The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08
ON .

trael, where his son went down. Then i
he looked, and saw nothing but the cin-
der track and the shining rails. But an
instant later he heard a familiar whoop
and. staring around. he saw Jimmy sit
ting on a load of wheat which was stand
ing between the railroad tracks. In this
the boy had fallen after his sidewise jump
had thrown him from the moving train.
When Henry Sears saw mis- son, Jimmy
was holding his foot, juggling it vigor-
ously, and roaring. moved half by the
hysteria of fright and half by the pain
of a fresh laceratiOn of his bruised toe.
The boys face was black with coal dust
and wheat chaff, and tears were stripping
his features grotesquely- The palsy OF
terror loosened its steel bands from the
fathers limbs. and he ran to the wheat
wagon. Jimmy Sears. for all ne or his
father knows. may have hoated to the
ground from the wagon bed. But mo-
ment later. In a frenzy wherein anger
furnished only subconScious motor and
Joy pumped wildly at the expanding
valves Of his blissfuI heart. Henry Sears
took his 13-year-old son across his knee
and spanked him in a delirium OF &C.
stesy; spanked him merrily. while a
heavenly peace gloriied his paternal
soul; spanked him, caring not how many
times tho little body wriggled and thS
little voice howled and the dirty little
fingers foiied his big. bony hand as it fell.
An hour later Jimmy Sears had washed
the dirt from the interior Of an frreg-
ular circumference that touched his ears
and his chin and his hair. Until the
twilight fell he stayed IN the coming
tower in the Pennington barn and watch
ed his home through a crack between
two boards. When he saw his father
leave the house for town after supper,
Jimmy hurried down a lane In sight OF
his father. yet out of his fathers reach.
At the close of twilight Jimmy Sears
came up the hard-beaten path that led
to his home. through burdock weeds and
sundowers. There was a light in the
kitchen, and through the window he
could see Mrs Jones moving about. He
observed that the supper dishes were
being put away. He saw his eldest sis
ter with the tea towel IN her hands,
chatting happily with Mrs. Jones. The
spectacle filed him with rage He felt
that the other children had deserted him
and that. in the war against the new
baby. they had left him to fight unaided.
He met little brother. who greeted him
with. ''Uh-huh. Mr.. Jimmy, you just wait
till pa gets you
"Oh, Jimmy -where-yOu-been? de- E
manded the. eldest sister. "Mamma's been.
asking for you all day. I'd be ashamed
If I was you"
The boy did not deign to speak to Mrs.
Jones, and kept his back to her when he
could. He did not answer his sisters
question
Got anything here ft to eat?" he ask
ed as he threw open the cupboard doors.
The insult to Mrs. Jones was not acct
dental. Jimmy supposed that she had
cooked the supper. He put two or three
plates of food on the table, and drew up a
chair sneering bumpuously. What's
this?" as he dived into each dish
His sisters why Jimmy and her
warning frowns did not change his course
Mrs. Jones went to the front of the house.
automatically leaving all the doors open
behind her. that Mrs. Sears might hear
her sons voice In a moment the boy
caught the faint sound Of his mothe.
calling from the distant bedroom: .'Jim-
N.Y. Jimmy. come here; / want you"
The boy pretended not to hear. She
called his name again. ''Yes'm." he an
sNered- When she repeated her request
he filIed his mouth with pie and replied:
I'm a-eatin now" He slipped a piece
of ice down the back of his adoring sis
ter, who sat near him. When she wept
noisily he laughed under his breath and
spoke aloud to his sister at the dishpan:
"Whatd you want to take Annie's doll
away from her for? Give it back. why
don't your
''why-Jimmy-Se -Searsg' retorted the girl
Then, lifting her voice: Mamma, Jim
ny's put ice down" But the lad pressed
the ice against the child's back pretend
ing to remove the source of the trouble,
and the childs lusty howls drowned the
room door close to shield hts mother from
the turmoil, Jimmy knew that he had
outwitted Mrs. Jones. so he quelled the
disturbance he had caused. When Mrs
Jones returned to the kitchen the boy
was sitting on the porch steps with his
little sister, telling her about Raw-head
and Bloody y-bones. greatly to the child's
horror and delight.
Jimmy heard his elder sister inquire.
did mamma eat her supper? He heard
Mrs. Jones respond, Not very much Of
it; but she will after while, I guess
She said to leave it in there"
Couldn't she eat any Of that nice
chicken Mrs. Pennington sent?
''No. nor Mrs. Carpenters lemon jelly
Poor mamma" sighed the girl.
But Jimmy had other reflections. Ten
minutes later he walked past his moth
er's open door, and fumbled around In
the sittlng-room
rs that you, Jimmy?" asked hts
mother
.eYesm" rejoined the boy
What are you doing?
"Lookin' for my other coat
Wont you come in and see me. Jim
my? 1 haven't seen you for two whole
days"
I'm a minute" returned Jimmy.
Standing awkwardly in the doorway.
he asked. What d you want?"
Come over here. Jimmy" returned the
mother. MY poor. neglected boy
He would not let his eyes find the new
baby He stood stiffiy foot. and
gave his mother his hand She drew him
down and kissed his cheek while he peck
ed at her lips AS Jimmy rose his mother
smiled.
Are you hungry. Jimmy?''
The boy nodded vociferous afirma-
tive. Being boy, one of the lowest or
ders of human creatures in point of I'M
tuitions, Jimmy could not know that his
mother understood the ranlSle in her sons
heart Nor could he divine that she
kept the supper dainties as peace offer
ings.
Wont you have some of my suppeT7
"Don't you want it?" returned the boy,
to justify his greed.
''ISo, Jimmy I'm not hungry. L kept it
all for you
While her son sat on the floor. eating or
the tray on the chair by the bed. his
mothers hand was in his hair strOking It