The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

a-aflable resources in payment for the
wrong he had done. Only the heel of his
left foot touched the ground, and he
progressed slowly. So the afternoon was
old when he turned the corner and
trudged into Bakers store. The speech
he was going to make Jimmy had recited
to himself over and over. He intended to
walk up to the counter and say, II want
To pay for that chicken / took, Mr. Ba-
ker."
Jimmy harbored hope that the grocer,
pitying the poor, lame boy, would call
him back and cancel the debt, and per-
haps give him stick of licorice. Jimmy
knew his part by heart. He was sure
there would be no halt or break in this
dialogue. But the demon that was tor
turing his destiny that day probably
chuckled as Jimmy crossed the grocery
store threshold.
The boy that the grocer saw when he
looked up from the pickle barrel certain
ly had badly freckled face; the grocer
thought the boy had bold, mean eyes.
The youthful jaw set firmly, and the pain
in his foot engraved ugly lines in his
face. The button was off one wristband.
A long tear down the lower part of his
trousers leg revealed a glimpse of brown
tanned skin. He was not a boy who
looked like a creature of dreams and Of
a high resolve. No boy who amounts to
much ever does look the part, as the ac-
tors say So when Jimmy Sears-ragged
and brazen-stood before the wronged
chicken owner, rage flooded the mans
BOSOM He rushed around the counter
end, mumbling at the boy. The instinct
of fear crowded all the fine speeches out
of Jinrny's head He backed off, and ex-
claimed, as he saw the grocer grab
butter paddle: "'Dern you. don't YOU
touch me; I'll pay for your old chicken
Watch out nowr
Two scale weights slipped involuntarily
into Jimmy's hands, and he backed from
the counter to the sidewalk. His hands
were uplifted as If to throw the weights.
The grocer had not come up to the boy.
who shouted in a burst of fear and anger:
'.I'u pay for your chicken. say. Now
you keep away from met.
The grocer hesitated. dismayed for
second time by the threatening weights
in the boys hand. But pride urged the
man on. He stepped up quickly, and
planted a smarting blow on Jimmy's leg.
1t was we'll for the grocer that he ducked
his head: for when the paddle struck the
boy did not finch, but let drive one
weight after another, and cried before
each crash of glass tnat the flying irons
made inside the store. "Yes, you will.
and again. Yes. you willI'
He forgot the ache in his cramped heel
and the burning in his bruised toe as he
.sYou old coward. why don't you pick
OH some one your size?"
The tears were rising to his eyes; he
had to run to escape from the tide. Just
as he turned he caught glimpse of his
father joining the gathering crowd After
that his feet grew wings.
freight train stood on the track In
front of the boy. a quarter of a mile
away A mad impulse came to him as
he ran. and he yielded to it, He
and snuggled down into corner inside a
little strip of shade. and painted like
hunted rabbit. A sickening pain tnron-
bed UP from his toe
The train moved slowly at first, ana
Jimmy knew that he could not hide from
the train men in coal car. he
had vague idea that midway OF the
train. between two box cars, would be
safe place. When the train began to IN
crease its speed Jimmy climbed UP the
eide of a cattle car and ran along the
roof He had gone three car lengths and
uas about to make his third jump. Wsle9
he saw the angry face of his father G~S
anpeared on the depot platform Juss ~
opsite 10 him. Instinctively the boy N.f-
cd m the other side of the car roof, and
his iump fell short. The father saw his
sor,s head go down. and for an awful
roir,,te Henry Sears heard the lumber
;ng train rumble by. In the first second
of tbat minute the frantic man listened
for scream. He heard none Then
slowly he sank upon baggage truck. He
was helpless The paralysis of horror
was upon him. Car after car jolted along.
At last the yellow caboose flashed by