Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-16
FIREMAN JEM.

as 70 ciose the uoor ana take O CHART You
see can't get up to reach you ono; and
maybe youth take off your coat and put it to
the fire to dry. I'm sorry there's no one to
dry it for you, but TN all alone today. Bees
sic and the little ones are gone out for the
day, which happens unluckily, for they very
seldom all leave me at once One of tho
children generally stays with me- and very
good they all are TO me; but that's their
mothers doing Bessie is always telling them
they must help her to take care Of Uncle
Dick However hard times may be land
Jem has a smart little family to see after
they never let me want for anything Many
q time have known Jem stint himself to
get me book or something OF other he
thought might interest me, and when l tell
him be spoils me he says it's no more than he
ought to do.
No, sir; haven't bean able to stand for
many a long day, almost nine years, and l
got hurt in an accident-leastways il wasn't
an accident exactly. 1t was bad business
for me, but, after all, II was a good thing for
some OF US, so | mustn't complain, though it
did seem hard at first, as it wasn't any fault
of mine. Perhaps you would like to hear
about it, to pass away the time till this storm
Is over.
Dear me! IL seems as though it were only
yesterday that used to drive between this
and London, and how fond was of my en-
CINE, to be surel | had no home OF any one
belonging TO me, except my half sister Bes-
she, who was good many years younger,
and out In service, so gave all my heart to
my work, and my engine was quite like a
friend to me- There was not such another
ON the line, declared knew every crank
and valve Of the old thing, and could almost
believe Il was live creature and knew me-
20 well did it answer to my touch, and 90 at
the exact pace chose. How enioyed rush
ing along with the wind whistline around
me, and the fields seeming to ay past u.s.
Well, well! / shall never do it again;
but, after all, 1t was the saving of Jen, and
II lost my engine, gained great deal of
love, and that's much better.
l had been driving for some years when
Jem was put on to my engine as fireman,
which, to tell the truth, was rather sorry for
Not that he and were not good friends, for
we had known each other all our lives, and
5em wanted to be more than friends, for he'd
q hankering after Bessie She had liking
Tor him, too, and perhaps it was no wonder,
Tor be was just the lad for any girl to fancy
tall and good looking, full Of fun, and as
good natured and kind hearted fellow at
the bottom as need be-
In fact but for one thing should have
been willing enough for him to have married
Bessie; but that one thing was just the thing
that brings certain ruin on so many; just the
one thing that makes home miserable and
poverty stricken; that makes a wife-ahI no
one but the poor woman herself knows what
II makes wife. As / heard q poor creature
say one night as she was trying to get along
the man she had the misfortune TO call nus
band: God Almighty help the poor woman
that marries drunkard, for no one else
cant"
But I was thankful to see that though she
made no secret Of being fond of Jem, Bessie
was good, sensible girl and wouldn't prom
ise to marry him If he would go on drinking
IT you don't care enough for me to give It
up, Jem," she'd say to him, 1--WE should never
be happy together. III never marry a man
should be ashamed Of, let alone other reas-
ons, and till l can feel sure can trust you
III stay where I am"
Jem would coax and inplore, and some
times turn rusty and vow he'd have nothing
more to say to her, but Bessie held her own.
He might give her up, If he wouldn't give
up bis drink, /" she said and then Jem would
promise he'd not touch any more. But moth
ing came Of it. He had always something to
say for wanting 1t.
Il shan't be able to stand it much loprer.n
i said to Bessie the next Sunday she was out
with me; We were very fond of each other
and enjoyed q walk together. II can't go on
putting up with him, besides I'm not sure
that ought to let him 60 on Ike this There.
you needn't fret over it, my girl; wish you
would give him up, you'll not have him with
my consent as long as he goes on Like this.n
Indeed, / shouldn't think of it, Dick"
poor Bessie said; "Ishould think it downright
wrong to marry him, but do have patience
with him. can't help hoping he'll give it
up and do better some day.
We'll, hope he may" ! said doubtfully;
"hes been a long time thinking Of it. I've
done my best with him, and can't do any
more: but perhaps he'll get pulled up some
day It's a long lane that has no turning,
they say, and maybe he'll come to the turn
ing one Of these days"
Little did think that Jem's turning, and
q very sharp one, was to be reached in few
short hours.
/ strolled back rather sadly after ! had
parted from Bessie, for she was in low spirits
about Jem, and i did not know how to COM
fort her There was not much chance, as far
as could see, that he would mend his ways,
and as well as being sorry for poor Bessie,
was very fond Of Jem, and couldn't bear to
Zee him going down hill and running himsef
body and soul for want OF a little self con-
troll; % ] made up my mind to try again and
sse If ] could not stop him dare say
should have done my best, for ! wanted than
both to be happy; but l am afraid II had
been able to see how it was to come about /
should have shrunk back from my share In
1t. The next day WINS bank holiday, and quite
late In the day ! was ordered to run O special
that for some reason OF other was unex-
pectedly wanted We had done our usual
trip. and had dismissed Jem, and by this
time knew he was probably indulging him
self after bis usual fashion, and l doubted
very much whether he would be fit to come
However, there was no help for It.; could
not get any one else without making a fuss
over it, 70 l hurried OF in search Of him.
Altar some time found him In one Of his
favorite resorts, and with q good deal Of
trouble succeeded In getting him to leave his
choice companions and come with me. We
had to hurry to the station, Jem growing and
grumbling the whole way and had no time
to spare, so was very much provoked when,
just at the last moment, Jem gave me the
zip and disappeared ! waited few min
ules In great worry, and was Just going to
send one of my mates to ask for goods fire.
man, when he appeared and bundled on to
tho engine. ] relieved myself by storming
ut him Indignantly, at which he looked very
surly, though he said nothing, and We started.
In Q very short time discovered that /
might almost as well have been alone, for my
companion was.in a horrid temper, and either
could not, or would not, do anything prop
erly, venting his LII humor by banging the
things about and dropping the Goals all over
the place had never seem Jem in such q
state before; he was often rather surly at
first, but could generally manage to smooth
him down, and he was too good tempered
fellow too keep 1t up long But this time be
got worse and worse, and more and more ex-
cited, till at Last began to suspect that he