St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-13
JEMS WEDDING-DAY.


the night men shivered and stamped and
beat their hands together as they waited at
the great iron gate Of the malt:hOuse for
Jem, the furnaceman, TO appear within.
whats the matter with Jem?" demanded
Pete, the NermOnter, whose language was
more remarkable for force than elegance, as
he peered between the bars.
MAYBE he yOs got dronk," suggested
stolid German, shifting his tin supper-pail
from one benumbed hand 10 the other.
What Jem dthrunk, is it?" cried a
lively little Irishman, Indignantly "In-
dade its little the likes o. yeeZ knows about
Jem if it's afther thinkin' him dthrunk We
are. SOrra a dhrOp o. the crathur has he
tasted this two years back, and it's mesilf
that knows it, Shure, haven't l lived ia
the same house wild him ever since he came
to the cOunthry?' Then. as no one spoke
he continued: but fax it's on 'crathurs'
av another sort intirely that Jem's heads
runnin', bhoys. Shure, We know he STINT
for his swateheart TO come out from the
ould country, and the ship she sailed ms
looked for at the docks tO-mOrry, an Jem
the crathur's half-daft like. He's got two
rooms fixed iligant."
''Hold yer noise. Tim, " said Pete, gruffly;
Heres Jem comm"
oA AOui lllNoll, iudltS- StAlu the DlE,
awkward Englshman, humbly. as he
FASTENED to unlock the gate; fact isl
DaShfully. my thoughts was sot on-on-"
and he broke OIL, blushing like a school
girl.
ION ships, ell. Jem?" supplied Tim, with
a sly wink at the rest; and loud laugh fol-
lowed at Jem's expense, as the men, with
returning gOOd-nature, grouped themselves
about the mouth Of one of the huge open
furnaces and stretched out then hands to
the cheerful blaze.
lis she as purity as yourself, Jem?" in
Quired the lrishman, facetiOuSly. But Jem
was already out of sight and hearing.
You leave Jem alone. Malony," COM
manded Pete, with rough good-nature. "He
hates TO be plagued"
AN is il mesilf, d" TetOrted Tim, angrily,
that nadeS to be instructed on me be-
havior to JemW But having an end i'm
view, the eXcitable little son of Erin
rapidly Subdued his wrath and collected his
energies for an appeal. ''BhOyS," he began,
insinuatingly, Its Jem, Shure. that's the
favorite wild yez, amt it?" There was a
low murmur of assent. Its two year
now that we've worked wild him, airly an
late, an late an airly. an niver a word
atween us" Another pause and another
murmur. WHO was il but Jem," con-
! tinued the orator, turning to the Vernon
! ter that nurSed Pete whin he had the
fever? Who jumped into the cowld steep
! tub afther Augustus little CURL whin she
| fell in? Who" waving his hand toward
! the German. ''stOOd atween Max an the
/ boss when Max scorched the kiln of Canada
/ barley, and saved his place for hm?"
''Das lSt so, das list 50" agreed Max, sol
EMMY.
AN now, bhoys." concluded Tim,
''would it be a friendly thing to let Jem's
! weddln' day pass widout Remembrance
| from his mates?"
He paused; instantly each mans hand
! sought his pocket and the contents of sew
! eral pocket-boOks in various stages of wear
/ and dilapidatiOn, were anXiously counted
/ over by the red light from the furnaces.
There's jist ten of us" remarked Tim.
lien titties, now" peTsuasiyely, would
! buy an iligant taypOt" and nine half-dol-
! lars ratified into the sef-appuinted treas
urer's cap. he himself setting the example.
Il viii gif Won quarter" said Max, eau
tiously.
"FaiX thin, I'll make it up mesilfr' and
Tins last quarter chnked i'm his cap as he
cast fine glance of scom at the prudent
and unmoved German, whose comparatively
Wel-hlled purse was returned To a capa-
cious pocket
1t was a strange life led by these night
Notwithstanding their toll when most
mems daily work had ceased, laboring. while
the great city slept, through the long night
hours, ana seeking their homes and beds i'm
! the cold, cherries dawn. when life was
scarcely yet astir in the deserted streets.
Inn, IN his capacity of treasurer. was up
soon after noon on the day following his
! successful appeal, and made his way. funds
IN hand, to certain coolers" on Sixth
avenue, where he succeeded, after a good
deal OF haggling, in purchasing ''rale Ill
CANT taypot," with Presented to lem
Cooper on his wedding day by his affection
ate friends" engraved on one side.
This inscription Tim regarded as the in
canatiOn of eloquent brevity, and it would
be rash to say how many times on his way
homeward he peered at it with loving eyes
through hole in the wrapping paper
Arrived at Ihe bOarding-hou he ap-
piled his eye to the key-hole of Jem's room.
and, seeing a light within-for the short
December day was already closing in-he
concluded, as he informed the rest of the
men, who now began to straggle in. that
the bridal couple was arrived" AT )
O'Clock they formed in line, headed by the
warm-hearted Irishman carrying the tea
pot. and uamped down the narrow wooden
stairway to Jem's room, which was on the
hrst il0or. Tim knocked once, twice. and
then again, but there was no answer.
Maybe it's in the Hardest room they are. -
he suggested. proud of the extent of his
lrlendS establishment. But as he spoke
there was heavy tread within. the door
opened. and Jem stood before them-Jem.
alone, with haggard face and wild, staring