Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-06-11
TORPEDO JIM.
al am DIVING: YES. DYING. ,


great northern oil field of Pennsylvania,
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 | will
be locating wild cat wells in another
world"
"Shall 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 q secret"
/" Yes.n
I" Well, it's strange story I've got to
tell, and | want somebody to know il
before
He paused q long time for breath.
The cabin or " Shantyh in which he lay
was situated in a sheltered spot among
a cluster of giant pines, and was the
only habitatiou 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 al
night, busy with the test well half mile
away, two others were on visit tC
Bradford for provision supplies and the
fifth one lay in rude bunk above the
gas stove, tossing from side to side anC
waiting for the "silent summons"
was Torpedo jim, the moonlighter
What his real name was no one knew
he went under the dime novel name o
Torpedo jim. Some men called hin
Jim Barton, but whether or not tina
was really his name none of his friend
and acquaintances could tell. Jim hat
been sick for three days, so the heaC
driller, Big Jack Sanford, said, and a
| stood by the side of his bunk ant
watched the Uncontrolled face wished
| might lift the veil hanging over thi
mans life and so learn the romance ant
tragedy lying deeply hidden beneath tn
blue shirt and heavy coat. As | stOot
watching and waiting he started up in
fright.
"My God, did you hear that?" he al
most shrieked.
"No: l heard nothing. What wa
itPn
"a woman's scream. have hear
ii before more than once. Go outsid
and listen"
Curiously wondering what the ma
ped out into the night All was sti
aud dark, save low whispering anon
the pines and the flare of the burnin
gas. Away off down the valley at tn
test well | could hear the puff, puff {
the laboring engine as it swung the por
derous drilling tools up and down, an
the ring of the heavy hammer as tn
tool-dresser pounded the bit into prope
shape. No other sound broke the still
ness of the night, and the little cabi
under the pine was as silent as the grave
Into the room again and by the invalid
bunk was but step, and as his eyes m,
mine the mute question was quickly al
swered:
:" could hear nothing except the vel
all is STILL" was my reply.
''lt must be that | am dying; We
dying the man murmured once NOR
Sand can not 90 with a secret on n
mind Say, stranger" said he, SUI
denly, edo you think God forgives Il
blacklist sins and crimesP"
He waited eagerly and with emotC
for my answer.
"Yes, if you ask it in the RICH, spirit.
EDO you think SOP Well, I'm glad
it, and have been praying a long tin
these three days l have been sick f,
God to wipe out the black spots al
stains in my life, and oh, do hope /
has heard what l asked. But l fe
that the end is near and III tell you II
story
After having been propped up with
pillow of old coats and boots he begal
81 s'pose YOU have heard of TorpeC
Jim, the moonlighter? Yes? We
that's me, and got the name becau
I'm the only living man that took acti
part in two glycerine explosions al
lived. I've handled hundreds of to
of>the internal stuff, both in the empl'
of Roberts, the torpedo monopolist, al
working for myself, skulking around {
woods at night and shooting we
against the law. I've been pipe-li
man, asool-dresser and driller and