The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-11-07
5Niscellallrnus.
JIM.

The first time | ever saw jim he was lying
on doorstep wrapped in a dirty old shawl
sucking a little thumb. His mamma was
washing indoor, and pig rooted near in 9
very friendly manner. The time was fourteen
years ago, the place Mauch Chunk, in Pennsyl
vania. Jim's blue eyes were fixed with earn
est gaze on the nice woody mountains he
was dreaming those baby fancies that come
to us older folk like ripples in the rushing tide
of memory
jim wasn't baby oh, no he was two
years old, but so tiny and emaciated that he
looked like scrap left from some fatter and
larger boy. Pretty soon his father comes
along he is brakeman on one of the great
coal trains that rumble and roar through the
quiet valley, sending jets of fire into the green
woods and driving the birds from their nests
to fly up in the blue sky Jim's father is
rough, but so kind; he catches his boy up on
his shoulder, and the two go in the soft vel
low hair against the tangled black beard
That was the first view of Jim. While stop.
ped at the quaint old Mansion House, near the
canal cultivated his acquaintance. All the
candy | bestowed upon him he carried home
for pap and man, never taking wee bit until
they had eaten their share.
The next time / saw Jim he was five years
old he was picking up coal on the railroad
track Well Jim, | said, you have gone tc
work?
Eyes, | work." he said cheerfully 81 git
all marm's coal, that ere droppins off the
trains"
Just then a small ragmuflin came up and
helped himself out of Jim's basket. l left
them engaged in an animated discussion
Three years later business carried me to the
same spot | came up on the night coal train
Just as we reached Mauch Chunk, | felt tho
train run over something, | did not know
what, but nevertheless shuddered. We stop
ped. put my head out of the little window
in the car was in. A man rushed by with q
white scared face.
There's a man killed" he gasped, and was
out of sight.
! followed him. Something lay beside the
track, surrounded by fast gathering crowd
"Who is it ?" said one.
"Karnt tell ter look on him, he's smashed,
said another, holding his lantern close to the
disfigured mass.
Send for a curner, whispered fat man will
red nose.
Who's missed on the train?" said the con
ductor, coming up. A pause
"Tim Kohler," said the fireman. "Goot
God, here's his boyw
A little figure edged itself into the crowd
A pale thin boy with great mass of towcol
ored hair and sad blue eyes-Jim and l me-
again.
"Git out O here" growled the fireman, wip
ing away big tears This amt no place fol
boys like you"
Il guess / can stay" Jim said, in still sor
of a way. His lips were very white, but there
were no tears in the blue eyes. He picked thu
head up and laid it on his lap, softly Grooming
to himself
Don't touch him till the curner comes,
said the fat man. who thought curners wert
all powerful.
"He's my father" said the lad. 1--WE got
right to fetch him.
'Who'll tell his woman ?" said the fire
man.
ut will be hardish" whispered the conduc
tor
Jim lifted his head "No, 'twon't; she'
drunk, and when she's that she never cares.
1t was strange scene. The great mass o
mountains in the distance, black awful shad
ows; the still CANAL the wide eXpanse ofrail
road track; the great engine putting and snort
ing, looking like an evil beast; the men in the
red shirts and with Mortified faces, hold il
grimy hands the lanterns whose flickerinl
light fell on the quiet, motionless figure or
the ground with the dead mans head in hi
lap,
"Father were good to me, he were" sale
jim, slowly. eyer needn't shake your head
Bill Smith, if he did lick me, twas cause
needed ont 1t amt none of yer business
either, John Billings, what yer howlin' for
he wasn't yer father, wa hep" Then JOIN
relapses into silence.
Pretty soon the coroner comes and in few
moments the body is lifted on shutter anc
four men carried it up to the tow path, thel
after short distance down to miserable
shanty, stopping a moment on the very door
| step where had first seen Jim. He pushed
| open the door
Come in, fellers, and lay him on my bunk
old woman's in the tother"
glanced around the room. A rusty oil
stove propped up with bricks, two broken
down chairs, a rickety table and two bed
were all the furniture. The window-pane
were stuffed with old rags, and a few cracke
dishes stood on the old mantel piece. On on
of the beds lay woman sleeping drunk
en- sleep, a hideous, lOathsome object.
started to go out. In fact, l had no bus
ness to enter, but | wanted-wel, | don
know what followed the crowd.
But little hand is laid on my arm 1t
Jim; he says softly, "you're the engineer fe
Ter; knows yer Please stay with me ii
she wakes up"
There was no resisting that pathetic appea
| sat gingerly on one of the rickety chairs an
waited, wondering why he had asked me ii
stead of one of his fathers associates. Prett
soon the child came and sat down, folding hi
tiny hands and gently rocking himself to an
fro. l could not help thinking oflittle Paul i
"Dombey and Son."
"You think it's sorter funny l axed yer t
stop, but them Others is ruff on her with