The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-08-18

and lops on q bit. Well. as might be sup
posed. sence Jimmie stopped growing
about tree gineratuns ago, the supply
OF stump " jest o give out; n whin
cuttin' is again a necessity, TN hsve TO be
sticks Into e~tarnity foriver and a day.
Now. I'm his r~c-idooary legttee. large;
and like all hairs must watch out until
my in'treet becomes visited. You see |
was a workin' up la the 'orrpital a month
or 90 ago, and Pcg-leg Jimmie was over
In a Garner. gittun better arter a operatun,
In order TO git wuss agin. Loppin' on
was eech an old story To the student and
the steward hat they didn't pay much
attentun To Jimmie. VIII lay a cussin' at
the flies. while they wa swillin' 'orspital
whiskey and playin' caseen Tor phIgs In
the side room. Icudn't help but Peel that
n | whit on for the mkt twenty year ~ |
had gon. on for the past twinty, |. too.
might he a layin' helpless and hopeless
In q 'or-pital cot, with nothin' 20 look
for'ad to nut a bump down the stairs In q
box. and a jolt In n cart 10 potter's field.
and Re damned 20 II. 30 ! eased him along.
~ well as ! cud, sittun' a fresh marsh
grass pillow and a coverlid with r~d spots
In II from the storekeeDer ana an old paper
on the barber. and secE.
.One day when no one was around old
Jimmie hauled ont a ht Of battered news
pSper from his waistband. and Read that
on the c. e., he said
Well. large, | did that same It vas a
long account of a Lost mine out In the Tar
West. known a. the Peg-Ies claim. Years
ago Il whit on TO say. there was a wuthless
sort OF cuss called Peg Leg Jimmie. hangin'
round tho diggin's, nivcr dom much. yet
very flush AZ times. and hin dwindlin'
down, as he and The boys drank Il up. Well
each time. Jest afore he went broke. he'd
be missun for a week, say; and thin hack
he'd stump, all wore down thin from tile
and esposur' with his pockets full Of mug
gets Of pure gold TO set " up again. They
watched him, they did, and tired to follow
him. They med him sll sorts OF ofYers, but
he managed TO avide them, and AZ for glvin,
mp and takin' shecrs In a comp1ny, no, sireel
Tho ~ Of KNOWN where II was and h IT,
was. with nobody else KNOWN nothin'
about it-that was good enough for Peg
Leg Jimmie. large. Thin. Jest as the
widest OF him was oontrivin q plan 20
cook IL out Of him over the campfire, he
disappeared. this time for good and nothin'
eence had liver besn heard Of him or Of his
mine Of pure gold.
That's me. Smithsrs.' whispered Peg
Log, after | had pursued the docymint TO
the ind. and bein' a. you've been 20 kind
to me. why, III put q chart To that worry
and whin you goes out you'll he the richest
man in the world.
What I've done and will do h g%ratootus.
II you changes your request to-mor-
row. But wudn't IL make you more easy
like to give over the chart now, for fear
Of some distrissin' accident
But no, he said. the sec rel was the only
comfort he had left. q thinkin' how all those
who were enjyin' themselves without a
thought Of his misery wud he a tinderly
nussin' Of him did they but SUSPECT the
trut'. but niver fear he knowed jest about
how long the stun wud Last. and afore
the socket wa reached. he'd keep his word
SO, large. you see you've got romethin'
TO live for. and TO lux for r TO, for what's
mine Is yours. and we'll he the r'hest men
on cart jintly.'
must say that this story greatly ex-
cited me, told at It was by smithors in that
breathles- whisper which old convicts
cultivate, What a prospect, what a glo.
rious prospect " only the old fellow would
we thus talked the dsy had waned. and
the dull, early. prison twilight fallen. Al
ready the hallmen ~ ~ going the rounds,
With their long poles. turning higher tho
~eNer-burning g~as-Jets. Wa stif from
sitting so long In a cramped position on
thoughts within me demanded some phyri:
cal expression. | sprang to my feet and
the two strides our space permitted.
.Oh.- I cried. In a frenzy OF longing.
pass: then. oh, then. ! shall be Gentleman
Ringgold once more''
Hist warned Smither~, dragging me
TO the rear OF the coll, and etill speaking
In tones barely audible despite HE energy;
don't you know any better than 10 yell
your real name tina, way in a prison,
LUX. man. the mi-chiefs done aready.'
and he pointed 20 a shadow on the cor
white-~ashed wall. which clearly
that the occupant Of tho adjacent
cell to the left was standing with his ear
TO the stone partition
slim Wsfie-p- ! asked. a. the shadow.
~ II satisfied, faded away:
Tho same" replied Smithers gloomily,
and he won't do a ting hut revale your
To the old man at tho fust oppor.
! wudn't mind ~ much II We had
the reg'lsr, commemorative old time warden
TO deal with. but We h'aint. This man Is
new to the biz, full Of consclent 'us princi-
ples and crank idse~ of reform. and anx'us
10 make a name for his-elf AZ a panolo-
gist. whatever that means. " he had his
a man Of your career wud be KEEP
up world without ind. 80 cant you
.ee what he's sure TO do, large, whin he
hears, as he's sartin TO hear, that instid
~ being some obscure Grnntley or ddc
really the no,or'us Gentleman
Couldn't I see; An. with a shudder l
the day OF my arrest, when a de-
lective at h~eadquarters. trying to iden-
tify me. had run over the hue-and- cries
and ofered-rewards for poor George Ring
~ Sfnltnerr Nas tiEuts -Nn'ns ENpi-
by to liberty. TO my joint share In the
greatest fortune on earth, 10 oil the re
pleasures and Injuries Of life.
saw myself. taken from prison 20 jail.
md from Jail TO prison, until. an old man.
still In tho grasp of the Law. ] found e-cap"
N that awful. Anal bump down the stairs
N n bos and jolt In a cart 10 potter's field
A weak passed. a dragging. weary week
81 recurring a~pprehensions and family
hopes. Perhaps. after all. SHIN
had kept my secret 70 himself.
had never harmed him In any way per-
hap@ the warden had tcsun To feel that
strange sympathy and fellowship with
which would cause a veteran OF
his class 90 ", well enough alone and not
meddle with what did not concern him.
Even ~ | was daring TO thus console myself
,nc evening I heard a strong. slow stop
an the gallery. strong and slow. coming
1carcr and nearer with the inevitable
i~elibcratenca- 81 fate
The old man. whispered Smi,hcrs.
The warden paused In front Of the graf
a swarthy. stalwar' man., with nervous
lore. latent. vet psteni IN every glano"
md movement Ne iurn@si a great black
inlishtod cigar W. his mouth t~fore he
SPOKE
Il thought I, hut right M tell you, Ring
rold.s n, length he said. that tho police
have got YOU dead 10 rights The OBTAINING
rnrrnnts are coming into the ofic~ every
and on he passed.
va. too dej~fei. too overcome, 10
With nv head In nv hands ! SAT
mi ah.prl.rd In oDe comfrnsattng thought.