The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-11-30
$1.OOa Year
TERMS. 6 Months Fifty Cts:

then, why do you want him out
tonight? Better let him stay till
Friday morning and sober up. I
don't see what you can do with
drunken man tonight, for, no doubt,
as soon as he sobers up little he
will go to the first saloon and be as
drunk as ever in an hour or so.
No, go home young man, let him
stay where he is until Friday and
then you can pay his fine and take
him home"
Then Jimmy braced himself for
a final and last plea, and when he
was through the Judge thought he
might have heard more polished.
more sugar-coated sophistry and
rhetoric in pleas at the bar, by
counsel, but never one with the
pathos, the clear logic, and the
simple eloquence poured forth by
this little waif in behalf Of the old
er waif, who had been the best and
kindest friend he ever knew.
Now Jedge, l got to tell you
iist how it is and you mustn't git
mad" said Jimmy. IF I had come
down to you'se house in a big car
with a man what drives it, and had
on de best glad rags / could git,
you'se ED never waited to ask me
where / got de swag to pay de fine
wild, or asked me to wait till Friday
to take dat poor ole man whose bin
de best frien I'm ever had, away
from dat old spooky rat house dat
you call a Jail, and take him to his
own place and git him sump'n de-
cent to lay on till he got sober. /
spect you Sc would have de order
all made out by this time.
Two years ago / foun de ole
man in de alley back of de Y. M. G.
A. buildin and he was near froze
and was afeard to come outen de
alley to 60 home, cause de cop was.
on de corner, and would pinch de
ole man if shes got his eyeun Hmm.
And Ifelt sorry for de ole man,
and / give de cop q bum steer and
got an expressman TO take him home
and give de expressman plunk
and it was all l had, and / couldn't
git a place like de ole man give me
if was never so lucky. And since
dat time he's bin good friend and
l have never bin hungry since /
know'd him. De place where he
lives is no brown front, but it's our
home, and dats more dan lots boys
like me has got, and ise never had
to go in rags like / did when / was
wild dat gardner who used to beat
me and starve me, and he was too
stingy and mean to buy de Old
Grow. And de best dressed guy
/ ever seen hit me wild his cane
cause [ wanted him to pay for de
shine l glib his shoes.
''Old Joel may git drunk some
times, but he don't make noise and
scrap, and swear roun', all he does
is jist git drunk, and Jedge if you'll
keep de secret, I'm goin to tell
you'se why he gets jagged.
Once, long time ago he had
nice home and a purity wife and
little baby, and anoder ballyhoe
cum along wild nice rags on, and
got his wife to run away wild him
and left de kid for Joel to take care
of and it died. He's got dere pic
lures and | tell you Jedge she was
all to de good when it cum to looks.
And den for twenty years he was
all alone till / came, and he says to
me, Jimmy don't ever hit de booze,
it has ruined me since she went
away and [ git bluer'n sin when /
looked at her picture and read what
she writ to me. And den Jimmy
he says, don't ever tech booze, be
honest. and tell the truth, and new
er go in dem booze joints and
Jedge, he never done harm to no
body, and jest tink Jedge, what
you'se i'd do if man come along
what had better rags den you, and
took you'se wife and run off wild
her. But maybe you'se id do like
me. I'd never hit de booze. Id
foller dat guy till / found him and
den knock his block off.
And Jedge. if you'se'll let him
60, I'll bring him to court Friday,
and pay his fine, if it faint more'n
! got. And I'll try an keep him
home after dis, cause he's all to de
toOaeIsded on ~ poee,