Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-03-23

i
when he found he was after his
girl, So he used his mean influence
down at the factory and jim was
thrown out of work without any rea-
son. Soon after that he had his for
tune left him, and just about that
time Gaspers got in difficulties and
they had to shut down the factory the
very week after Tom had married.
Moody hadn't saved any money for
a rainy day, and as consequence
he and his new bride were face to face
with poverty and starvation. Yes,
and how dye think Jim Meadows got
in his revenge on Tom for the mean
trick he had played on him? He just
rented cosy little house, put $500
worth Of furniture in it, and pre-
sented it with years rent receipt, to
Mr. and Mrs. Moody as "a gift from
an old friend" That's the sort of man
jim Meadows was.
He never dressed stylishly or even
extensively himself. The plainest
kind of clothes were good enough for
him. If he was ever told that his
coat looked shabby he would quietly
say, "Well, | can't afford a new one
this month";" but he would very likely
buy new suit that very day for some
poor devil or another who needed
clothing badly. He was frugal in his
eating, but nothing was too good for
any invalid in whom he took an inter
est.
"Jim used to 60 to the police court
nearly every morning, not out of a
morbid curiosity, but just to see what
good he could do the poor wretcheS
who often find their way there. Many
fine he has paid out of his own
pocket to set prisoner free, but he
never showed any sympathy for a real
criminal unless there seemed to be ey-
idence of desire to reform. He had
kindly word for all, but his was not
mere verbal sympathy, his practical
charity went hand in hand with his
cheering disposition.
zone night he saved young girl
from suicide She was one OF the
class that So-called honest folks turn
up their noses at, but nobody was too
low for Jim to lift up if he could doit.
That girl was tired of her life Of
shame and wanted to end it in the
river, and she would have succeeded if
jim had not happened by at the time
and rescued her. She was brought up
at the police court after leaving the
hospital, but Jim secured her dis
charge and placed her in charge of a
laundry which he had started for just
such poor creatures as she. She has
led good life ever since and owns
that laundry now herself, but she has
never worn anything except black since
Jim Meadows died, and she says she
never will.
"Once he was told of poor but
proud family, who were living in a
somewhat fashionable locality. They
had suffered severe reverSes and, al
though brought up in luxurious way,
were now living on almost bread
alone. The head of the house was
dead; the eldest son had been the sole
support of his mother and three Sis
tiers since their loss of property, but
for the past six weeks he also had been
incapacitated for work by illness.
Though desperately poor and on the
verge of starvation, these people, 1t
was known, were too dignitied and
proud to accept charity, so what does
Jim do but take a few directories to
the house and beg the three young la
dies to copy the names and addresses
for him at $40 week each. He
claimed that he was in hurry for the
work, but he kept them at it nearly
six weeks, and it is said that when
their labors were completed jim just
piled the manuscripts away in an old
tool chest, where they were found
years afterwards all widowed and
useless. That's the sort of man Jim
Meadows was.
GLOW did he die? Well now, it does
seem a shame that fellow like Jim
ever should die, but the fact is his big
fortune dwindled away by reason of
his prodigal generosity, and in eight
years every cent was gone. jim was
no business man. He had been SO
much occupied in providing for Others
that he had forgotten to provide for
himself. He never looked after his
financial affairs, but just kept draw
ing money out as he needed it and Civ
ing it away right and left. So in the
end of course the crash came, and jim
was as Door as ever. He went to work
at his old trade, but the thought that
he could no longer benefit his fellow
man as he used to, preyed upon his
mind He could not bear to look up
on suffering and be unable to relieve
it, and so, in the course of a very few
months, the worry broke down his
health, and after brief spell he died
and his last act was to will all his lit
tie personal effects to the poor cobblel
who had attended on him in his tina
days.
"a funeral! Gosh, such one as that
was There were more real mOurner'
followed jim to the grave, more tear
stained faces and sorrowing hearts il
that sad procession than ever attend
ed any funeral of king, statesman o.
philosopher. There wasn't spark o
SelfishneSs in Jims whole nature. AL
he thought about was helping Others
and the grief-stricken crowds thai
stood around in that cemetery anC
sobbed aloud in their anguish
when that coffin was lowered into thu
grave, had experienced his generosit,
themselves. The city put a monu
ment over his head, but bah! what's
piece of cold marble amount to? Hi
name is engraved indelibly in tn
hearts of thousands, and they will
hardly ever tire Of telling their chill
; dren and grandchildren in comin
years the sort of man jim Meadow
was"
JOHN s. GREY.
A Mutual Accident.