring's and
AlissUs Merrithought's yourself. No,
I 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 IN
less the young ladies are there"
Mr.. Jimmie looked at Tim moment,
n Ihnrrrh y
demented, but then something Of a
light broke in on his mind, and without
a word Of question he said: ''Tim, III
do it,
It took only five minutes to 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 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 checks. 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. Its heavy, and I'll carry
it up to the ParIOr myself If she's
| there"
Jimmie mounted the stairway and
went to the ParIor, where Miss Main
waring was reclining in an easy-chair.
/ = n. To- - Z
/ Miss Victoria looked as though she
/ hadn't been up more than ten minu-
utes, and she was frazzle9 and frumPy.
| She gave no answer to Jimmie's "GOOd
mOrnin','' but said, peevishly: ''What
is it?''
Gan azaIea 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 a 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 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
| eve and probably saw something in
-
Mr.. Jimmie left with the other pOtted
azaIea Tim was chuckling a7slibly.
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 spilIing
Of the dirt all over the parlOr floor.
He had noted, however, that Miss
Agnes said: Good morning. Tim, -
and had told him that II was good Of
him TO bring the flower around in zero
weather When the pot was smashed
to smithereens Jimmie blurted out an
apology.
"AU right, Tim said Miss Merri-
thought. ''I'H call Sarah, and between
you both you can gather up the dirt
and put It IN another pot and replace
the azalea and 1t viii grow as well 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 sOmeway. 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