The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-08-22
JIM NELSON'S REVENGE.


jim NELSON'S REVENGE.
I always like coming straight at things,
so if am going to tell what l know about
this, I ask your leave to do it in my own
way for L m plain man with plain words
and have no knowledge Of writing fine, SO,
here goes:
Twas married to Susan Galley on the
first of February, in the year 1868, at ST.
Paul's church, Highford street, which
may be seen by looking at the writing in
the books Her father is in the butcher
ing line. He says to me when L asked
for Susan: s'William'' says he, so
course | have liking for my little girl,
and I likes to see her well settled in life
and happy, and | ask you as man and a
father, what's your lookout!'
'Susans father, says l, 81 drive as
you know, on the Great Eastern that
goes across the country, with f26O year
and fuel, and I'll take care of your SUI
san and be kind and dutiful man to
her"
William says he, shaking my hand,
with tears in his eyes that the blessing
of all the lambs he S killed in his day
couldn't bring, s'you can take her and
good luck to yer, though since her moth
er was throwed she's been bite and sup
to me, and Eaven help but may she be
the same to you.
Well. | was going away feeling happy
along with the ease with which things was
working, when he calls me back, saying:
William, ain t a vicious man nor yet
backbiter. but must say that you take
Susan you get an enemy along with
her"
''Sho!" SAYS I, taken quite aback
.'Faet" says he: that Jim Nelson has
been hankering after my litGle girl, off
and on; bat h. don like him. No more
do | :, and no more do you.
nodded Eyes"
''And he told me one night that he d
be an enemy to him that got Susan, with
out twas himself
Never you fear: thought it was
them lawyers that might be driving of us
apart" said laughing hearty but the
old fellow shook his head in doubtful
style
Well we-that is Susan and I-were
we'd locked, as they call it, gay and hap
by as a marriage bell !; and we were com
ing out of the church, when up came
jim Nelson, white around the mouth and
nose. and he whispered to me, William
Rogers there some thing betwixt you
and me SO long as you live, which won
be long.
What he said, he said quickly; and be-
fore could get Susan arm off, so as to
give him clip, Susan's pa-who was
walking behind with white rose in his
mouth-stepped up, and, being strong
man, caught Jim by the shoulders and
turned him round and gave him one with
his boot l think it was done well, for
he rolled down the steps and into hole
that the sexton was IN. and that made it
worse. [ didn't feel like laughing, for it
seemed unnatural; and that day was, to
me, happy, and wanted it so all around
and it felt as though my engine was run
ming over the sleepers: instead of on rails
when jim got up out of the hole, all COW
cred with dirt and stood as pale as
ghost shaking his fist at ME and Susan
without speaking word.
| couldn't shake off the remembrance
of it all that day nor the next, and kind
of dread stuck to me; in spite of all |
could do the thoughts of it would come
suddenly to me in the oldest places, and
began to feel little strange. 1t WASH t
fear for me at all. but I kept thinking,
suppose that he should do some harm to
Susan when | was away on the road, or
come and scare her with his white face.
By George thinks [ to myself, I'd tie
him on the track length-wise and run ov-
es him if thought he'd do that. [
know it was q cruel thing to think of him
who had done me no harm but | was
just so savage along of thinking of his
wanting to come between me and my law
full wife.
The next day went on my route as
usual, which was from Croydon to Pal
lerton, just l03 miles. l drive the Mes
tor with the Express down in the morn
ing and then back to Croydon again.
starting at about four o clock in the after
noon; though that is not quite certain, as
we have to wait for passengers by the
boat, and that is kept back by storms
and such like, though on the average the
time doesn vary more than fifteen min
uteS. aa
In the winter time, as it was when this
happened, of course it is as dark as pitch
when we run into Croydon, without there's
a moon; and | always look well at the
head light and drive with my eyes well
open; and | generally let her 60 full, as
the track is well cleared of special trains
at that time, and the way they have of.
telegraphing nowadays. keeps me well
posted about the track ahead by the sig
nal lanterns along the route. So you see
/ felt pretty safe, and knowing l was a
careful man | didn have much fear that
I'd let anything go that would show that
Jim was going to get his revenge by do
ing me harm on the road, Or by spoil
ing my reputation as an engineer. For,
do you see, the idea struck me thai, know
ing the road himself, and all its workings
that he might think it was easy to hurt
me that way, 81 | KEEP my eyes open.
The next day / looked at JiEa's house,
which is about twenty miles from Coy-d
don, in the woods and near the track ,and
I saw him standing 10 the doorway soowl-
ing at me, or leastways where he knew 4
was, as be knew my train and habits, as
we were chums once. He kept his eye
on the cab window, and - We Eot q most
ont Of sight ! looked round suddan andsl