The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-10

why the dickens don't you go to work,
Jim?'' said Hanks, the groceryman, one day
as jim sat on a salt barrel in the shade
CHIPPING away at the chine with his knife.
Got job you'd like to give mc?" re-
sponded jim in a willing tone, and the groc-
eryman disappeared. He might be anxious
enough to see Jim have job, but he did
not care to assume the relationship of en-
ployer.
AS nothing else of a permanent character
offered itself, Jim concluded, entirely of his
own volition, to fall in love. They say an idle
brain Is the devils workshop. and surely he
found fine place for his business in Jim.
Why Jim ever fell in love nobody could say,
and he did not know himself nor did he
| think it worth the effort to discover. 1t was
enough for him that he was in love- and
he was serious about it, too-so serious in
deed, that he wanted to marry the object Of
his choice forthwith, thereby displaying a
whollysunsuspected energy.
This object was Mary Candy, the black
smith S daughter, and also the village school,
| teacher. She was pretty and bright and she
liked Jim because, although desinclined to
bodily exertion, he was not slow of wit and
| he could talk we'll.
"For goodness sakes, Jimmie" said his
| mother-she called him Jimmie, as if he were
still a boy-"whatever do you want to marry
| for? You can't support yourself, much less
wife and family, and married women can't
schoolteach to support their husbands
! Il dunno, MOTHER replied Jim, whiting
| a stick down to fine point.
| We'll, you ought to know" she said, let
ting her temper show itself ''You just can't
marry, that's ALL You're the uselessest thing
on earth now, and married you'd be worse"
| II guess there's some use for me in the
world, MOTHER jim commended. IF there
hadn't " been, what do you s'pose the Lord
put me here for?"
| She looked him over as he stood in the door,
way, the very picture of careless indifference
and shiftless good nature
Well" she replied, hes the only one that
knows, and he amt told yet
| When Mary Candy discovered that Jim was
beginning to t'act foolish she promptly but
| kindly told him of the utter uselessness of his
suit.
i why don't you want to marry me, Mary ?"
he asked in dull, dazed way, as II not COM
pretending the full purport of her decision.
We've always been friends, and you know
you like me.
| Il know, Jim,'' she said, gently, ''but like
is not love. and one cannot marry without
! love"
''Do you love anybody else?" he asked,
quckening little. I've heard that you
thought good deal of Jack Muran and him
| of YOU
Mary Candy was not coquetting with Jim
| Doty.
Yes, Jim, do" she answered frankly,
'and Jack and are to be married as soon as
school closes for the summer
Jim choked and the tears came to his eyes.
Mother said wasn't any use in the world,
and l guess l amt he said bitterly, hope
lessly.
"Oh yes. you are, JIM" she encouraged
him. Your chance hasn't come yet but it
will"
I,a o;o
turning away, he walked slowly homeward
alone
The village knew what was the matter with
Jim for the next month more, but it was
considerate of his suffering, and he heard no
jeerng word the laugh that hurts.
Two weeks before the school closed Jim
was down at the railroad shops where Jack
Murfn was foreman. He was there chiefly
because he did not happen to be elsewhere at
the moment, and he sitting in the shade
whiting. Possibly he was somewhat more
: active than usual and thinking, for he
had just seen Jack Muffin walking across the
yards toward a gap in the fence, and he knew
the date of Jacks wedding day. They were
not friends i'll the sense of associates but
Jack did not care how much Jim enjoyed him,
self about the place so long as he did not in
terfere with business, and Jim had never been
given to interfering with business if it did not
interfere with him.
Intent upon his thoughts, Jim CONTINUED
2 whiting until presently he was recalled to
his surroundings by shout of alarm. II
, was Jacks voice, and, looking through the
gap in. the fence, he saw Jack lying across
e the rails, with his leg twisted under him and
his foot fast in q frog. He had passed out tc
5 the main tracks, and Jim heard a train COM
t ing Quicker than he had ever moved before
/ in all his stagnant life he cleared the space
between them and stood in the track over his
rivals body. The heavy engine coming down
had been reversed, but too late. and no power
on earth could stop it. But Jim never fall
tered. Lifting the PROSTATE man to sitting
position, he wrenched his foot from the fata
, clutch, and with giants strength he flung
i him outside the rails.
/ When Jinl's body was picked up few min
Q utes later, a little life remained-just flut-
Y tering spark, but enough to give the light that
1 never fades.
y Jim, Jim!' cried Mur1n, taking him in his
arms.
cts all right now, Jack " whispered Jim
opening his eyes and smiling. Mary said
. was some use in the world and my chance
e would come some time Tell her"
:. His words had come painfully and in gasps
e and they stopped with the sentence unfinished
| But Jack knew what to tell Mary.