The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-08-10

hastily washed this away and was
glad to see that no more followed the
first flow. He poured out some whis-
ky, this time not mixing it with water,
and made her swallow it. She lay still
for some time, gazing stolidly up with
her sightless eyes, but presently made
sign that she wished to speak again.
Mr.. Mitchell tried to dissuade her, fear
ing fatal result if she should further
exert herself, but she insisted upon
having her will. so he stopped over
her, bidding her to speak low, that she
might not tire herself unnecessarily.
.sAll right" she said, almost in
whisper. "I'll go easy. But l amt
finished yet. You said you was Jim's
friend Well, I'm dreadful afraid for
him" She had now relapsed into her
coarser manner of speech.
"Why need you fear for him?" asked
Mr.. Mitchell. "Jim can take care Of
himself"
eyes; Jim's clever, and it'll be fly
cop ASH take him. But they all get
pinched some day. | shouldn't mind
if it was only for burglary or some
thing like that, but 1 think of that
monkey, and when dream of it often
the monkey changes. and it's Jim as
is hanging there-my Jim, my own
boy, hanging by the neck! oh, no,
no! God in heaven, if there is one,
hear poor dying woman's prayer and
don't let my boy come to that! Save
him, save him!"
Come, come. This is merely night
mare. You have nothing of that sort
to fear. Why should you think of such
dreadful thing?"
"Ah I've thought of it and thought
of it manys the long night through!
I've worked it all out, so natural that
sometimes l think it's fate and must
come true"
''But why?'
"Listen! Suppose Jim was ever to
find out who his father is. He's alive
yet and lives in this town. | know,
because seen him myself not month
ago. He's the same beast he always
was, too, cause seen him look about
slylike. and when he thought nobody
was watching he kicked a little child
that was lying on the pavement, and
when it screamed he laughed and
walked away. Now. suppose my Jim
mad seen that and had known the
man for his father. Do you know
what? Jim would have been at his
throat like a tiger and would have
strangled him 10 DEATH Wouldn't it
be awful for my Jim to hang for kill
ing beast like his father?''
'Ah but he does not know who his
father is. does he?"
"Now we come to it, Now you'll see
why I've told you all this yarn. jim
don't know now: leastways I've never
told him. But there's papers as would
tell him if he found them after I'm
gone. papers ! ought to have burnt
long ago. but never had the heart
I've lit fire special to do it. Then l
would think I'd just read them over
o.ce more, and in the end I'd tie then
up and put them away again"
, 'And where are these paperS?'
''Fll tell you. want you to take
| them, to keep them away from jim
, and yet to keep them for Jim too"
{ How do you mean for JIM"
''Why. don't sou see, if the wors
come to worst. why, you could maybe
i show them papers 20 the judge snd tel
|. him as how jim couldn't help it, tina
t he was born criminal and that til,
r very man he killed brought him int,
the world with the brand of Cain OF
: him. That would count. wouldn't it
i 1t ought to, don't you think? No judg
Ia ~ TO hon lin
g after that. would he? No. The paper
n III save him! The papers II save him
h You take the papers, there in that oil
J, box on the shelf there. Jim thinks it,
J. my workboX. cause there's needles an,
y thread on top. But the papers is on tn
e bottom all right. You find them, don
o you? You've got them all right? You'll
e keep them to save Jim with, Won
e you? Pm dying. and you wouldn't be
u tray an old woman like me, would you
1T You'll-look-ou Jim?"
= Mr.. Mitchell had gone to the shell
It and opened the box, and as she hear
y him rummaging through the miscell;
l. neOus lot of trash her anxiety ha
20 grown so that she had raised hersel
e up in bed and, forgetful of her blint
S, ness was gazing toward him, while he
J. words flowed fast and feverishly unit
at last she was forced to stop becaus
of another gush of blood from he
mouth. Mr.. Mitchell had just found til
papers when he heard her groan as ST.
sank back on the cot. One glance SHOW
ed him that she was now in desperat
condition, and, thrusting the packet il
to his breast pocket, he FASTENED to ht
assistance
At this opportune moment the doc
burst open, and Preacher Jim rushe
in, followed by the doctor.
rs she alve?" cried Preacher Jir
rushing up and falling to his kne,
beside his mother. My God. whel
does all that blood come from?''
She has been doing very we'll unit
just moment ago SAID Mr.. Mitcht
when this hemorrhage came on
Then, rising, he addressed the docto
on ''She tells me, doctor, that she BEGAN
suddenly blind and fell on the stair