Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1901-03-15
THE OUTWITTING OF
SORROWFUL JIM.

OF being alive.
For once In three years he was hap.
py, and he had been In that bcatlfc
state for two whole days. The rest Of
the cowboys OF the outfit did not know
what to make Of It. Cnyusc Ike swore
he had been "i0coed," for Allyn had
been nicknamed by the camp Sorrow
full Jim, and to see him boylshly exu-
berant and in gay humor was an I'M
heard of thing until the last day or no.
Allyn had once made the mistake Of
considering life very serious matter
indeed. and then, after trying for a
year to practice law and not getting
any one to practice upon he had given
1t up In disgust and migrated to the
home of opportunity In hope Of getting
rich.
During his Idle hours Allyn had fall
en- In love, and he took that very seri-
Ously also. II went hard with him, for
he had nothing on earth except few
bonds an old aunt had left him. and
the revenue from them did not amount
to $500 a year. At the rate his prac-
tice was not increasing Methusclah
would have been n youngster compared
with Allyn II he waited for the revenue
from his profession to enable him to
marry.
"Jim," she said, "you are acting very
foolishly. What does 1t matter II you
haven't any money! don't want mon
ey. I've got enough, or will have when
am "a. when | get control of II. That
would keep ns very nicely and would
hold us up until you could establish a
paying practice, Now don't be silly"
NELLY" he said solcmnly. 81 cannot
afford to marry now. People would
say that married you for you money,
and don't intend to put myself In
a position where such motive could
be imputed to me. II would he unjust
to me and TO you"
"Well. Jim," and there were tears In
her voice, 81 don't think you are act
ing fairly toward me. Here I am an
orphan, with nobody on the earth TO
love except an old guardian. and !
despise him. You've made me love you
so that life without you will be worse
than no life at all, and now you say
you cannot marry me until you make
what It took my father lifetime TO
accumulate. Why, by that time III
have wrinkles and maybe false teeth
and glasses md be n horrld. snuffy
fussy old woman"
"No. Nell, don't want TO make $780,.
900. If ! had 100000 II would be all
right. And II viii not take long. Out
west will make II quickly. Just you
stand fast and walt for me"
"Oh. I'll wait, but think you are
hateful and pighended Just the same.
Would you marry me II hadn't any
money at allr
Eyes. gladly, and we would be happy
too. You would manage somehow. But
now my self respect Will not allow
me-"
So II was that he went to make his
fortune and ut the same time peace
with his unduly active conscience. TO
his utter disgust he found, after a
years prospecting, that gold mines
were not Mt all plentiful, and that
every foot OF the mountains Ind been
prOspected over time and again. A
year IN Mexico assured him that the
business OF finding silver mines lying
around loose had also played out long
ago. and that It took lots Of capital 10
start ranchIng on paying basis.
Funds were getting low NO he secured
a place rs one OF the herdsmen OF the
XXX outfit aud on account OF his
grave demeanOr was promptly named
by the other cOwpunchers SOrrowful
Jim. And the name stuck to him.
During all his wandcrlngs he had
written to Nell as regularly ms possible
and had begun to regret IN measure
his PurltanIcal conscience. At $40
month and grub he did not see that
fortune was In immediate prospect
Absence had indeed made his heart
grow fonder, and he longcd for sight
OF Nell's laughing eyes and dimpled
face.
Yet he would not acknowledge him.
self beaten or that he would give In.
Much against his inclination he re-
NAMED consumed with desire to see
her. yet impelled to remain IN stlff
necked pride, acting as avant courier
and escort for lot Of wild eyed, long
horned steers, all the while curslng
himself for n fool. So he and the rest
OF the outflt did not have very much In
common together. and he grew more
m M tunt.n "a M InnnIy
Small wonder was II. then. that when
he received letter from her he felt
that his voluntary exile was broken.
His penance was done, and he was free
to return to civilization and Nelly.
"You come on, Jim, dear" the letter
said -"that II, Of course II you care 10
take an almost d0werlcss bride. | have
now only enough left 10 bring me IN
$500 year-exactly what you had. !
do not own another thing on earth.
had concluded That the money without
you II not worth having, and M long
Ms you are so stubborn about II saw
TINT must give In, 10 ! have done NO
gladly. I have got to bc "a, M you
know, and have absolute control over
ny property. 80, In order to get you, 4
have given away my fortune.
"You have cost me nearly 500. 900, soI
I'm OF the opinion that you had BETTER
come on and deliver yourself Up 40 a.
victim. don't proposc7 70 tell you an
other thing about II, as you have no
right 10 know now. After after-oh,
well, some time will tell you what I
did with the rest OF the money. but Just
now II II no affnir Of yours. You will
simply have 10 take my word for II.
Come on, Jim. am anxious TO see
you"
30 IL was that Jim was 80 happy.
He had only two more days to wait: