Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-05-09

barred forever from nearly all that
makes life worth living, he yet had
pity for a creature worse off than
himself. This "Jim," I learned,
was a poor, demented fellow, who
found a bed and shelter at Corkey's
expense, and who earned barely
enough to keep from starving.
Poor Corkey had shared many a
scant meal with him, and the two
lad become attached to each other
through the bond of mutual aid I;
for one had poor body and good
mind, and the other a good body
and poor mind so, as Corxey said,
"they got along first-rate."
But Corkey had one sorrow that
was to him bitter one.
81 don't mind tellin' you," he
said "you seem kinder interested
like, and won't laugh at me, but
there is a girl as lives near me, and
she is mighty nice girl, and purity,
sir she smiles at me kinder sorry,
and once l heard her say, 'Poor
fellow = and so when goes off in
to the woods / brings her a bunch
Of flowers. But she never can care
anything about me, and it's no use
thinkin' about it, but l can't help
it."
Poor cripple! His simple words
told the whole story.
One cold Christmas eve / walked
up from the depot with him to the
foot Of the street that led to his
home. The sidewalks we're thronged
with people with happy faces,
whose hands were full of gifts, and
who seemed to be all Fastening to-
ward some bright home. "It's nice
to be going home, amt itp said
Corkey. Everybody is going
home tonight. My home amt
much, but it's better than none"
slipped little remembrance OF
the holiday into his hand-for some-
how l had grown attached to the
poor fellow-and with cheerful
goodnight, l walked away.
That night heard an alarm OF
fire, and the next day the papers
said an unknown cripple had been
badly burned in brave effort to
save girl when 10 one else dared
enter the burning building. Some
presentment told Inc who it was,
and l sought the humble home of
Corkey at once. l was shown mp
three flights of stairs and into his
room by woman, who said, "Och,
but he is a poor, sufferin' crayther,
and II soon be lawn his pains be-
hint him" The room was utterly
destitute Of ornament, except some
clusters of autumn leaves and few
sprigs of bitter-sweet. In one cor
ner was the poor cripple's basket,
and in another pile of half-burn-
ed garments, that told their own
story. "Jim" sat at the foot of the
bed staring stupidity at the sufferer,
while the girl whose life he had
saved to pay for her pity, sat by
his side, crying bitterly. She said,
"He had wrapped me in a quilt and
carried me right through the fire y
and then her sobs came afresh.
be was a pitiful sight as he lay
on the bed-his face blackened and
blistered, and his pooor crippled
body writhing with pain. He was
delirious with suffering, and kept
muttering unintelligible words;
spoke to him, but the fire had
closed his eyes forever, and every
breath seemed drawn with pain.
My voice seemed to recall his rea-
son, for he muttered: ats nice to
be goin' home, amt itl Every
body is goin' home )" and then, as
if the burning house was before
him, and in it the girl who was
plying him, he raised his head,
beat the bed with his one arm, and
cried: "Let me go ! will go in
She is a burnin' !" Then he drop
ped back, aud was still. He had
gone home.