Evening star., 1915-04-30
THE EVENING STORY.
LITTLE JIMMIE.

I'll tell you what I'll do for you
Polly. TIL get little Jimmie to come
and help with the curtains and things.
"Oh, Tom. what is the good of an
other child? It's all these kiddies
swarming about that makes the trou-
Bile. I can't be in three or four places
at once, and you are as bad as the
children themselves"
We were getting up this little enter
tainment on behalf of the new wing OF
the cottage hospital. which was to be
mainly for children. We had not much
money to give. Tom and /: but there
was the big billiard room without its
table that stood empty now from year
to year. and plenty of eager children
who loved to be drilled and dra gooned
by Tom. 1 was good at cutting dresses
out of any fiimsy odds and ends. and
muslin and paper go long way in af-
fairs of this kind. But we were short
of adult helpers who really helped, and
when I told Tom that | must have
somebody to help me. he seemed to be
only offering another irresponsible
child
But after a guffaw of mrth he ex-
planned.
Hes called little Jimmie because
lars. Six foot five or therea bouts Got
badly cut up. Hard lines, too: for he
used to be the handsomest chap you'd
meet in a days march. Makes him live
But l believe he'd come if I asked him.
to be useful behind the scenes.
looked after him bit when he was in
the field hospital We were by way of
being chums, though I'd not seen him
for ages till knocked up against him
in, Ja cfr NM lot do avo1 n ~fl
he had bought the old Grange over at
Abbottsworthy. He's handy chap
with his fingers, and as strong as a
bull. He'll be the fellow for this Job"
Next day was our final rehearsal. and
'1ittle Jimmie" turned up as Tom had
said. He was immensely tall. and
looked all the taller for being now
very thin, though he was made to be
a big man. with very big frame. One
could see how handsome he had been
before that disfguring scar had slashed
one side of his face.
He walked, too. with q little halt in
his gait, which must have been horri-
bly, trying to man like that One
could see how he shrank from strang-
ers. and how he wished to keep him
self quite in the background. So I
took him at oncesto our improvised
theater and soon he was hard at work
without his coat, among our cords and
pulleys. doing all sorts of clever things,
asked for tools. and explained what he
wanted to accomplish. When he talked
his face lighted up, and very soon l
ceased to think of that red scar and
the twisted corner of the mouth on one
side. He had such kind eyes, and once
or twice when my dog ran off with
things he wanted, or played wild gam
bols with contraband articles all over
the stage, and had to be chased and
called to order. his laugh would ring
out like boys, and before we had
done our business together l felt as
though we had known each other for
long time. He talked to me of Tom.
yonder. and all he had done for him.
And liked to listen to his pleasant
voice and picture the life of peril, hard
ship and glory which had been theirs
together.
Then when the children trooped in
under Toms guidance and the little
play began ! was struck afresh by
the way in which little Jimmy" won
the herts Of the kiddies whenever he
got among them. He was so big
and strong. He could take up half
a dozen OF them at once. and though
Just at the first some of them shrank
back from the sight of that SCARED
it--as I did-in the delight Of watch
ing him and listening to him. Tom
declared that his own nose was quite
put out of joint.
Certainly Capt Hildred >for that
was his real nameD had all sorts of
improved by his suggestions. while his
presence seemed to impart nerve and
energy to the little actors which made
everything go with fresh swing.
That's always the luck of the early
birds who bear theb urden and heat