Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-11-22
LITTLE JIM BLACKBURN.
F. E. Hamilton in the Independent.

"No, Parson, 'taint fer me. Ye
needn't be angry with me. As fer the
boy, that's another matter. LII admit
it's made change in him beyund me
'sperience. He's jest run over new, an
all the wicked's left out, said old man
Blackburn, in conclusion. I've give
We him, an that's enough. Don't look
fer too much; lest you lose what We
have. No otfense intended, Parson.
Ye know my blunt tongue. But it's
nigh onto sundown, an | must git back
to the gates afore dark There's pow
er O water in the dam, after the rains,
an it's no child's work to close the
sluice sometimes, [ tell ye: Good night,
Parson l bear ye no i'll will. Good
night" And the old man hobbled away
up the narrow hill-path toward the
woods, beyond which lay his little cot
tage, close to the gateways of the great
Chonaguen dams.
The last long rays of the red March
sun shivered among the bare branches
of the beech and maple trees, or hid
themselves in the dark thickets of hem
lock and pine which covered the hilltop.
The snow lay in soggy ridges here and
there, or gathered in treacherous banks
among the hollows of the wood. The
ground was wet and the pathway steep
and stony, so that when Jim Blackburn
stood at last upon the stone wall of the
mighty upper dam, the larger of the
two, the water was black with the shad
ows of the coming night.
But only a few rods beyond the gate
way, upon a little knoll, was the old
mans home, and the CHEEKY light that
shone from it's narrow window drove
the weary look from his face, as with
strong hands he turned the great levers
and shut the supply gates for the night,
"How she roars." he said to himself,
standing, hat in hand, after his duty
was done. "There's power OF water
in the upper tonight, after the thaw;
an I've half mind to let it run into
Number Two until morning. kin shut
the lower gates, and that would ease
the strain on both walls. Still, there
kin be no need of it. Surely, the water
can't bulge this And he struck the
thick masonary confidently. "Crickey!
| couldn't do that, tho; could L? Fer
Overseer Ames told me the lower gate
was to be took out an fixed in the morn
in, and he wanted the water down. No
| can't do that. Wall, she'll hold,
guess" And with last approving
stamp of his foot. the old watchmaI
left the wall, climbed the little hill, and
entered his cottage.
Hi! Jim, my boy!" he cried, in hap
DIV tones, as he closed the door behino
him. at smells good. That's prime
tea ye got down to Ebenezers, an yert
the best son I ever had to draw it!'
That's so, father!' replied a child
voice. "An the only one you ever had
too, amt |? I'm mighty glad you've
come, fer the tea is just stepped enough
the toast is done to brown, an In
hungricrn black bear. Les sit righ
down. Here's your chair" And th'
child drew the great rocker to the table
"Did ye see Mr.. Stone, father, an Mis-
Burt; an did We tell EN- what | tolt
ye?"
Yes, jim; saw 'em both" replie'
the father, as he poured the fragran
tea into his little cracked cup. "Th
minister's been talkin' to me good dea
about you, Jim; an he lowed he'd gi
youa place in the mills in the spring
An what do you think he axed me
Me, old Jim Blackburn. Why, child
he really axed me to come to meetin'
Me! as hain't been inside meetin
house door since yer mother died! IL
axed me! 'Twar regular joke, jim,
regular joke" And the old man laugh
ed grimly as he munched his toast.
"Oh! father, did he? An will ye go?
And the boys face lit up with a grea;
Joy. will We go with me? oh! faith
er! never knew how splendid twas j
there afore | went. Why, sir, you raj
ly think yer in heaven! Certain whe
Miss Burt's a-talkin to ye! Ye will g
father, long with me?" And the child
eyes were full of pleading. Lon
with me, ye know. Please?"
The old man ate for some minutes
silence, his brow slowly drawing into
frown. At last he spoke: Jim, d
you mind what l told ye in the fal
when Miss Burt found ye stealth, til
Jedge's apples, and saved ye from tn
lickin' ye deserved, that his hired ma
was a-goin to give ye, an axed yer
to 90 to her Sabbath School? Do y
remember?" and he glowered at the bo
across the little table with level eyes.
Yes, father, | do remember. \
told me l might 60 to meetin with Mis-
Burt jest so long as l minded what y
J told me all the week, and ye didn't cate
me in lie, or runnin away, or stealth
Wasn't that it?"
eyes; about that, / guess. An no
D listen. Ye have been a middlin goc
boy since then, an [ hain't ketched J
disobeyin' me or lynn; so I've let ye g
But, if ye ever ask me to go to meetiI
with ye or without ye, again, I'll lock !
in the house every Sabbath morning
yer life. Now remember! This
somethin' ye'd better remember, if !
forget all I've ever told ye afore." III
old man was thoroughly angry now; al
his lips twitched with suppressed wrat
I'm Jim Blackburn! Old Jim Blac
burn! Ye know me, and ye know
= lroov, ,,,u mord Vo,, vn0v rn IN nootiI