HELP ONE ANOTHER.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 31, 24 December 1898, Page 4

HELP ONE ANOTHER.

A reported called to a little boot-black near the City Hall to black his boots. The little fellow came rather slowly for one of that lively guild, and planted bis box down under the reporter's fooL Before he could get his brushes out a larger boy ran up, and calmly pushing th.o little one aside, said, " Here, you go fend sit down, Jimmy." > The reporter at once became indignant at what he took to be a 1 piece of outrageous bullying, and sharply told the newcomer to clear out. " Oh, it's all right, sir," Was the reply ; " I'm only going to do it for him. You see he's been sick in the hospital for more than a month, and can't do much work yet, so us boys all turn in and give him » lift when we can." " Is that bo, Jimmy ?" asked the reporter, turning to the smaller boy. " Yea, sir," wearily replied the boy, and as he looked up, the pallid, pinched face could be discerned, even through the grime that covered it. "He does it for me, if you let him." " Certainly — go ahead," and as the boot-black plied the brush the reporter plied him with questions. " You say all the boys help him in this way ?" •'Yes, sir. When thay ain't got no job themselves, and Jimmy gets one, they turn in snd helps him, 'cause he ain't very strong yet, ye see." " What percentage do you charge on a job ?" "Eh?" queried the younjgster. "I don't know what you mean." " I mean what part of the money do you give Jimmy, and how much do you keep out of it ?" 41 1 don't keep none ; I ain't no such sneak as that." , " So you give it all to him, do you ?" "Yes, I do. All, the boys give up what they gets on hia job. I'd like to catch any feller sneaking it on a siok boy, I would."

The job being completed, the reported handed the urchin a shilling, saying "I guesa you're a pretty good fellow, 130 you keep sixpence and give 1 the rest ti<i Jimmy there." " Can't do it* slf ; it's his customer: —Here, Jim." He thi'ew Him the 1 colii and was oft l;k« a. shot after a cusfconde'r for himself. He was a veritable ro'ugti diamond. In every big city there are a good many such lads, with watni arid generous hearts under their ragged cdaik