Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-06-02
TTaut the Dreamer
WONDERFUL THINGS HAP
PENED. TO HIM.
BY HARRIS.

my Traut-Grimm'S and The ARABIAN
Nights OF course there were other
fairy stories Jimmy got hold of where
magic finder boxes, rings, lamps and
the like brought treasure and conse-
quent happiness to their lucky possess
ors.
Jimmy used to dream over these de-
lightful happenings by the hour IL
his childhood. and he found it a great
comfort. When he was struggling
with his home lessons that tangled
themselves UP hopelessly in his puzzled
brain Il was so sweet to imagine some
beneicent brownie or other appearing
Unexpectedly to wave a wand and u
the exasperating examples 70 arrange
ton on the tear-blistered paper before
him, and to picture the subsequent
surprise and tlattering concentrations
of his teacher. Or when circus day
was approaching and he was bemoan-
ing the parsimony of his parents, face
downward In the clover in a secluded
corner OF the orchard, then to think OF
a leprechuan whom he might seize and
squeeze out the price of a whole row
of the best reserved seatsl What pots
of gold Jimmy discovered at rainbows'
ends; what plumber OF robber bands in
secret caves: what wishes he wished In
series of threesl Well, W. all have
wished and imagined the same things,
| suppose, only we get over such nom
sense as we grow older. Jimmy never
did.
He came TO the city. He did not at
all intend to stay there. He would
merely remain long enough to make a
fortune and then return to dazzle ev-
erybody with his splendor and munifi-
cence for the rest OF his days. II jim
my's dreams had come true poverty
would have been abolished in that lit
tie village OF his, | can tell you.
But the dreams didn't seem to come
true. Jimmy wasn't much more than
an errand boy at first and Ii was rather
rough shedding for him. The boss
didn't call him in and after telling him
that he had observed with gratiica-
ton the evident devotion to the BUSH
ness he, Jimmy, had displayed. make
him a junior partner. The only time
the young man was called into the sa-
cred presence during the first year was
when he was informed that the next
time he took an hour and a half to go
from Market street to State street and
back he would be fred.
He rose TO his clerkship, for, in spite
of his dreaming, he could and did work
in a way and he was liked. Nobody
could help liking Jimmy. He had lit
tie to say for himself, but he had a
wonderfully ready smile and an equal
ly ready sympathy for anybody's trou-
bles. He was careless with his money,
too, 1t may be remarked. He didn't
have a great deal, but what he had
anybody could get away from him. Ho
was what is known as an easy mark"
In the course of a few years he had
one OF the great happinesses Of his life.
He met the princess. She was the only
daughter OF his employer and was
young and beautiful. Jimmy opened
the door for her as she came in one
day and she smiled graciously at him
as a princess should, and ten minutes
after that Jimmy had won her blush
ing acknowledgment of her love for
him and her fathers consent to their
union. The same old partnership fol-
lowed, of course. Just then Tammit,
the chief clerk, touched him on tho
shoulder and said: IF you've got those
invoices ready, Mr.. Traut, I'll take
'em."
For two years that happiness lasted
and then the princess married Albert
P. Wrenshaw, OF Wrenshaw G. Biddles.
Perhaps that ought to have cured Jim
my, but It didn't.
At last Jimmy married. If Mrs.
Traut was not really the princess, she
was at least a mighty capable woman
and did wonders with Jimmy's small
salary. 1t was certainly a wonder that
she could make IL stretch TO the needs
Of that family, for II got to be a siza-
BILE family in time. She was rather In
tolerant Of Jimmy's dreaming-his
speculations on the convenience, for in
stance. OF a tablecloth that whenever
spread instantly covered itself with a
square meal, adjusted in size to the
appetites of any lumber of persons
who should sit around It; or a carpet
that would solve the question Of family
transportation to Michigan for the an
nual two weeks vacation. 1t was non
But for all that Jimmy Toasted
royalty on the rare viands OF the magic
tablecloth and voyaged on the carpet.
not only to Michigan but to all the
Spice Islands, distant Adens and Tom
Tiddler's grounds OF which he had ever
heard or read; and the children Toasted
with him and journeyed with him.
People used to say, Jimmy Traut
must have a hard time OF It." 1t lid
look a little that way to a superficial
observer. Up in the morning early.
down to the mill that ground him.
Work, work! Day in and day out, rain
or shine. wet or dry. and for recon-
pense shabby clothing. scantv fare and