The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-10-05
Awad.

AWed
Several years ago, Miss Bird, thGng-
lish lady whose journeyings by Sc and
land have made her name q housaold
word. was travelling in Colorado, and
stopped at the cabin of Mountain in"
notorious desperate.
She saw broad, thick-set man, bout
the middle height, with an old ca on
his head and wearing a grey huring.
suit, much the worse for use.
His manner was that of gentleaan,
and he spoke with refined accentand
in elegant language.
You are not an American" he aid,
as she rode away. Il know from tour
voice that you are countrywoma of
mine. / hope you will allow me the
pleasure Of calling on YOU"
A few days later, he called to @ide
Miss Bird up to Longs Peak, the Amer
lean Matterhorn. The ride was s,ries
OF glorious surprises, not the Least of
which were the culture and the lop of
nature shown by Mountain Jim.
s"Treat Jim as gentleman and ypu' Ii
find him one,n she had been told onset
ting out, and his manners verified the
words.
That night, as they were in camp, sit
ting about huge log fire, the man
kindness came out. ''Ring," he sad to
his dog, as if he was speaking to nan,
'tgo to that lady and don't leave her
again tonight
But Miss Bird also saw that his van
ity stimulated him to act and speak Sc
as to sustain his reputation as desper-
ado. The Colorado newspaper Kept
puonc, ana ne enjoyed reading the para
graphs.
One night, as the presence of wild an
imals made it impossible to sleep, he
tod her stories of his early youth and
of the great sorrow which led him to
begin lawless life. His voice trembled
and tears rolled down his cheeks. His
dark soul seemed stirred to remorse by
the light of other days.
1t was painful spectacle to the Eng
lish lady. His magnificent head show
ed the better possibilities which might
have been realized. His chivalrous
manner to women indicated the natural
gentleman.
Yet there he sat by the campfire
among the Sierras, a ruffian, whose life
had been ruined and wasted.
"What good" she thought, "can the
future have in store for this desperate
who SO long has said to evil, be thou
my goodr"
The next morning day dawned long
before the sun rose. The Englishwo.
man sat looking at the pure lemon-col
ored atmosphere, "Ring" by her side,
when one of the party called to her to
come farther down the slope:
Jim says he has never seen such 9
sunrise"
She went. Looking up to Longs
Peak, it seemed cold and gray. The
everlasting SHOWS, the silvered pines
the Plains also, appeared chilling in the
blue-gray light. A dazzling streak
shone in the east, and suddenly the sur
rose above the gray horizon, as full oil
light and glory as when first created.
The gray changed to purple. The
sky blushed in one rose-red flush. The
cold peaks glistened like rubies. The
Plains appeared, in their limitless ex.
panse, as if the Creators hand had just
rolled them out.
Mountain Jim. reverently uncovering
his head, exclaimed in low, tender
voice,-'I believe there is a Godr'
Alas for Mountain jim! awe, ever
when inspired by the Creators works
is not the repentance which begets 6
new life.
eff you want to know" he said one
day to Miss Bird, when she tried to leaG
him to better life, show nearly mar
can become devil, I'll tell you.''
Then he told her the sad story of 6
runaway boy, living the reckless life Of
drunken ruffian. She urged him al
the first step to amendment to give VI
whisky.
81 cannot" he said sadly. sit binds
me hand and foot. 1 cannot give w
the only pleasure l have"
She plead with him, but he exclaimed
in tones of despair
''Too late! too late! 1t might have
been once, but now it is too late for me
to changer'