Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-03-26
Jimmie the Kid
By NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1900, by Associated Lit
erary Press.
By NJ. QUAD

refOrmer in very quiet way. III
the village she had left behind her
there WAS no show 10 carry out her
IDEAS. but she had not been in the city
a month when she had Jimmie the
Kid on her hands. She picked him up
on the street one evening. He was
fighting with n bigger boy and getting
the worst OF II. though doing his best.
when Miss Denton rushed To the res
cue. and the bigger boy fed. by that
net she made Jimmie her friend.
Jimmie WAS taken into the boarding
house and the blood washed Off his
face and his hair cOmbed. and then he
was questioned. His name was Jim
mic Skatc-sO named because he was
an orphan skating around for liV-
ing. no home. 10 relatives. the cop
pers bounding him from morning until
night because he would not steal pea
nuts and div Idle with them. When
his story was finished he had the girl
In tears. At the end Of another hair
hour by talking to Jimmie of his dead
mother In heaven. Sunday school. the
WAYS OF goodness ana so ON. she had
him In tears. \ partnership was
formed She was TO be 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 his daily
bread At frequent intervals he was
10 call on Miss Denton and repo> ana
receive further advice and encourage
ment. lie was not To swear. nGht.
smoke or do aught else 10 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
w. As he said this he wnked In an
expressive way ut Miss Denton. she
didn't understand 1t. and she didn't
quite like 1t. but she didn't want to
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
II was not her money. and she racked
her brains in vain 10 solve the prob
lem. Next morning the landlady s"lv-
ed II i'm a moment She said ii was
money sent by Providence Ia one who
had been good to an orphan.
Two or three evenings later Jimmie
called again. The collar Ind been rip
ned Off the new coat. and he was about
to be charged with fighting when he
explained that he had jumped off Il
ferrvboat to save would he suicide
and the would be had torn the collar
from its fastenings. lie was kissed
instead of scolded. and lie felt 81 good
over ii that he went right ut IL and
learned 10 distinguish the letter L
from the letter 20" His daily profits
allowed him lobster salad once day.
and he was feeling that he had some
thing to live for He winkcd the same
wink rs before. II would have been
understood by Il man To- mean that the
pair understood each other. but the
girl failed To make il out and was
bit piqued An hour after Jimmie's
departure she found new silver purse
with 81 In il under 4 chair. Here was
a new mystery for the landlady to
solve She was equal To the emcrSen-
cy. however II was explained that
when Providence began rewarding
refOrmer it kept it right up and that
she would not be at all surprised to
see a horse and buggy driven into the
house some evening.
Jimmie never missed two calls per
week and sometimes made three He
was eager to make mental progress.
and at some stage in the proceedings
he always INDUCED in that expressive
wink. one evening he was taken to
task for IL. but instead Of being cast
down he winked again and mutterei
something about "pardS." Sooner or
later after he left Miss Denton made
a find Of money or jewelry. one aft
ernoon a messenger left a valuable
mun ut the house for her. Again 1t
was a new Jacket II she hadn't been
reformer and If the Iandlady hadn't
been n believer i'm Providence the key
81 the mystery might have been soon
81 grasped. As It was II seemed IN
fathOmable
Two months had passed and Jimmie
had come 80 near the SOvernorship
that he had learned the alphabet down
TO &c" when Providence let 90 % the
case and n detective took Il up. The
boy called one evening AMI handed
out diamond bracelet which he said
he had received for stopping a runa-
way trolley car and saving the lives
~ forty people. lie was praised for
his gallan;ry and a promise made 60
keep the Jewel safe for him. and just
then the detective entered and took
him bv she uerk. This was :, ~ctical-