Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1889-11-07
Mt in Politics devoted to Literature, Local and General News.
FINDING jim.

Tho old Man whe Found His Son ~
Looking Ovar Exchanges FOR six Mon&lAs.
Tho search began in May and ended In No
vembsr 1t was made within the four walls
OF a country newspaper Office and through
the medium of its exchanges. No exchange
ficnd" has bored mo since that search, for l
have always remembered that perhaps there
was even In the person whom I detested q
sorrow or a longing that made his actions
warrantable.
first heard of Jim when one May after
noon, the doors and windows being open and
the ''copy" rnstling In tho breeze, bent
white haired settler entered The Weekly Pal
ladium office
"You paper fcllers git each others papcss,
lhposer' he asked umidly.
"Yes, sir; we exchange with one another"
"Could 20 let person zee some er yer pa-
porsi I'd pay yer for 1t, he added, as il afraid
that ho was asking too much.
'Oh, that will bc all right" replied, as l
piled fifty or more exchanges before him
'Ye SEQ, I'm lookin' fer Jim," my visitor
said. apologetically, as he was adjusting his
steel bowed spectaclcs "Jim, my son. We
came west two year ago an took up u claim.
Twas pretty hard work know, an Jim was
high strung. Bein' the baby of tn family he
he'd ben petted a good deal, an workin' come
hard on him."
"Did he run awayr' Iqreried, Wishing to
appear sociable and interested
mo, that's tho worst Of It; drove TN
away. l got mad at i'm one day cause he
wouldn't mind, an told I'm tor clear out.
He went an aint seen i'm since. I'm think
In III find somethin' Of I'm III the papers,
you fellers seem ter write up everythin'."
With that lie began te look through the lo-
cal columns OF tho journals before him. Il
was an hour before he had finished his task
and laid by the last one with sigh
'Ill look agin next week, he said sadly as
he departed.
The next week and the next he was there,
each time chatting with mo and revealing
more Of the longing for a chance OF rcpara-
ton for his harshness
All through the hot summer months he was
faithful to his task, and l, too, began to feel
an interest in the missing boy and look for hts
name in the papers that went through my
hands.
October with It's Indian summer had gone
The prairies had taken Oh their robes Of
brown, aud nightly the prairie fires CLEANED
In a ragged line at tho far horizon. Then
November On tho third Saturday my visitor
came through bitter clustering wind, and
his hands looked white and pinched with COLL
The tears dimmed his glasses US I've took up
his task as usual. lie had gone nbout half
through the pile Of papers when he suddenly
Strengthened up, brushed the page ont smooth
and fixed his eyes intenuy upon It. He
handed the paper to me and reul
"A stranger giving his name as James
Mescrvc was found in the depot this morning,
sick. lIe is scarcely more than u boy, but
seems to have had hard lines He says he has
friends in Kansas but will not give their
names Flo was taken to the Merchants ho-
tel where he Is being cared for by the city
authorities"
Tho paper was published In small city in
Northern Iowa, and was dated three days
previous.
i've found him!" eJaculatcd tho father
gladly. "Im goin' ter got hint"
That night he left for his sons side, and In
week the two alighted from the train, tho
father joyous and happy, the son pale and
emacutod
AS they rode over tho prairie towards tho
old mans claim he called back to Ille: Como
out an SIC US sometimef'
did ~ shortly afterward; and as we sat
up to the well supplied table, though our
chairs rested on the bare earth and tho wallis
OF dug out were around US, found us hap
py q host As presided In any palace In tho
land.
The old man bent his white head and In
fervcnt tones thanked the gtvcr Of oil good
for the return Of his boy, thanked him In
such words Us only the full heart can prompt
CHANGING to one side saw tears drop from
Jims eyes upon his plate
Jim was found In more senses than one
c. NJ. Harger in Detroit Free Press