The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-12-19
jim.
By MISS KRlNaLE.


They were in "peck Of trouble at
Jim's papa's house. II was the last Of
July, and papa and mamma and Jim
and Nannette were going to the country
to stay until October. Nannette was
mammals maid, but she was going to
take care of Jim while they were away.
Jim had always had q nurse who had
no other duties. but she was cross, 80
she went away, and Nannette, who
loved Jim dearly, agreed to take the
nurse girls place. Well, the trunks
were all packed and the carriage wait
ing at the door, when Jim's mamma
fell down stairs and broke her ankle.
Such time they had then was never
seen. Mamma tainted dead away, md
papa had to call the coachman in from
the street to help him carry mamma up
stairs to her own room. Then he told
the man to drive away as fast as he
could, and bring back DR.. Galen. He
and Nannette then sat about restoring
mamma to consciousness. But, dear
me! the store-room was locked up, and
neither papa nor Nannette knew where
the keys were. The little medicine
chest was locked up in one of the trunks,
and they had no camphor nor ammonia
nor anything to use except water, and
that was pretty warm, for there was no
ice in it.
"There's some bay-rum in the closet
said Nannette; how will that do?"
"Well try it and see, 'Nplied the
half-distracted man. and he opened the
closet door and got the first bottle he
saw. He poured liberal quantity into
his hand, and Stopped" poor mamma'a
head and face, but as it happened to be
hair oil, instead of bay-rum, it did not
help her much. But presently the
coachman returned bringing doctor.
He had not found DR.. Galen at home,
but he met DR.. Esculapius in the street
and brought him in.
As mamma is now in q fair way to DO
taken care of let MS leave her and see
what Jim is doing. You must know,
however, that Jim was not a boy, as
you have supposed, but dear little
blue-eyed girl. Her papa called her
"Jim," but her real name was Ruth !;
and her mamma always called her
Ruth. and never in the world said
"Jim" when speaking of her dear little
daughter. She, herself, always said
her name was Jim; she liked il
best because it was papa's fancy to call
her so. We'll, Jim waited and waited
and waited for some one to come and
look after her, but no one came. All
the servants, except Nannette. had
been sent away, all the doors of the
lower rooms were locked up, and Jim
couldn't find any one nor anything
with which to entertain herself
except her pretty kitten, which was in
covered basket waiting, like Jim, to
be taken into the country. At last Jim
saw that the big front door was ajar,
and concluded to walk out. Taking nm
the basket, she said to kitty: alum
little tat, we'll 60 and find the boat. and
go into the country our own selves, !"
and going down the front steps she hesi-
tated a moment, and then started for
the country. She walked very long
distance, but kept going toward the
locks all the time, and ct last she act.
ually reached the pier, where . large
sailing vessel was lying. Jim stood and
looked at the ship and sailors. who wers
busy getting ready to sail, for while,
and then made her way on board.
Now it happened that the captain Of
the See Bird had remarked to his first
mate that very morning, within hear.
Df one of the sailors; II had q notion to
take my Jim with me on this voyage,
and thought I'd quite talked the meth.
er over, but at tire last minute her
courage failed, and she wouldn't let the
child out of her sight, lest I should
take him after all."
A little while before our Jim appear.
ed on the scene a messenger had come
from the ship owners, who desired to
see the captain ut once. So he was not
on board when Jim arrived, and for q
little time tho busy sailors did not no.
tice her. Presently one Of them saw
her and asked;
"Who are you.
"I'm JIM"
ooh, you belong to the captain, do
you?" jim nodded, not that she meant
to tell story, but ller papa was really
captain, Capt. Cain, Of the-th
regiment. !:
$50 you're going with us, after all2h
Jim nodded again.
"Well, come down into the cabin
where you'll be out Of harms way till
your pa comes"
Jim followed the man down the queer
little stairs into the cabin, where he
left her. Poor little Jim! How tired
she was! She quickly climbed upon a
sofa. and almost Immediately fell asleep.
Little kittie had been mewing contin-
ually, but ct last tired itself out and
curled up and went to sleep, too.
All was still, and the captain who on
his return had made but o hurried visit
to his cabin to leave some papers had
not discovered either his little visitor
Or the kitten. And they slept on, while
6e ship was loesed from its moorings