Telegram-herald., 1890-08-02
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COUGHING Little story OF tho
JohnsroWn Flood

After ths toasts of the dinner o, the
Johnst0wn correspondents al the Eel
lowcraft Club on Saturday night and
when "reminiscences were IN order. some
chance remark brought out from Cen
eral ID. IL HsstingA who having been
the bcnefactor OF the newspaper men at
JOhnstown. had become their guest In
New York. a story OF the food. which.
though IL has waited a full year FOR the
telling. has the freshness and delicacy
OF newly-plueked flower. and the al
ways new odor Of heroism inseparable
from tale OF noble actions, even
though ths hero be but ramp This
Is the Way tho General told ir
'sIs was the Night atrer tho food. and
] had arrived on the spot only short
time before. after driving sixty miles
over the mountains You know what
horrible thing darkness was In Johns
town anyhow. and that was the hrss
nighL and the worst A few OF Us were
standing on the bank overlooking tho
plain and the smoldering debris, az the
bridge, saying nothing and trying not to
think Presently some ono pulled few
pieces OF HEttA @AA- -%-S~
We could see each other then, and one
OF tho toughest looking mon ever saw
IN my life, and IL took a pretty ragged
and dirty and miserable man TO attract
attention in Jchnstown then, hunted
around until be- found a battered old
can. and In IL be made some coffee over
the FIRE and handed it around 10 US L
said, when DO handed me mine;
I suppose you've lost every thingT
eve alwavs made some remark like
that to a stranger then; IL seemed about
the only natural thing TO say.
"sNo,' said be. didn't lose any thing
"'You belong here? said !
Mop, said he.
"'Got friends here?
Mop
Look here said I. who are you.
anyhow
s''WelL'ke sort Of muttered, I'm what
they call tramp
Then he seemed to brighton up and
said:
.ssrT toll We: I Amt done a stroke %
work in more'n four year. but just hap
pencd 70 come along here. an l tell you
g. lust knocked ne out 1 seen all these
people with nothing left an nobody TO
help 'ern. an Just pitched in fore |
knew II ain't much good, but done
all could. an I'm going 70 stay here
now as long as kin DO OF any help
Y sort OF took al interest in the fell
low at that, and told him who was, and
that ifhe'd come round 70 headquarters
next day Ia give him so1e work 20 do.
He vas on hand early next morning, and
10 said he didn't mind what he did, 50
We tied n white piece OF cotton about his
hat marked 'Mor-uo' on il IN big let
tors. and told him % 60 snd help handle
tho dead. You know what awful woTa
that was, but be looked like ghoul any
how. and he didn'1 kick at the assign
u1ent After day OF two we noticed tha
he was ono OF tho best men wo bad III
was patient, Industrious and kindly, an
as faithful as woman. He neve
shfrked a task, no matter how hideous
and no never stopped as long as ther
was work TO Go. day or night Whet
We organized regular force, wsnte
70 put him on tie pay roll, and nske
him:
What's your uane?'
"'Oh. Just put me- down jim h
said: 'thagu do.
so as jim he went down on the roll
and that vas tho only name we eve
knew him By We Kept bin at wor
about headquarters most OF tae time
and of forsy-fve OF the forty-seven day
vas In Johnstown I had 10 nor
steady, hard working. faithful an
= y s,rfcareI n
wero there re did every thing be va
set % DO so patiently. inselligently al
uncom plaininzl7. that We all got
think a good deal of him. lie remains'
In Appearance, a very tough-lOokin
citizen, but "a be worked among On
sick ard suffering and miserable, a goo
deal of his toughness wore OF lie e
more refined. somehow. although y
didn't shink much about is until aite
ward
one day the asst ~ the men We
paid or and he drew the frst mOneT
had had sincs he began % work.
What ara you going to do no.
Jim2r asked him
We'll. III tell you. be said X,
know aint always been a tramp;
used % hara a nice home IN Massach
srtts and a wife and children. but 4
years arB had some trouble vita n
wfs and I wens away, snd-weil.
aia't been good for nothing nu
since
Vow. i'm. lock acre said !, 'wh
vou van. - 10 = 70 20 right back
sschnssatts and see IL Tour VII
alive. and lock up Tour children a
I've Ike man again
General he said, that's iust VI
vas -ouin' "a You see. ! Ain't ee
caring much what became 81 me sincs
rs - tranpin' sroand. bus seet
saese pe0ple 81 miserable an work.
Yea know. an helpin en- what cou
"a kind o. changed ne. somenoN, an
want - see II can Be somebody n
SCI - rvs Vos sensa money aow. =
TT az back an hunt np ny folks A.
know car get work. an nay d
rst along al rizht again
jim. vou'r~ is<t rtght' 7 ssid "
-arh asonau lava vou -ssf