The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-27
JESS AND JOHNNY.
A Charming Love Story /.
BY ANNIE HAMILTON DoNNELL.

4
swer stolidly, and gone about among
his looms with the plodding step of an
| old man. Jess had missed his sweet,
shrill whistle above the muffied thun-
| der OF machines. Johnny had always
whistled loudly for Jess to hear; she
had told him once that it shortened
the hours. Now he never whistied ct
all. When he met Jess it was just a
grave nod of his head he gave her. She
was forced to get along with that.
On one of the autumn days Jess took
| the Little Tn TO the works with her,
| because granny was ailing, and his
noise fretted her sadly. He had never
been among the looms times enough
! to get used to their whirring, ceaseless
activity. The novelty of it amused
him. and for a long time he crouched
contentedly by Jess He was so still
| she forgot at last that he was there.
and when he crept away on little trip
| of discovery she did not notice. She
was minding her loom in daze of
broken dreams, and only the mechani-
cal training of her eyes to detect i'm
projections and the prompt response of
her fingers to correct them prevented
trouble. Her Well-drilled sight and
muscles stood guard while she dream
ed.
In the middle of the afternoon COM
| motion arose at the further end of the
great room. People ran about, and
there were excited shouts and one
shrilI. clear, frightened cry like a
child's. Jess eyes and ears were I'M
trained to such sounds. They failed to
reach her. She worked on dreamily.
Some one beside her shook her arm and
shrieked at her.
Jess. Quick, Jess, Somebody's
caught in the shaftin'. Let's 600,
hear 'em shoutin'! Hurry can't you?"
H1It ell n
dreams. She was the last one TO mix
in the excited little crowd. The girls
and men We're waiting for her with
solemn faces. They made q straight
path for her to the motionless form on
the floor. The Little I'm, with torn
clothes, stumbled out of somebody's
arms and met her half way.
I'm killed. o. Jess, I'm killed. he
sobbed unanimously. His poor little
twisted body was quivering like little
shriveled leaf in the wind. I'm killed
all to pieces-it kept going round and
round. 1t wouldn't stop-Jess, Jess,
listen.,"
But the girl had thrust him aside and
darted ahead to Johnny, on the floor.
He lay in crushed heap, and even the
men covered their eyes. One or two
We're sobbing like the Little Un.
Where we goin' to carry him to?"
muttered Tim Bradlee, huskily. John
ny didn't have no home nor no folks"
He used the past tense unconsciously.
This was not Johnny now-it had been.
The girls stood about, wringing their
hands Historically.
He warnt worth it-such a little
humpbacked thing" somebody said
shrilly.
Ssh, can't you? Do you want Jess
to hear?" cried some one else. But
there was no danger. Jess was wiping
the blood from Johnny's face She had
only heard Tim Bradlee. With a sud-
den movement she stooo before him.
Garry Johnny to my house, Tim,'
she said quietly. He belongs to me.
I'm going to marry him"
The girls voice rang out distinctly.
There was no culver of doubt or of
shame in it. She faced them all splen-
didly. One of the girls uttered a ner-
vous sound that might have been a
sob or a laugh. Jess caught the look
on her face.
Il am going to marry Johnny" she
repeated sharply. 20, you needn't look
that way, Moll Dixey! Johnny amt
dead. He belongs to me and l tell you
I'm going to marry him. Won't some
body carry him to my house? Has any
body gone for doctor?"
Yes, yes, two of the boys volun-
teered many voices. He'd ought to be
boyS-easy'
If Johnny had been a baby instead of
brawny, crushed giant they could
not have carried him more tenderly
down the straight road outlined in
crimson and gold. Relays followed.
and the poor, unconscious load was
shifted occasionally with the gentleness
of mothers handling their babies. Jess
and the Little I'm went ahead. The
child was sobbing still under his breath
and his little torn clothes trailed. I'M
noticed, behind him. The horror of the
terrible minute before Johnny sprung
to his rescue was over-keen for his IN
balanced little mind.
I'm killed, I'm killed!' he moaned.
with patient reiteration. you'd just
as lieve I'd be killed, Jess yes you
would, too, You amt sorry"
And Jess was not even thinking of the
Little Tn. She had forgotten him for
once.
When Johnny woke out of his stupor
he thought he had gone to heaven and
one of the angels was bending over
him. She was very sweet and gentle
why, it was Jess, Then Jess had gone
to heaven, too? Johnny experienced a
sense of relief at the thought. 1t would
not be real heaven without Jess.
"Jess-little girl he whispered, when
did YOU Gomez
On JO1nuS, uOIl Talk. les, ii 5 me.
It's jess. I'm taking care o you. You
have mad d kind of-of sickness. Shr
And Johnny closed his eyes again,
with q. great joy mastering his pain.
4 Slowly, very slowly, mis- awful bruises
yielded 10 the gentle ministry of ma
ture-and Jess. Very slowly Johnny
numbered back to life. The little settle
ment of Liberty had been under snow
for month or more before he saw it
again.
At first Jess had stayed away from
the works to nurse him. then she had
gradually trusted him more and more
10 granny. She could not lose the
money she earned at the looms.
One day Johnny sat up in bed and de-
manded a looking-glass. Jess was at
the factory. The Little I'm sat on the
foot of the bed playing with d bit OF
bright string.
lookin glass is, hev? Well. you run
and fetch me one" said Johnny.
4 know the Little Tn cried. de-
lightedly. I've got one myself 1t
came out o. winder and you can look
through it and see the trees and the
snow
mo, no; ask granny. Granny'u
know" the sick man said fretfully.
Granny came in with the looking
glass. as a last resort, behind her. for
Jess haG said 40. She looked fright
ened.
There, there, Johnny-there. there;
you go right TO sleep and git rested up.
Or, if you'd ruther. I'll fetch you in
some beautiful porridge. Jess made it,"
she added. artfully.
Fetch me iOokin' glass" roared
Johnny I've been feelin' over my
face-there's something wrong with