Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-27
In Memory Of "0Id jim."

"Old Jim Is dead long live odd
Jim We shall miss him on the street
the firemen will miss him when the bell
clangs the alarm, and HI Thing will
miss him for many years to come. when
he goes out 10 do the chores" in the
morning. at noon ana at night The
writer knew Jim well, when Jim was a
baby and when in after years he grew
to be one of the firmest of the towns
landmarks and particular features
There always Wass something about jim
that would attract your attention At
once, particularly if you had an apple
in your hand. Jun was partial 80
apples and ne was not fussy about the
variety either
OF course every body in Skow hogan
| knows that | am writing about H. +.
Things Old horse Jim. No one shall
say me nay when | call the faithful
| old beast him" for ne has hauled a
| lot of hims to the watChhouse that
were moi half as intelligent. in some
! ways, as was Jim. You see HI
bought Jim for the trucking business.
| and in his prime Jim was way up
among the chorus. Then again Iii was
| employed by the village corporation to
| haul one or more of the trucks of the
! fire department to the fires, that Skow-
| hogan has her share of each year. Tue
| writer was for many years a member Of
| The hook and ladder company. ard it
was to this truck that Jim was assigne..
! when duty called Who is there of the
Old lime fire department. that does not
| recall how the hooks" got at the fire
| first? And IL was all on account of
| jim. He knew the sound of the bell
that said. in it's brazen tones. there
was a fire. There was trouble right
| away If there was not some one around
to pilot him to the fire at once, and Il
| is known that he went to the engine
| house alone at one time. The boys were
glad To see him of course and jim
seemed to understand that they APP
preeiated his services, for the way h..
sailed down to~that fire was a caution.
| He grew to hprsehood, did the gallant
fellow. and made a record for himself
running with the machine" If per-
son was kind to him he remembered K
| like an Indian and the writer has seen
the time that he would fight for old
Jim as soon as he would for his coun-
| try. Jim's owner. and a few of his
| PAL tltuidi tHuilS, tnDSe OF tne bremen
| who gave him sweetmealS, could cal
him any distance down the street away
| from anything, and he would go down
| through the street and never touch
en- once. He was a premier at back
ing a load and he generally backed I'M
til he struck something solid Speak to
him and he would look around at you
to see what you wanted. Shout your
| orders to him and he would obey He
| was not afraid of fire or water but
| seemed to be in clover when he was
working in connection with either
Well. he is no more. He has gone
where all good horses go. He was
| twenty years old and had seen much
of life. He always had the best of care
| but ailment got the better of his hardy
| nature and he began to be a trial 10
| himself. living, so Mr. Thing concludes
| to lay him away on the hillside and i
was done. He was a faithful beast. He
served his master Well. lie had a hos;
of friends. There rever was another
| just like him. He WI answer the fire
| peH no longer; no more hard pulls: no
more freighting for him; he did his
| work well and we I'll liked him.