The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-02-07
TIE JIGT0WN FAILURE
And How 1t Made Three People Very
Happy.
rBy G. F. Jol.nsoa.l


messing place than Jigtown IN May. except for
Tor one who had seen .Iigtown IN April. The
spring there had peculiar effect of deferred
hope 0bdUrate patches of grimy snow lay
along the fences. with Ontliers here and there
into the stony fields. The winter roac-bed OF
impacted ice. furTowed with miniature brooks,
seemed rs likely as not 10 last til it formed a
bottom for the next seasons sleighing. The
shapes ami attitudes of the few struggling trees
suggested struggle for an existence hardly
worth struggling fer. They had the detected
air Of abori-ines nearly civilized out OF exist
encc. Turn which way you might. IT inya:l-
ablv seemed up hill and into increased chilli
ness. Ii is trae, Jigtown enjoyed certain
reputation among scientific c.rc.cs as the
'oeuler of an elevated plateau" and had been
the suhices Of acrimonious personal coRtro-
Vefsv. one learned gentleman having eloqGeEtly
described il as that peculiarly interesting To-
caiitg. that great Sllursan Island round which
the bilicws Of the Degonian ocean had re-
hoaTsed their ancient song Of Chaos and
another openly der;ding il rs q modern refuse
heap. simply the dGmping-ground ior ali that
was worn out and worthless in the great CONT
mental glacier" But TO ordinary people, whose
inagi;at: Cns 10 no. hailiiuaily carry them back
TO 7 millions of years b. C.. il was only col
lection of shabby wooden houses on bleak
hillside, most OF them anpainted and repre-
sentiRg the second growth which thirty years
ago had succeeded The log cabins Of the settlers
Two white wooden boxes with high windows
were apparently meant for churches; and one,
distinguished by slightly greater size and shah
binees, was evidently the tavern. There was
biacksnith's and eoOper's shop. general
purpose store and near the brogs OF the hill
narrow twO-story baildInS announced itself
Oh a faded sign TO be a drag store In the
window Of this, two glass vases filled with a
brigift-rcd liquid gave the only bit OF color TO
the cherries scene. Nearly opposite was "a
lower house, with ! newer sign, -" Miss Bloom,
Mliiner." This had a neat fence IN front and
a general air of smartnoss, as behtted the
temple Of Fashion.
On a chilly morning in the early part of May
the owner of the drugstore was standing in
front OF his door IN a doSncast and irres0iute
attitude. He was a sandy haired, light -colcred,
thin man Of thirty five, OF that undecided APP
Pearance which gives little intiInation of age or
character. lie walked slowly back and forth
on the narrow porch In front Of the store few
moments, and then moved more quickly across
the street and entered the low house opposite.
The juggling of bell attached TO the door gave
notice OF his approach and summoned Miss
Bloom from the inner fame Of the temple OF
Fashion. where the sacred mysteries of her
craft were hidden from the public gaze. She
was short, plump young woman, with dark
hair, not exactly pretty. but with that whole
some, helptni lcok in her face which the eye
finds il pleasant 10 rest On.
~Ncll. Norman : f" said the girl, with cheer
fnl interrogation looking steadily into his
downcast c0untenance
It's no Ese" said the man. 81 was out all
day, and ] only got forJy-seve dollars. ]
didn't get back until niae o'clock or would
have told you last night"
Wcll that's quite . beginning. Tell me all
shout IT.
Some of em was mad at being asked and
said they guessed they was good for little
drag-b.ll but didn't pay me q cent. Some Of EN-
hadn't sold their butter cause this oleo-nar
gariEe is making il so low The wilder Brown
was the only one that paid me ia full, IN she
gave me my dinner besides n / guess she Ii
the poorest one In the lot. She had the -four
dollars aud thirty three cents all ready by it.
self in drawer, and said that was the last
debt her husband owed. ] might have got z
yearling calf over 10 Bronsons. but Harbert {
EE0ad w0nt take a ycarling calf for their pay
They sav they mast have the money, aud the
whole sf It; and ] don't see any way how can
raise H. They VIII have 10 come up and take
tho store. I'll 20 out 10 Middlet5wn to-mor-
row: but its no use for me TO Try TO raise SIX
hundred and eight dollars ] don't believe
there is Z muck money as that in al the town
ship. I wrote EN- last night after got back
and gave the letter 10 Siizs Van Duser to taks
70 town this morning. told them that had
committed an act Of bankruptcy, and mus
MAKE an assignment, unless they would give
me time. But what IS the nse2 j don't Sc
how time can make il any better. I'm a fail
ure. and I'd better i4il."
This long speech was delivered in moneto
nous. resigned tone, Is If il had been Learned
h. heart. Indeed, the limited intellect Of tn
Iaa hal dwclt or the sabject SO long that ii
action had become mechanical, AID the recita
Of ms tT0nbles flowed from him with as LITTLE
EpoataDeity. and with much the same dull sug
reg.ig1 81 psiii. a. the opsri3g OF Paraais
Lost from a Eehool-boy. Miss Bloom eoul'
-.
before her. Bot she trsed TO answer cheer
fully:
We can't tell what time may>do, Norman.
DoNilat She could the brave little woma
could not keep The tears out Of her voice
sympathctically she looked at the worl
through the mans eyes. and it seemed hard
foriosTl, i0yiess. The little fabric Of their live
seemed about 70 be crushed in pitiless neccs
sty. She raised her face with fearful eyes ant
Put her hands instinctigcly on the young man
shoulders
= dent feel as if ] had any right TO ks
yeu, Carry, said he.
a. / gave you the right when promised {
marry VOC; but you are the best judge of thai
Men have wanted to kiss me when they hadn
any right" said she, drawing away from bin
with a touch Of resentment.
Egen poor Norman Downer, broken IN spiri
ms he Agas, could not resist this.
Then she whispered TREMENDOUSLY, I've &c
sixty dollars Norman, that you can have I
help make up what you want"
She moved as If to 20 into the other room
but the druggist stopped her with more decis
ion Of manner than could have been expecte
IN hin.
No. no; cannot take money from you.
least Of all 10 pay my debts. You are the yer
arc THAI / could not take ii from. Besides. a
your money oh, no not ii you had thor
Elnd dollars clear" He shook his head with
FigOr that seemed TO transform him.
Why. Norman" said the girl, who cOul
you take it from rather than from meg
slaa'n't want il before next winter, and i wis
you would take it."
You've got yourself and your mother |
take care Of, and ! viii never be a burden 0
8 woman You've done me mighty sight
good by Offering it,--moF'n a hundred dollal
worth. III the worst comes to the worst, iii Z
ouf West aud find something TO do"
He WAS 30 evidently in earnest that the ri
did not attempt 10 renew her offer, and Dow
ner, again saying that he would 20 TO Middl
town next day and collect what he coul
crossed the street with mach firmer tres
than before, and entered his store to wait f
such customers as chance might send him.
Siias Van Duscrs idea Of an early start
was so primitive that he drove out Of jigtoN
at three o'clock ia the morning, and thus
happened that Norman DOwners letter 10 b
New York creditors was posted in the count
town at eight, and al four o'clock of the san
afternoon formed one of neatly-tied packai
on the desk Of Mr.. William Proud managil
rNUrFr n