Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1904-07-24

1
thought OF caressing it. He felt that
mere was girl TO be taken care of,
and he was sorry that he was not
large enough to take care of her.
When he spoke again it was to ask.
| uneasily:
But s,pose Mr.. Willin' vas to take
a notion to sell this place9"
"Oh, but he wouldn't do tnat." cried
bertha. He wouldn't think of doing
such a thing. He will give me an
opportunity to pay for the land, grad
tally, and then it could not be sold. "
After this Jimmy looked at the tiny
WHITE cottage with new and grave in
terest, as being something which
might be snatched away from its
rlghtful owners at any moment.
The next morning a certain grave
lawyer, wheeling round in his office
chair. was surprised and amused
when the little bootback who at
tended to his shoes every morning
tucked his tools away anG confronted
him gravely.
want to git some advice" he
SAID. An II it costs much, I'll black
yer SHOES for year till it's paid"
That is bargain said the law.
yer. "And wish all my clients were
as sure of paying"
| II man owns a piece o. LAM"
said Jimmy conciseIy, an he let's
somebody bull house on it, can he
go an sell that Ian ar house an
all?"
When the great lawyer saw how
Jlmmy's face fell at his answer his
interest was aroused.
Have you been building on some.
body's land?" he asked kindly. well
never mind. Perhaps he's a good
man and won't take the advantage he
might. Anyway, if he does. call OF
me. And never mind abont the fee
And yet, perhaps Jimmy was mis-.
taken after all. Weeks passed, YER,
happy weeks; for Jimmy was learn
ing and Bertha was his teacher. While
the feeble mother dozed in the big
arm chair in the evenings. the two
odd companions talked and laughed
and learned together The boy had
begun to believe that Mr.. Willing was
better man that he had thought.
1t was late in the fall, and the
north wind was blowing cold across
| the common, when he saw her COM
ing home one evening and knew while
she was far off that some kind of
| blow had fallen. Her old lightness
of step was gone. She was walking
with bowed head, and when he ran
! forward to meet her he saw that
| there were tears in her eyes.
I'm very sad this evening, Jimmy"
| she said. "My mother is sick-I can't
go to her with any troubles of mine.
must tell you. Mr.. Willing told me
to-day that he had an opportunity to
sell this land of his at a great bar
gain, because the elevator is building
up THIS way, you know-and if l
couldn't pay the same that he was
| offered for the land l must give it up.
or course | couldn 't-what money
have /? Every cent we had to spare
| has gone into the building of the
! house. Then he made me what he
| called an offer on the house. 1t was
| one-tourth Of what it cost. You see
how I am placed. I suppose l will
have to take what he Offers"
Not much you WON'T cried Jim
my with so much spirit that she
| paused to look at him. Don't you
think of doin any such thing. I've
1, al hn wi
up some kind O. trick, the mean"
''Hush." she said, with her hand
! over his mouth And they went on
together, and while she went in and
prepared supper for her mother and
herself, and talked SO merrily, and
even laughed sometimes, Jimmy sat
on the step outside and wiped his
eyes with his ragged sleeve.
"She shant be turned Quit" he pro-
claimed to the lights that were
twinlllipg across the common. Its
hers-her money paid for the
shan't take it away from her.
But while it was easy to make such
assertions. it would be quite a diff.
ferent thing to prove them: for Mr..
Willing was man, and Jimmy was
boy for whom nobody-or almost no.
body-cared in the least.
t'But she shant be turned OUT"
said the boy of the streets resolutely,
as though in answer to that thought.
Mr.. Willing, coming down to his
place of business next morning, was
, aware of boy that stuck close be-
side his horse as he drove up, and
then darted to the door of the car
riage.
Il don't want my horse held" he
said irritably.
81 don't want to hold it." said the
boy boldly. 81 want to see you bout
somethin' p'tic'lar."
Mr.. Willing did not give the boy
any further attention. He was some
what surprised later, on entering his
office and closing the door behind
him, to find the ragamuffin close at
his heels.
"Say," said Jimmy, with qlaking
heart hit with no faltering in his