The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-08-05


than Jimmy" He felt that, with his
baby face and woman's voice, he had
failed to awaken the chords of love. to
sound the depths of her heart. She
liked him, respected him, but he was
only Jimmy" her boy playmate.
Shortly after the conversation be-
tween Julia and her friend, James Ellis
succeeded in gaining a long-looked-for
opportunity. Taking Julia's hand in
his, he said, in his squeaky voice:
Julia, darling, l love thee, l love
thee. This love is the sweetest, the
only thing on earth that makes life
worth the living to me. BE mine. Love
me-marry me-"
Julia could not help but see the ride
ulous in the voice, in the face, and in
terrupted him several times as he
spoke, saying:
"Oh, don't, Jimmy! Don't, Jimmy"
Silence ensued. He began again:
Won't you give me your answer?
Can't you love me?'
"Oh, don't Oh, don't, Jimmy. Julia
again pleaded.
Can | hope? Tell me something"
James Ellis urged.
81 hardly know what to say Julia
answered. Il have never thought of
such a thing as you have spoken of. 1t
seems funny. You seem but the boy l
played with yet, l hardly know
whether to bid you to hope or not to
hope. l might answer better in a
month";
I'm wait the month"; the man readi-
ly said.
Make it two months"
well, let it be two, then"
-Four months might be better yet
Make it, dear, just as you will. l
am content if only in the end you will
be mine"
So it was decided that at the end of
four months she would give her answer,
yes or no, to his suit, or whether he
might hope or whether it was hopeless.
This was February-June might wit
ness the making of one life or it might
not.
While James Ellis was content to
wait, he was not hopeful. He was only
Jimmy" to Julia. Jimmy, the boy
the playmate with the pretty face and
a woman's voice. Julia wished a man
for her husband, representative of man
hood and strength. He feared the
decision. The time cre2t on fast;
weeks had flown, a month passed.
There was 10 change in Julia's feelings
that he could detect.
1t was in the latter part of March
that, in the dead of night, a fre-alarm
was sounded. Men sprang from their
beds, jumped into their clothes. 1t was
a country town in which every man and
many women We're needed to fight the
dread iend. 1t was soon discovered
hat a weather. boarded dwelling-house
had taken fire at the roof. When the
crowd reached the house the top of it
was wrapped in flames. James Ellis
was among the first on the ground. It
was thought that every soul had left
the house. There was a terrible scream.
In the second-story room, by the blaze
of the fire, could be seen a omar
The blood froze in the mems faces as
they looked at the awful scene. They
looked at each other, then back at the
m Who would make a move to
a V her? Like a flash James Ellis
rushed toward the house. kicked open
the door, Disappeared, fought his way
through the smoke and heat in the sec
ond story until he reached the
He dashed out a window and helped
her to the ladder that had been raised.
AS the crowd watched, James Ellis
disappeared. Another second and there
was a fall of heavy timber into the
house; a column of sparks went up
ward. Seconds passed. The fire was
making Roadway rapidly. James Ellis
had not appeared. At last anxious
watchers crept into the house and came
upon the body of Ellis lying at the bot
tom of the stairs. He had been knocked
down by the falling timber. The fire
had not reached the place where he was
lying.
He was tenderly picked up, carried
out Of the house and to his home. The
falling timber had struck him in the
face, cutting and tearing great gashes
the whole length. The hot embers of
the wood had burned great red blotches
along the wound.
1t was only after weeks Of careful
nursing by the faithful aunt that James
Ellis was pronounced well. He had re-
covered from the wound to fall into a
fever. 1t was June when the doctor
told him he had done all he could for
him, that it was for him to grow in
strength. 1t was not until that time
that James realized that a great change
had taken place.
Jimmy" with the baby face was a
thing of the past. There was an ugly
scar on the forehead, another on the
chin, and one on the cheek. There
were red patches where he had been