The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-06-17
TORPEDO jim.

81 am dying; yes, dying"
Away up on the Bingham lands, in the
great northern oil field of Pennsylvania,
a man lay dying. The flare of huge
gas-jet came struggling through the
wide crack of the rude hemlock board
shanty and fell on the form of man
upon whose features the hand of trouble
and sorrow had left heavy traces. He
was alone, save the writer of this, and as
the hours dragged slowly along he grew
uneasy, as if he feared and dreaded the
end which was inevitable. With an eff
fort he reused himself.
"What time is it?" he asked.
"Nine o'clock"
"Big Jack won't be home till half
past twelve, and before that time 1 will
be locating wild cat wells in another
world.''
"Shall 1 90 for him?''
"No, oh, no! Don't leave me.
couldn't watch out the last tour and run
the last bit alone. want to tell Big
Jack something, but you will do just as
well. Can you keep a secret?"
Eyes"
We'll, it's strange story I've got to
tell, and want somebody to know it
before"
He paused long time for breath.
The cabin or I" shanty'' in which he lay
was situated in a sheltered spot among
a cluster of giant pines, and was the
only habitation for miles around. Five
men occupied the cabin-two drillers,
two tool-dressers and male cook. Two
of the men were, at nine o'clock at
night, busy with the test-well half mile
away, two others were on q visit to
Bradford for provision supplies and the
fifth one lay in a rude bunk above the
gas stove, tossing from side to side and
waiting for the "silent summons It
was Torpedo Jim, the ,moonlighter.
What his real name was no one knew;
he went under the dime-novel name of
Torpedo Jim. Some men called him
Jim Barton, but whether or not that
was really his name none of his friends
and acquaintance could tell. Jim had
been sick for three days, so the head
driller, Big Jack Sanford, said, and as
/ stood by the side of his bunk and
watched the pain-contortedf face wished
1 might lift the veil hanging over this
mans life and so learn the romance and
tragedy lying deeply hidden beneath the
blue shirt and heavy coat. As I stood
watching and waiting he started up in
fright.
Only God, did you hear that?" he al
most shrieked.
"No: 1 heard nothing. What was
ftp"
GA woman's scream. have heard
it before more than once. Go outside
and listen" -
Curiously wondering what the man
could mean I opened the door and STEP
ped out into the night. All was still
and dark, save low whispering among
the pines and the flare of the burning
gas. Away off down the valley at the
test.well I could hear the puff, puff of
the laboring engine as it swung the pom
derous drilling tools up and down, and
the ring of the heavy hammer as the
tool-dresser pounded the bit into proper
shape. No other sound broke the still
ness of the night, and the little cabin
under the pine was as silent as the grave.
Into the room again and by the invalid's
bunk was but step, and as his eyes met
mine the mute question was quickly an
swered:
81 could hear nothing except the well !;
all is STILL" was my reply.
"It must be that I am dying; yes,
dying" the man murmured once more,
"and can not 60 with secret on my
mind Say, stranger" said he, sud-
denly, '.do you think God forgives the
blacklist sins and crimes?''
He waited eagerly and with emotion
for my answer.
"Yes, if you ask it in the right spirit. +"
:" Do you think so? Well, I'm glad of
it, and have been praying long time
these three days I have been sick for