Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-10-12
POOR JIM.
BY MARION sACKETP.

He had always loved her He loved
her, when he was a tall, thin lad of If
teen and she golden haired little witch
of ten. They were near nelghbors and
gr, at friends. She used to climb npon
his knee, and with her pretty, dimpIed
arms about his neck, lay her soft
warm cheek against his own, while he
told her stories in the summer twi-
light. Love her?-why boy as he was he
would have died for her. And she knew
It, the selfish little creature, and would
laugh IN the prettiest way, and cry out.
u i'm loves mel Jim loves mel" lie
was such a friendless. isolated boy.
with neither brother, sister nor compan-
IONS. His father, a stern, silent man.
old, when Jim was born; aud his
mother, poor, sickly woman, with
little tc say to anyone. 1t was Nellie's
happy, childish voice which awoke him
in the morning. Ills great love for
her that kept his young heart from
freezing IN his bosom. Love her?
He worshiped her. SO time passed,
until NelPs parents both died, and a
widowed aunt, (whose only son had
run away to sea- came to take care of
her Then there came day, when
Jim was twenty-One, and the girl SIX
teen, when his old father lay dead in the
silent farm house, and his gray haired
mother sat with hands cIasped in
prayer, beside his coffin, while Jim
with his face hidden from view. wept
miserable tears, not so much for the
father lying dead, as for the patient
love sitting beside. And so she the
girl he loved found him, and taking
his hands in hers, whispered, "pon'G
cry Jim, you've got me-" oh, the
light that shone in his pale, tired facel
Oh, the great wave of gladness that
swept across his heart at her words. Yes,
thank GOD he had her, aud that hight
he asked her TO be his wife, and she,
hiding her blushing face on his breast,
promised that she would, Did she
love him? oh, surely, had she not
known him all her life, who could 81
love but kind, good Jim? But he
must wa t, she was too young to
marry yet awhile, ''Wait, why he
would wait years. So that she loved
him and would be his at last!"
The summer and fall passed, and
winter approached. Then Nell came
running in one evening. her golden
hair streaming behind her, her lovely
eyes afisme with excitement, crying
out: Jim, Jim, guess, guess.
Guess what, sweetheart| he an
swered, rising from the supper table.
"Guess IUhO has come.
HE shakes his head gravely, i'm
possible"
"Well then, Amt Lucy's son, Ralph,
and such handsome, handsome fell
low" Nellie had never seen anyone
like him in all her life.
beats quickly, queer sensation taxes
repeats rather weakly after her.
"Oh, yes, veryl Such eyes, such
hair, such a laughing, merry facel"
Not at all like her poor Jim's, who
always looked more like crying than
laughing. "Would Jim go back with
her and see him, and hear him talk?
Such wonder full stories as he could tell
of the great world which neither he nor
she had ever seen; and besides he
played on the violin, and sang beaUtl-
suly. Would Jim come at once"
And go she ratified on while Jim's
heart grew heavier and heavier, and
with this heavy heart he went back
with her, and was introduced to the
man who was to bring him bitterest
misery. Handsome, the stranger GER
tsInly was, with a bold, dashing
beauty, which is hard to describe.
Face dark, with flashing black eyes,
cleaning white teeth, and a
winning off-hand manner about
him impossible to resist, Had he come
to remain long?" jim asked. And
there was that within his breast which
whispered, "Oh would he had never
come"
Yes" the new conner thought ''he
should stay some time If his mother
and little cousin would have him. He
was tired of roaming and had money to
live quiet for awhile" CIhls with one
Of his brilliant smiles.)
That evening there was no good
night kiss at the door. For the first
time in her hfe the girl drew back
when her lover offered to draw her
towards him. A PAIR of keen, smiling
eyes watched them from the doorway,
and poor Jim went home with that
wretched feeling In his breast which
never went away after that night
There were no more Lappy evenings
passed IN the little parlor; no more
pleasant walks and drives over the
quiet country roads.
May l. come in?" Ralph's voice
would ask at the door, would Jim
care If Ralph went with them? He was
so lonely"
Alas for Jim-thi inner and paler grew
his face, rarer and rarer his smile
God alone knew what he suffered as he
watched those two. As he listened to
tnelr merry laughter; as he saw him
leaning over her chair sometimes with
ms hand resting upon her curls; some
times lying at her feet singing to her
IN hlsric1 voice, his great, bold eyes
nxed upon her face, charming the fool
Ism heart cut of her breast day by day.
God knows what Jim suffered as he
noticed how she would start from his
SIDE, blushiDg and confused whenever
that dark face showed itself. and Jim
knew him Tor what, ne was--a bad
mana man who drank and caroused
et the village tavern, and went hcme
Win his drunkenness upon him in the
small hours of the morning. Once in
MS pam and misery he spoke TO Nell,
praying for the sake of old days to
marry him at once. Telling her with
his %fetebed eyes full of tears, how
aesOiate his life was; how he longed to
see her IN his home; how his heart
hungered to call her wife" and then
II seemed as though the weakness of
death came over him as he saw how
Ehlte the girls face grew, and how she
Ue@bled at bis loving touch, az she