The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-07-28
CRAZY JIM.
The Story OF How His Life Was
Ruined.

OF winter afternoon an old man was
shambling along q rough country road.
The sky was somber and the landscape
bleak. Cheerlessness pervaded the en-
tire scene. The environment OF the
man was singuiarly In harmony with
his forlorn appearance and misfor-
tunes Like the trees that had been
deprived OF their summer foliage and
waved bare, gaunt branches over his
head, he had lost what Is beautiful and
| joyful In life.
The air was bitterly cold. and the
aged traveller shivered in his insufficient
clothing. From head 10 foot his aspect
was that OF tramp. His misshapen
old soft hat with holes in Its crown, the
dirty comforter around his neck. tho
tattered suit Of clothes. his great.
coarse shoes broken open at the sides.
all bore testimony TO the poverty and
neglect which he endured. But his
bent figure, his dull sad face. wrinkled
and peaked, showing the effects OF q
continual struggle with discomforts,
| contributed far more 70 his pathetic
| appearance than did his bad apparel
He carried In his hand q rough and
heavy stick, which he used as cane,
and now and then he thumped IL
against the ground with an energy
surprising in one who looked so'feeble-
His eyes, never wandering TO tho right
nor to the left, were bent steadfastly
downward. The mind of the singular
being was absorbed with troubled
thoughts; he mutterod continually and
quite loudly, and occasionally shook
| his head like one who was filed with
perplexity.
Al a turn In the road few rods
ahead Of him two boys came in sight
and gazed at him curiously. One OF
the boys had recently arrived from the
city TO visit his grandmother. who
lived In the neighborhood. He regard
| ed the approaching codger with some
alarm, but his companion quickly reaa-
sured him
1T Is only Crazy jim" said Robert
Mallory. HE looks savage, but he
| would not harm mouse"
al am glad 10 hear you say he Is
harmless, for was afraid he might at
tack US with that big stick" answered
Thomas Berkins
"He does not look at any person or
talk To anyone unless he Is first spoken
Co." said Robert
| whats the matter with him2"
"He IL love cracked. they say. IL Is
the usual story which we hear about
these old hermits VIII o bury themselves
| I'm woods and caves. II Is related that
when he was q young man he was un-
commonly smart and handsome He
dressed well. indeed, was almost
dude, although TO look at him now one
can scarcely believe It. His folks were
respectable, but not wealthy. He fell
In love with the daughter OF million.
aire, and she was Just as much In love
as no was; but her cruel father sep
arated them, and few years later she
married somebody else. Jim became
melancholy and partially lost his wits
After his parents died he wandered
away from home. and has had no one
To care for him since. For twenty
wears he has lived In a howell in the
midst OF q forest about a mile from
here"
Robert ceased talking as Jim was
about 20 pass the boys
Hello. JIM" cried the country lad.
"Howdy do" answered Jim, absently.
"Whcrc's your mind, old manP"
.Tt's with her. Oh, cannot find
her. I cannot find herl WIN not the
good Lord ever let me sec her face
AGAIN."
There was pathos In the trembling
tones which prevented the boys from
disturbing Jim with further questions.
A few days later the two friends Wis
tied the hermits abode. He was not
there, bat the door was open and they
walked In. II did not take long To sat
isfy their curiosity. The hut hovel,
IL can be called, had no floor, and on
tho ground were scattered the wretch
cd belongings. consisting of a small
rusty stove In one corner, a few cook
ing utensils, an AZ, piles OF wood. d.
lspidated wearing apparel, and miscei-
laneous articles of small value. Slung
from two big hooks was the hammock
In which the hermit slept The dirt
and disorder disgustcd the boys, and
they were about TO leave when Thomas
saw on the only shelf In the one apart.
ment small Bible which had evident
iy been placed there with care. He
opened the book and read on an un-
printed page next 70 the title page
these words: James A. Symington.
From his friend Mabel r. Conroy."
Thomas turned pale and stared at the
words, reading them several umes as
II he were speli-bound He put the
book back on the shelf and controlling
with difficulty the intense excitement
under which ne labored, Joined his
companion The two walked into the
open air, and soon were beyond the
borders OF the forest
Thomas went TO the home of his
grandmother, MIRA arlington, which
was q large and handsome house about
three miles distant from the abode Of
Crazy Jim. Mrs Harrington was a
widow, aced sixty-ave years She h ad
not lived happily with her husband,
1 - af,o~ hta daath had roti rod 20 the