The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-06-04
"A eLooMIN, HlNoLlsHMAN.
Uncle Jim Wanted to SEQ Countryman
pnrore tic Dicd.

Uncle Jim Wanted to SEQ Country
Tccure Ito Dicd.
We had with us in the Nevada silver
diggings an old man named Jim Wat
son. whom we Familiarity called Uncle
Jim. He was a born Englishman, but
IL was only now and then, under the
pressure of great feeling that his
vernacular betrayed the fact. He was
taken ''dumpy" along in the winter,
and, although he knocked off work and
took various sorts of medicine, he con-
tinued to grow worse, and it was final
ly evidentthat Uncle Jim was going to
die. He realized the situation as fully
MS anyone else, and one evening, when
three or four OF us were in his shanty to
offer advice and sympathy, he said;
Look ere, boys, hits no use. Uncle
Jim can't last but few days longer
There's h'only one favor I've got to
h'ask"
We were about Fl i'teen miles from the
railroad. Now and then, among the
tourists and travellers, we had seen an
Englishman fresh from the other side
of the water. Uncle Jim went on to
inform us that he had not long to live,
but his great desire was to see an Eng
lishman-a real Englshman-again be-
fore he died. If not too much trouble
he wanted one of us to go over to the
railroad and explain the case to the first
Englishman who passed through and
bring him over to camp.
We were willing to do this, but cir
cumstances saved MS the trip We had
man all ready TO start off when a
party of six arrived in camp. They
were doing the mines, and among them
was representative Englishman who
had not been over more than month.
He was ut once informed of the facts in
the case and he readily agreed to drop
in and see Uncle Jim. The poor old
man had failed rapidly, and his eyes
had become so dim that he could nc
longer see any one across the room.
We took the stranger in, told Uncle
Jim how it was and they shook hands.
Then the old man SAID:
"Boys, | can't see i'm. Has e got a
red face and does e wear a short coat
and corduroy trousers?"
eyes"
I'm bloomin' sorry, hold man, to
find you hin this situation" said the
stranger, as he bent over Uncle Jim.
"Ah! boys, but that settles it! If e
wasn't Einglish e wouldn't say bloom
in. Hits the first time I've card that
blessed word in ten long years! If hit
'ad come a year sooner I'd ave pulled
through this hand got we'll"
"What part of lIingland did you
come FROM" queried the stranger.
From hold Liverpool, bless your
soulr'
liverpool? I 'ails from that very
bloomin' place myself"
"Is hit possible9 Hand 'ow his
hevery thing haround hold Liverpool?"
Just the same.
Lord save We, but 'ow cleverl Hits
bloomin' nice to ear real TIinglish-
man talk again"
We left them together for half an
hour. And when the stranger had to
go we went in to fine old Uncle Jim
looking better than he had for week.
Boys, hit as done me a cap of
good" he replied to our questions. 81
was just dyiu' to ear somebody say
clever h'and nawsty hand bloomin',
once again. Peraps III pull through. :"
But next day he was worse, and
along towards night, when five or six
of us had gathered in his shanty, seeing
clearly that the end was at hand, he
whispered:
"Boys, ears yon around me, but l
can't see. ! was in 'opes to pull
through, but the bloomin' stranger de-
iGyed his bloomin' visit too long"
Half an hour later Uncle Jim was
dead, and the smile on his face proved
that he died happy. Y. World