Evening journal., 1910-03-22
Jimmie the Kid
BY NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1909. by Associated Lit
erary Press

Miss Alice Denton, stenographer. was
reformer in very cAAt way. In
the village she had lefI behind her
there was no show to carry out her
ideas. but she had not been in the city
month when she had Jimmie the
Kid on her hands. She picked him up
on the street one evening. He was
fighting with bigger boy and getting
the worst Of II. though doing his best.
when Miss Denton rushed to the res
cue, and tho bigger boy fed. BY that
act she made Jimmie her friend.
Jimmie was taken into the boarding
house and the blood washed or his
face and his hair combed, and then he
was questioned. His name was jim
mie Slkate-so named because he was
an orphan skating around for a liv-
ing, no home, no relatives, the cop
pers bounding him from morning until
night because he would not steal pea
nuts and divide with them. When
his story was finished he had tho girl
in tears. At the end of another half
hour. by talking TO Jimmie OF his dend
mother in heaven. Sunday school, the
ways of goodness, and 80 on. she had
him in tears. A partnership was
formed. She was 10 be a guardian
angel to Jimmie, and he was to mend
his ways. Five dollars was handed
him to get a suit of clothes, and his
profits selling newspapers would rent
him a cheap room and buy bis daily
bread. At frequent intervals he was
to call on Miss Denton and report and
receive further advice and encourage
ment. He was not TO swear. fight,
smoke or do aught else to initiate
against the career mapped out for him.
Two evenings later Jimmie called,
wearing his new suit He had had
his hair cut also. He quite looked the
orphan whose motto was excelsior
Thank you. he didn't need any more
money; he was getting along famous
ly. AS heesaid this he winked in an
expressive way at Miss Denton She
didn't understand It, and she didn't
quite like it, but she didn't want e
push a poor orphan to the wall all at
once. Two hours were spent in trying
to teach the boy the first four letters
Of the alphabet, and then he took his
departure. Later on the girl found the
sum OF $3.50 on the stand. She knew
It was not her money, and she rackeo
her brains in vain to solve the prob
lem. Next morning the landiady solv
ed IL in a moment. She said It wal
money sent by Providence to one WHIT
had been good TO an orphan
Two OF three evenings later Jimmie
called again. The collar had been rip
ped or the new coat, and he wasabou
to be charged with fighting when b
explained that he had jumped Off
ferryboat to save a would be suicid
and the would be had torn the cola
from its fastenings. He was kisse
instead Of scolded, and he felt so goo
over It that he went right at it an
learned to distinguish the letter "L
from the letter co." His daily prof
allowed him lobster salad once a da.
and he was feeling that he had som
thing TO live for. He winked the SAN
wink as before. 1t would have bee
understood by a man TO mean that th
pair understood each other, but th
girl failed 10 make It out and was
bit piqued. An hour after Jimmie
departure she found a new silver purs
with 81 in it under a chair. Here wa
a new mystery for the landlady
I solve. She was equal to the emergeI
cy, however. 1t was explained tina
when Providence began rewarding
reformer it kept it right up and tina
she would not be at all surprised
sec a horse and buggy driven into th
house some evening.
Jimmie never missed two calls p6
4 week and sometimes made three. II
was eager to make mental progress
and at some stage in the proceeding
he always INDUCED in that expressiN
wink. One evening he was taken
task for it, but instead of being ca
down he winked again and mutters
something about "pards." Sooner
later after he left Miss Denton mao
a find Of money or jewelry. One al
ernoon a messenger left a valuab
3 muff at the house for her. Again
"a was a new jacket. II she hadn't be-
a refOrmer and If the landlady hadr
been a believer in Providence the k
Of the mystery might have been 500
er grasped. AS it was It seemed u
H fathomable.
Two months had passed and Jimm
n had come so near the governOrsh
that be had learned the alphabet dov
to &C" when Providence let go Of 4
case and a detective took it up. 4
boy called one evening and hand
out a diamond bracelet which he sa
he had received for stopping a run
way trolley car and saving the liv
OF forty people. He was praised
his gallantry and a promise made
keep the jewel safe for him, and ~
then the detective entered and to
him by the neck This was practic
". He took Miss Denton by the ne
theoretically. When the landla
came in and talked about the ways
Providence she was also invited to
along to the station house.
All the plunder had been preserv'