Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-15
JIMMIE THE CADMAN.

"Roxbury" called the conductor. one
warm, bright summer day; "Roxbury!
And out OF the car and on to the platform
tumbled about forty boys and girls, who
stared curiously at the people gathered to
see their arrival.
They were a queer lot and no mistake.
Fresh-air children from New York. in
vited by the people of Roxbury to come
and drink In the fresh air and new milk
for two weeks. and to get little flesh on
their bones and color In their white
cheeks. Numerous vehicles were waiting
to take them to the different homes and
soon nearly all were slowed away.
Among the group stood four little boys
Three were rugged enough, but the fourth
was small and pinched indeed. and had
way of shrinking that was pitiful to see
The bigger boys did-not seem unkind but
they were so much Stronger they seemed
| to push him to the end of everything.
ANY choice. Mr.. SMITH" said some one
to a plain farmer who stood looking at
the children.
NO" said Mr. Smith, slowly. Melissa
told me to bring along four of en- SO I'll
take them four little fellows"
They followed Mr.. Smith out to the
wagon. and soon were rolling along the
hills Mr.. Smith did not say much, but he
found out the name of the mite was jim
mic. and he fixed him carefully in the
.
so he could not fall out.
Such surprised looks came over the boys
faces! They had never seen hills before,
and their eyes grew big with wonder as
they drove up to the house and kind Mrs.
Smith. looking so fat and jolly and clean,
kissed them and took them into the house,
washed their faces and hands. and brushed
them UP little before they sat down to
supper.
An. what a supper that was! Bread and
butter and honey. and fat cookies and milk.
Such milk they had never seen in all their
short lives. After supper a little walk
| around the farm. just to stretch their legs
and shake their supper down, Farmer
Smith said. They saw the cows and horses
and sheep. Jimmie, as usual. just little
behind. All at once Jimmie forgot to be
bashful and ran forward. He saw an old
mother pig with her family.
oh" said Jimmie. the cunning little
things"
The other boys looked. Yes. there were
eight, lust the number Of them when they
were at home. and at the end of the long
row Of little ones was one much smaller
than the rest struggling to nestle close to
the mother, and being crowded out every
minute.
I'VE call that the cadman," said the
farmer. He Is like you, little Teller. the
end one, that most allus gets left. I guess
you are the cadman to home by your
looks" and so Jimmie got his name.
He did not care as long as he had that
the pigs all day long. and made pet OF
the cadman. and 1t was funny to see the
pale city waif and his pretty pink pig. 1t
followed him like a dog, came when called,
and slept in his arms like a baby. The
other boys found plenty to amuse them, but
Jimmie was satisfied with the cadman. He
was growing a little fatter himself; the
long country nights and days did wonders
for Jimmie.
Then something else happened to Jimmie.
young artist from the city was boarding
st Farmer Smiths. He came to make
sketches Of Mine Hill and the Garnet mine,
but he found time to make pretty picture
of Jimmie the cadman, and his pet jim
mie was never tired of watching the young
artist or posing for him.
One day as the artist was going to his
work he found Jimmie very busy. The lit
tie pig was asleep in the grass, and Jimmie
had etched Hfelike sketch of him on q
large fungus with pin. 1t was very good
indeed.
"Well DONE" said the artist. as this
your first work? Well should not be sur
prised If you made artist some day.
| The time came all too soon for the boys
| to go home. They had had fine time
and made fast friends OF Mr. and Mrs.
Smith, and Mr.. Morris. the artist. Jimmie
Rugged the little pig and cried over leaving
| It, but he had to go, and was used to CIV
| ing up whatever he liked without much
fuss.
His friends were not to lose sight of him
came a box to the four boys from their
| friends in Roxbury. There were apples and
nuts, and special box to Jimmie, inclosinS
q pig made in the form of q box, and In 1t
enough money to help him on his way to
become what he wished-an artist.