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| Jimmie’s jj
♦ Christmas |
I Stocking |
By OWEN OLIVER.
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(Copyright. UKU »y Jniepti B fj .wle» )
<»rHKRE is honot among the deni
ill /(Mi’s of Paxton alley, but Mr.
Smith’s toy-shop stood at the
very entrance, and they reckoned him
out of hounds
From time to time evil-looking men
muttered to one another about the
long stocking that Mr Smith was
supposed to have tilled; but he had
figured in the prize ring In his young
er days, and he was said to sleep
with a big knob stick beside him.
So the matter ended at mutterings.
A big. powerful man was Mr. Smith;
and he had a powerful edge to his
tongue. Every one in the alley feared
him except Jimmy.
Mr. Smith knew him as the extra
ordinary paper boy who brought back
a dime given him in mistake for a
penny, an eveat which was his
torical in the alley. At the time It
gave rise to doubts as to Jimmy’s
sanity, but afterward It was held that
be was "playing up to the old
man "
Anyhow, Mr Smith took two pa
pers regularly afterward; and the day
after his funeral—which was the day
before Christmas eve—a sleek man
in a shiny top hat Invaded Paxton al
ley, escorted by a policeman, and
took evidence as to the identity of
“the boy called Jimmy who sold pa
pers" to the public generally, and in
particular to the late Mr. Smith.
When the sleek man was satisfied
upon this point he proclaimed Jimmy
the sole legatee of the estate, which
comprised the little shop and house
and all their contents.
“You’ll find a long stocking some
where. I expect.” the lawyer said,
“and you’d better bring it to me to
5*
Jimmie’s Xmas Stocking — Jimmie
Opened His Eyes.
take care of; and If I were you T
should take th« name of Smith."
Under ordinary circumstances Jim
my would hare been elated by his
good fortune, but somehow the world
had not interested him lately. lie
had had a terrible cough for weeks
—his business exposing him to the
climate—and just now he felt tired,
and had nasty pains in his side, and
seemed to be burning all over.
He moved In on the morning of
AS>t
Christmas eve. and explored the
house with a kind of numb curiosity.
He spent most of the morning in the
shop parlor in the arm-chair in front
of the f.re He did not even go out
to the quick-lunch room for the beau
tiful dinner that he had promised
himself. He had taken a lot of milk
from the milkman and he kept drink
ing that He did not seem to (are
about anything but milk and every
thing felt strange and uncanny. The
figure on the mantelpiece—a white
bearded old gentleman which he be
lieved was called Santa Clans—was
the strangest and uncanniest of all
The fire was almost out. so he put
on some more coal He saw that it
was nearly four o’clock "Lumme!"
he muttered •’I've let the day go, an'
aven’t done no hus'ness This won’t
do I'll take down tlie shutters, an'
open the shop."
There was a wild chorus of recog
nition when he appeared between the
dingy green curtains that slid along
a rail "Jimmy!" Jimmy!" "Want
any one to run your errins. Jimmy?"
"Yer might give us somethink Jim
my?” He heard all these greetings
and a dozen more.
He shook his head and returned to
his seat. He certainly did feel ill,
and he seemed to lose things for a
few minutes, until Ttill Black came
in for three little toys. Bill was
looked up to in the alley as a man
who did “big jobs." and the Blacks
were generally reckoned well-to-do;
but Bill's transactions hadn’t been
very profitable lately, and he had to
be careful, because he knew that the
police had their eve on him. So they
were hard up, like the rest.
“Found the long stockin', Jimmy?”
he asked, casually, when he had
taken the toys.
"No.” said Jimmy. “And if I had
it 'u'd be at the lawyer’s. Bill, an’
don't yer make no mistake.”
Bill growled under his breath. “If
yer didn't look half dead I'd knock
yer head orf, yer young hound,'' he
said, "insinywaitin' ag'inst an honest
man. Goin’ to offer to do anythink
fer yer, the missus was, wot 1 11 soon
put a stop to now.”
He gave Jimmy a ferocious scowl
ac fcc went out, and Jimmy resolved
that if he found the stocking he
would take it to the lawyer at once.
He went to the door and faced a
crowd of excited faces that ranged
in rows from the front of the shop
right across the alley.
“Jimmy!" they cried. “Give us
somethink! Yer might, Jimmy!”
Jimmy always said afterward that
he only did It because he thought he
was dying, and the toys would be no
use to him. and the pains in his
heart "drawed him out of himself.”
He tried to speak, but his voice was
only a whisper So he beckoned to
a big boy and whispered to him; and
the boy stood up on the doorstep,
and shouted to the crowd; "Jimmy's
goin to give yer a toy each Jim
my—"
The big boy went sprawling before
the crowd that swayed and struggled
in. and Jimmy was driveD back to the
counter
Women came in to plead for their
babies at home. Boys and girls
came in to remind him of their broth
ers and sisters By nine o'clock he
had given to every small Inhabitant
of the alley.
Then Jimmy tried to go to bed
but was so weak and giddy that he
could riot climb the stairs. So he
sat in the arm-chair Instead He
felt strange as well as poorly. The
chairs, the fire-irons, the coal-scuttle,
the table-cover, everything, seemed to
turn into fantastic figures, and long
tailed demons were running up the
blinds. Santa Claus on the mantel
piece was s.cowling and sneering at
him.
Jimmy got into a sudden rage with
Santa Claus and struck him with his
fist.
Santa Claus tottered on the man
telpiece, but righted himself. He w-as
more solid and weighty than Jimmy
Is your baby tbin, weak, fretful ?
Make him a Scott's Emulsion
baby.
Scott's Emulsion is Cod Liver Oil
and Hypophosphites prepared so that it is
easily digested by little folks.
Consequently the baby that is fed on
Scott's Emulsion is a sturdy, rosy
cheeked little fellow full of health and vigor.
I
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ALL DRUGGISTS; 50c. AND $1.00.
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We have decided to leave Newark in a short time, and we
have a nice, new stock of Men’s, Boys’ and Children s
Clothing, Suits, Pants and a nice line of fine Rain Coats
and Overcoats; also a complete stock of Shoes for all classes
of trade; a nice, new stock of hats, and, in fact, a : : :
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A Complete Stock of
General Herchandise, Which
WE MUST CLOSE OUT!
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These goods must be turned into cash within the next sixty days, as we do
not want to have any of these goods moved. Come in and see us, and if price
is any inducement to you, we can certainly do business with you. We are
offering some great bargain in Men’s Overcoats and Pants. Come in and look
over our stock.
We thank the many good people of Newark and surrounding country who
have given us their trade for the past six years, and while we have many good
friends and customers whom we hate to leave, yet, under the circumstances, we
feel that it is to our best interest to do as we are doing.
Again thanking you, we are Your Friends,
GRIFFITH & MORROW
All parties who are indebted to us by note or account will please come in
and settle, as we want to wind up our business at once.
♦♦
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TONK GALLOWAY
TELEPHONE
ENGINEER
NEWARK, ARKANSAS
had imagined, and there was a clink
ing sound as he swayed—a sound of
clinking money. The truth flashed
upon Jimmy as he sank back exhaust
ed in the arm-chair The "long
stocking" was in Santa Claus, and he
could not get to it. and he never
would, because he was going to die
He saw Santa Claus leering at him !
when he woke, and in his dreams.
and when he dozed. Then he sudden- •
ly looked frightened. Some one was •
knocking loudly at the door That was I
what frightened him. Jimmy woke,
completely just as the knocking I
ceased. There was a grating noise j
outside the window—the noise of j
some one slipping a knife through
the frame to press back the catch.
Jimmy struggled to move, but his
limbs only wriggled a little. He
tried to shout, but no sound came.
The shutters came open with a
crash, and Hill Black stepped within.
Jimmy closed his eyes to escape
the sight of the knife, but he felt
Black looking at him. Then, to his
surprise, he went away into the
shop. Jimmy heard a noise of un
barring and unlocking. Then he felt
a cool hand on his pulse.
"Collapse, ’ a pleasant voice said.
"It's lucky we weren't an hour later."
Jimmy opened his eyes, and saw
the doctor and Black bending over
him.
“I’ve been playin' at Santa Claus,
matey.” Black said. "We judged yer
was pretty bad not to answer the
knockin’, so 1 got in. Rare nice toys
them was yer gave my young uns.
Judged yer was pretty bad, so I
fetched 'em.”
Will Black looked at the fire
thoughtfully, and repeated to himself:
"Rare nice toys.” Then he carried
Jimmy upstairs and helped the doc
tor put him to bed. He was wonder
fully gentle in handling Jimmy.
Three weeks later Jimmy came
downstairs to the shop parlor, and
the first thing he noticed was that
Santa Claus was gone from the man
telpieee. He was very weak, and he
could not help a few tears coming
to his eyes; but he had brushed them
away before Bill came in.
"Feel all right, boy?’" Bill asked.
"Yes. Bill,” Jimmy said. "Pretty
fair."
"Seems strange down here, don't
it?”
"A little strange,” Jimmy agreed.
Bill cut some hard tobacco in the
palm of his hand, and whistled soft
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^T5 T5-"iSVS ’
&&*^*4&**W<><r&******<!>*****-»-|-.....,^,t..|..|.,|,.|..|,.|, ,.,. .
ADAMS BROS.
CottOQ ar)d Corn Buyers
" *
And Dealers in General Merchandise.
1ST To the Farmers--We want vour produce, and will pay
you the highest market price in cash or trade.
Newark, . . ... Arkansas
»
Commercial Printing of All Kinds Neatly
and Promptly Done at The Journal Office
]y and filled his pipe. "Notice any
thing pertlckler strange?" he sug
gested His eyes were on the man
telpiece. where Santa Claus wasn't,
and so were Jimmy's.
“No," said Jimmy, bravely. "No.
Bill "
“Not on the mantelshelf?"
Jimmy pressed his finger-nails
against his palms “There was a
sort of figure there." he said, "wasn't
there's Bill? I—1 s’pose it got broke
If doesn't matter. Bill. It—it wasn't
worth nothink."
Bill laughed and slapped his leg
with his hand "Yer ain’t"no judge
of figures, matey. 1 can see That
'ere was a curious old piece of stuff,
an' valerble. or 1 ain't no judge. I
took the notion o' lockin' 'im away
upstairs. Jimmy—" Bill put his
great hand on the boy's shoulder.
"The long stockin' were inside him!
Over a thousand dollars. 1 took the
liberty of usin’ the odd money in the
bus’ness for yer, but the thousand is
there. An' it's lucky fer yer, matey,
as yer was dealin' with an honest
man—wot might have been diffrint
if you hadn't given the kids them
toys!”
For there is honor among—Paxton
alley; and Paxton alley extends to
the toy-shop now Jimmy and young
Bill are there!
Here’s Good Advice
O. S. Woolever, one of the best
known merchants of Le Raysville, N.
Y,. says: “If you are ever troubled
with piles, apply Bucklen’s Arnica
Salve. It cured me of them for good
20 years ago.” Cures every sore,
wound, burn or abrasion. 25c at J.
I. Sturdivant's drug store.
List your property for sale with the
Henderson Real Estate (Jo.
Your Printing
It should be a fit representative of your
business, which means the high grade, ar*
tistic kind. That.s the kind we do.
AW EXCELLENT ASSORTMENT
OF TYPE, GOOD PRESSES AND
TYPOGRAPHICAL ARTISTS
These represent our facilities for doing
the kind of printing that will please you.
The prices are right, and prompt delivery
the invariable rule at this office.
DB. IRA II. EltWlN
SPECIALIST
Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat
Rooms 8 and 9
Wishon Buildg
Newport,
Long Distance
Phone No 74-2
Arkansas
J QUALLS’
BOOT AND SHOE SHOP
Repair work of all kinds
Neatly and Promtly Done^
A Dangerous Deadlock
!!“ "****»» tenninates fatally, is
e steppage of live- and bowe, Lnc
without ,|l'K ldl’ ''ntl this condition
without disagreeable sensations T)r
King’s Mew Life, pin , U
be your remedy ,* should ah'ays
lately satisfactory ;uaranteed abso~
money bark at t'i every ease or
store. 25 rents. *' Sturdiv»n.t,s dru