, 1890-10-23
JIM.
A Romance of Tennessee.
IChicago Tribune.

ICnlCuHO lTlpuhe'l
"Sar' Ann, II 'tain't = much
trouble T. ye, jest bring out that
little picture of Jim's an show IT.
tn gen'rman."
So said an old man of weather
beaten visage to the wife of his
years whom I met not long since
while travelling through the mount
ainous region Of Tennessee. The day
had been warm and sultry; the
mountain atmosphere hung heavy,
still, and slightly Opaque over the
pine-clad and rugged slopes, and
throughout the winding defiles
there echoed again and again the
hoof-strokes Of my wearied steed.
Now the quickening gloom from the
mountain-curtained sun upon the
west, and q portentious sky east
wardly, bade me seek protection
from the coming wrath OF the ele-
ments. alighted at the first prom
ise of fshelter-a low log hut situated
q few steps back from the winding
roadway Of fierce yet noble eleva-
ton, where found the gray-haired
couple. met with a hearty well
come, even before could complete
a statement of my situation and
wants. The old man led my horse
to n half-fallen stable in the rear,
and then returning to his humble
roof to regale me with his history,
or rather with the story of "Jim,"
which was pretty much the all of
his thought and life, and that of his
aged helpmate.
ayes, that's him. Thar he is jest
as he looked when he made ready
Z go Z th' front long with tn other
boys" said the old man as he took
the tlme-worn likeness from the wo-
man and gazed long and thought
fully upon 1t. He then placed II in
my hands, when l observed that
1t reflected the lines of a pale
though stern-looking youth barely
out Of his "teens," and with the
gray uniform of bellum days, which
at once conveyed to my mind almost
all of what was pressing upon the
ancient pair. AS you turn the we'll
thumbed leaves of some old family
album, and find here and there,
maybe, a uniformed likeness, the
tale is at once told--you know all.
How almost criminal it is to ask a
question. How cruel II would be to
again fan into burning the slumber-
ing sparks of hearts deslre-almost
n hearts life. You have felt this,
and so have 1. / have scanned the
framed faces hung by faded red
cord upon the walls Of the best room
of a little cottage, and where shoul-
der straps and brass buttons were
Just shown above the margin of the
yellow mat, / found had no heart
to sneak. However, in this case, my
old host himself turned the leaves
of life's book, and had only to fol-
low on.
"Yes," said the mountaineer, as
he again took the picture In his
trembling hands. "Yes, Jim took 4
th' lines soon after th' word was
a-passed through tn valley, a-leav-
i'm Sar' Ann m m'self 'pon, the OIL
farm away down thar whar ye can
lest see th' sparklin' river a-windin N
an a-turnin' 'mong tn fields, m
by th' purity little towns, m
a.threadin' here an there between
tn great quare mansions of th' OIL
time planters" As he spoke the
aged sire arose in the doorway and,
stretching forth his gaunt arm,
pointed down the mountainside to q
distant region which, even through
the maze OF a gathering storm, pre-
sen ted to the eye abundant evidence
of q lavish nature.
Jim was filled with TIL spirit OF
those times, an can see him now,
an anytime when l close M eyes a
minute m think, a-marchin' dow n
th' village street with all tn other
boys, a-sIngin' songs an a-chcerin'
can see him as he passed by tn oil
farm, an my ears still ring with tn
words thet come T. us-Sar' Ann m
meas we stood o. tn fence m
watched tn hghted-hearted boys
a-trampin' along.
Goodbye, father; I'll be back
afore long, Jim shouted, as waived
M oil straw hat alter him.
:, 'Y' mustn't fear, Uncle John,
Bill Martin, Jim's oil ohum, said T.
me. 'I'll take good care Nv Jim.'
.Bill Martins sister Maggie was