Huntsville gazette., 1886-04-03

pretty girl will come between old
friends. Two men can live like twins
a whole lifetime, but just let a pretty
woman come in and they will fight like
brothers-in-law over will. When little
Phillis came to school, and Jim and l
ran races to ask to see her home or to
fetch her to singing school or Sunday
night meeting, then, stranger, we
knowed the first trouble of our lives.
Somehow we grew cold like, and be-
fore that year was ended we did not
speak. One night Jim and 1 met at her
house. was seventeen then, and Jim
was over eighteen and as big as a man.
He had a beard, almost, and he was as
handsome as picture. He didn't
know l was there, or don't think he'd
a called. l had been there about an
hour, and just before the knocker
sounded Phillis had told me the old
story we all of us love to hear so well,
and | felt as happy and ight-hearted as
lark. When Jim came in and saw us
sitting in the little old parlor he seemed
to know just what had happened like
flash. For moment I thought he'd dc
something he'd regret some time. His
face got so black and sullen and his eyes
got ugly. Phillis saw it, too, soon as l
did.
"'Jim,' said she. her voice trembling
just little, Jim, l want you and Bob
to shake hands and be friends
''Then l got up and held out my hand;
nervous.
"'Jim, she went on, her voice get
ting stronger and her face getting
sweeter and sweeter, 4 want you to
love Bob again just as you used to, be-
cause-because-I love him so much.
Won't you, Jim, for-my sake?'
81 wish you could have seen Jim just
then, stranger. l never saw the good
in man fight so hard with the bad and
come out ahead in all my life before or
since, and never expect to again. He
stood there by the open window just as
if he'd been carved out of stone. l
didn't know whether he'd heard what
she said or not, he was so still.
Then, just as l was about to take
back my hand, Jim took it in both of
his so hard almost dropped. Then he
threw his arms around my neck, kissed
me on my lips, Topped down on
chair, stranger, and cried like baby.
Phillis, the little woman, cried too,
and there we all were with our arms
around each other crying like women
and not any of us knowing what we
were crying about
THAT settled things with US. After
that we was brothers just like we used
70 hn Wo11 iffo 1onor ot0 or1 I
guess you won't care to hear it all. So
I'll cut it short. When l was twenty
one | was married. Jim was our best
man, and my oldest boy is named
James Churchill Brown. About year
or so later Jim married She was
cripple and supported her mother do
ing sewing. But if she had been
royal princess Jim couldn't have
treated her any better. After he got
on the road he built her little house
near us and there they lived and there
these little tots came into the world.
About a year ago a little boy came to
or so, and when he went back to where
he came from he took the little mother
back too, and these little ones were
left behind. Jim never lost heart,
though, but the blow nearly killed
him. He stood up under it as brave
as lion, and you'd never have known
from his face, except that he didn't
smile the way he used to. that he knew
what sorrow was. One evening last
week-it was an off day with Jim-he
and Phillis was out walking by the
creek that runs through my meadow
by the red barn. 1t was just dusk and
my little boy was running on ahead
playing in the snow when they came
to the railroad crossing. Just as they
got there Jim heard whistle. 1t
wasn't time for the regular train, so he
wasn't watching out for danger, 1t
was special and it was coming round
the curve like lightning. Ny little
Jim was playing on the culvert. Phil
lis heard the whistle, she saw the boy
on the track, she heard the rattle Of
the engine just as if it was dream.
Then she gave little scream and fell
down on the road in faint
East Creekr' called out the conduc.
tor, as the train stopped again in the
storm.
"Oh, Uncle Bobr' cried the little
maiden by my side. 'Look out the
window There's Aunt Phillis and
cousin Jim and there's grandpa and
grandma and what g f;:2ny looking
black wagon that is! Look! Look!"
she continued. as the farmer gathered
together his charges and started for the
door. "They are putting black box
in the wagon, and Aunt Phillis is cry
ing awful hard"
s.Yes," replied the farmer as he
brushed away tear from his eyes.
Eyes, that's Jim Churchill, stranger,
in that box. .'-Benyanain Northrop, IN
N. Y. Graphic.