The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-09-15
sweet VOICED
GOBBLERVICTiM
} OF PRESSURE
Good Worker But Could
Not Compete In Mod
ern World

3, For many years after coming
from Italy 25 years ago. Jim
1 DImoga had worked as a cobbler,
4 His little shop on Water. street was
known to every working man and
< lid IN the neIghborhood as the
place where a workmanlike job
could be had at a reasonable price.
J, as he worked, he sang,-old Italian
folk songs, gems from the grand
opera, the high masS-Rnd always
altar school there would be a gang
+ % Kids at his door listening and
swakching his deft manipulattons Of
the leather as he cut and fitted.
Bswed and tackled, until at last the
Job was done and another started.
Sometimes when the kids became
unFply, he threatened to cut of
their ears with his sharp knife that
could cut through the white oak
sole leather q half inch thick as II
we're so much butter. Such
threats, however, were usually re-
ceIved with shouts OF derision, for
we'll did his little tormentors know
that Jim wouldn't cut OF the earn
5gof q flea.
Z And jim was happy IN that peace
\ Of mind that comes with work we'll
done and appreciated
But at last evil days came Upon
him. Modern machinery that could
as the work OF ten men, was in
vented. The field was invaded by
81 lot Of youngsters who had never
s1eaSned the trade, but had money
to buy the new machinery that re.
sQnlFed little skill to operate. Fan
e. Shoe hospitals" sprang up on
tJovAry hand. With these Jim coulo
not compete with the archaic meth.
DDS he had learned in Sunny Italy
and finally, Jim. the Shoemaker,
as he is known, had to quit.
From that time, things went
from bad to worse. He sought work
in other lines, but he was getting
old, and could not do the heavy
work required Of common laboreTs,
Time after time, he was supplant'
ed by the lusty young manhood that
the approaching hard times had
made It easy for the bosses to hire.
Jfm's little savings dTindled. van:
tshed completely. Then followed
the search for a place to sleep, for
scraps to eat. Sometimes kind
i hearted woman would call Him in
and feed him, but Jim was too proud
to be a good beggar. He hadn't
done that when be could work and
s ne seldom went bacRto anyone who
shad befriended him in that way
Yesterday afternoon, word came
J 10 Chief Snider that q man was ~
ing sick and helpless on the river
bank near the foundations OF the
new million dollar bridge. It was
Jim.
For the past t~o weeks, Jim has
been sleeping In the city tool house
on Cleveland avenue. Yesterday
morning he started out-he didn't
know where-but, hungry and weak
and wretched. he lay down before
he had taken many taltertng steps.
And there the Chief found him.
what's the matter, Jim?" asked
Or, Criss, as he came to attend
Jim IN answer to an urgent call a
few minutes later.
tLilla blt-seeck," said Jim, halt.
insly, with Pttlful smile "Lilla
4 bit.tired, No can work. No got
Job, anyhow"
you're not SO sick. Jim" said
the doctor, cheerily. You're Just
void and, maybe, little bit worn
out" Jim Is 73 years old. "All
YOU need is some good food, milk
and eggs and meat and nice clean
place to SLEEP and you'll be all
right. Ard that's what we're going
to do for you
q And they did. Later IN the after.
noon, Jim was given an automobile
Ride to the county farm, where he
will be cared for.
eIsn't It shane?" said love
IL little Italian girl last night. That
e. that's what the reporter took
her to be. She had large. dark