The Osceola times., 1883-10-13

| anu 0iltN SURVIVING tA'i A'ff fAs'
vet called him iondly, though he was
eight and twenty-she had heart-aching
wrctchcdncss.
"Oh, jimmy My poor boy, Jimmy |"
walled the mother, on coming back from
the office, where she had so yainly striven
TO change the supcrntcndents purpose {;
and, putting her arms about the staiwau
man, she sobbcd and m anod so pitcous-
ly that he also was moved to tears.
But there was no help for them. The
shops were closed to Jimmy Allison, and
a week afterwards he left home TO seek
for work In town fifty miles away
where he had an acquaintance IN a
rolling mill. Upon the sorrow and
grief thDt fell like shadow on the
hearts of his wife and mother AT the mo-
ment of parting streamcd in ray OF
hope.
"Pve taken my last g.ass, mother My
last glass, Jenny And it will all come
out ight. III be sure 10 gc' work in
s-and then Iii send for you and we'll
be happy again"
Mr.. Grant was standing at the window
of his office looking ont.
"There goes Jimmy Allison to the sta
tion," he said turning TO the book-keep-
or. "Poor fellow | hope the lesson
will be good for him. But I'm afraid"
While Mr.. Grant was speaking, he saw
Allison stop and stand irresolute for
some moments, and then turn and walk
quickly toward the office.
1--WE are to have a parting word-a
curse or blessing" added Mr.. Grant, in
a changed voice. And the office door
opened and Jimmy Allison came in. He
did not speak at first, but drew paper
from his pocket, which he opened and
handed to the superintendent.
"Oh pledge" said Mr.. Grant ia a
tone of surprise.
'Ycs, sir; and what is more. Pm go
ingto keep it, replied Allison, in firm
but subdued voice
"Sticll to that my man, and all will be
WE'LL" said The superintendent. "And
let me say this to you in parting; if you
had LET beer and whisky alone, you
might, Lave bad foreman's place here
long ago. Nothing has kept you back
but drink. For your own sake, and es-
pecially for your wife's and good old
mothers sake, let it alone"
an do it. sir, You may count on that.
Goodbye. Mr.. Grant, and the man held
out his hand, his face working with the
struggle of feelings he could not reprcss.
Goodbye, Jimmy" returned the
superintendent, as he took the mans
hand. Think of me as friend. 1t goes
hard witt me as well as with you. But
YOU left us no alternative. Goodbye !
And if all goes right lei me hear from
YOU"
Jimmy Allison had no voice to reply.
Turning away in silence he left the of
| flee.
81 don't see how you can have the
heart to do it," said the book k-keeper as
the man had gone. Hes taken the
! pledge, and it's my opinion he'll keep it.
Why not give himu chance? | can't get
the poor, old, sorrowiul face of his moth
er out of my thoughts for a moment it
haunts me like ghost
Mr. Grant did not reply and the book
keeper turned TO his desk and resumed
his work. A little while afterwards the
whistle OF the coming train was heard II
few minutes later, and Jimmy Allison
was borne away from home, wife and
mother, on the swift wings of steam, a
sadder and wiser man.
The day had worn on drearily to the
miserable wife and mother of Allison.
the pleasant June sunshine unfelt until
the sun had reached the tops ofthc wes'-
ern mountains, for the shadow of great
trouble rested on the little household.
Suddenly the wild scream of the loco
motive cut the air, and went cchoinr
among the hills; and soon after the
down coming train dropped few pas
sengcrs at the station, and then went
laundering on its impetuous course.
Mrs. Allison" said boy who rushed
into the room where the two women sat
in their helpless, half despair, here is a
letter from Mr.. Grant, and he says read
ii right away"
The startled wife opened, with hands
that shook neryously, the folded paper,
and read: "We've telegraphed Jimmy
to come back-look out for him by the
down train"
A wild cry of joy broke from the lips
of Jenny Allison "Oh, mother, mother
they've sent for him to come back, and
there he is now ~
Springing up ami bounding through
the door half orazed with Joy, she ran
through the little garden. and flung her
self, laughing and crying, all at oLce,
into the arms of her husband.
"We've had narrow escape, Jimmy.
my son, salu ola Mrs. Allison, aftCr
they we're all quoted down. 1T hurt
me away down here, my SOM and she
laid her hand over her breast -"hurt
me more, may be than You will ever
know"
"Oh, don't say that mother. But YOU
shall never be hurt again." answered
Jimmy, catching his breath with some
thing like sob. "Ncycr, never, never I!
I've taken the pledge, you know, and
when Jimmy Allison puts his name TO
anything, it's got to stand. The Allison's
don't go back on their word of honor
I'll trust you my boy" was the moth.
er's confident reply as the sunshine of
gladness fell over her aged face.
All this happened just one year ago.
And has Jimmy Allison kept true to his
pledge? More than true; for besides
holding true to his own integrity. he has
induced a dozen other workmen TO fol-
low his example, and is now organizing
temperance society in the shop, where
lac already holds heposition Of foreman.
Feminiae Fact and Fancy.
None laugh better and oftener than
| ,tl