Show SECOND EC ND PRIZE ST STORY 4 4 This story stan was awarded H second Prize In ln The Thc Telegrams Telegram's PrIze story Contest f TITlE THE M TO MANS MAN'S STORY Jr e 4 J I BY R- R r N. N MOFFAT I Ive I've ve no words to tell you ou sir how f Is the he only one that s seems s to link dearly I love ove that child Wh Why sir Ir he to earth and the world seems brighter 1 and better hetter to rae me bee because us little Jim came to live in It Sarah ray 11 wife Ie died the same Rame year r Jim the was born and it seemed to me all li affection I had given en to his mother I looked was lavished on her child and when at nt him him I seemed med t ther to see c the her life laughing e eye e ot or the girl who pledged to me rae on that inter night ten years ears ago going home canco in the from the meeting house where ere the folks had met to bid Joe Joo Davis goodbye goodbye good good- bye and ana to him luck durIng the years yeans he would be away from home l Idid not know that J Joe had loved Sarah until long after acter she was wife and then m ray only heard of oC It from the tho who kind m sue t that hat fat Joe Toe Davis Davs had left lett home were enough to tell beca because se Sarah had shown a a. preference Jr ity r company Compan Whatever 1 Sarah In for saw sav me to male make her owe love me was something some some- thing that not only puzzled m me but ut et try eVry ly o on one else c who knew us both Davis l had ud d the S education and n ways way Of or a gentleman leman V T ler ter an and I there wasn't bett better bet bet- judge of horse ll sh for tor miles a or write wile rr my own Mme flame name Davis ls had around one but at that time timo I C couldn't Mn t read oC 0 o the bench finest farms on the thc Provo I had five younger im hr and lr j g for lor and what wl with trump feeding and anu sisters to look after arter and make a to school them I wa va never able to go bO Our were both dead I and sometimes or th it H did seem ns as It if the Almighty was laid prett scourge pretty heavily on my shoulders But for all that SarAh loved and me and was wa not ashamed to show It and pure sw sweet et love 10 did more for me inc than After Atter we ore wera married she h hc anything else elRe C could J have hae ve done used to sit t up ot at night an arul teach how ow spell pell read and write I Inc me to o learned so l Io that I up but her Ir sometimes felt Cell like giving It cheery Pry again Hubby she n ah always 8 called seem seem-eI mo inc Hubby to make the lesson easy and po 0 at last I things went vent on as usual not could write rIte a pretty fair letter I change In our simple life liCe until UI mind to my go to Salt Lak City and p 1 N tl a r in fn Jet get Work for you ou see c e ex- ex ou our home and w re not hind or oC Particularly well fixed for that IT I make A t long story short hort I was lucky and found Cound I cars and though h only a a. er work worl on the street there emed 1 to turn out for tor lily good The boys seemed c mcd to like me mC eM and the old man God bless him va more nore Uke t A father to me than any ont oat else I had ever known anti and often orten when he saw me he would Inquito about my home Little things which lq teemed t trifleS all helped d to lo cheer theer I m my life liCe and dont don't know how ho hoI I have borne borno that separation from PW my wire vite wIthout tt them y Pile ny I. I fo gat a 0 letter oh in Buch a 1 l letter I l hurried to j T the thc superintendent and l ho o cd It to him I him smile saw J I as he hc V read It b but t at ot last he looked it at zac Je and said M T Vell Well I suppose you OU U must adv wt ni go but come back when youre you're t ready a We nO need d such men as wt you It t was as not much to bo bc sure hut but his words made maie me feel good Did you ever ever ride on a train going some place where you OU felt that th the greatest bluing ln of oC all your life wo was was walling fo for you and did not notice noller how v slow slowly the train seemed se to move that the rattle of or the wheels scarcely scarcely seemed 1 ko he as fast Cast as a th the f h beating of oC that Ua y your Ur heart hoart art and did you wish for or wings whIgs you might soar roar Into away asay space and anti drop your our body where your our heart already already ayas was Well Vell that Is exactly how liow I felt fell your But lInt all aU things must have e an nn end and at lust last I arrived ed home I noticed L n. n buggy SID at the ate g-ate anti nn my wires wire's mo mother her hustling around un the o house o I I stood for tor a few lew moments before r I felt CEll cit able to go Inside and standing there in touch uch a dream as heaven sends nd to I Infant luau I l heard hard an Infants Infant's cry The spell was vai broken and In another Instant I had Sarah i 1 la m my arms cr erld eri- eri nS b ber hr r Our hearts were too full ull for tor wo words ls and In hit w returned our thanks to that wise providence pro who all things thinS's well Gently P ln herself herselt from my embrace Sarah Sara shyly turned d down wn the bedding an and looked lovingly at the face lace by her side I picked It up Was It only a fancy Q of mine or did the baby hauy smile I would not have chan changed l C places with any allY man on earth that day I was the happiest t man in Springville Well after a while we got to talking of ot every day matters and then I learned that Jo Joe Davis had come home again ogain and that he had been down to S see sec Sarah Harah that he had helped her It in lq different ways and id somehow I hated Joe Davis DaIs While we were talking talking- about him lie ile came in m and asked to cee ree ec the baby The demon of Jealousy jealous had got bot possession of oC me inc and I could not return the honest manly grip he lie gave VO me Joe noticed the difference c and did not stay long and ond somehow after he left letL the tho house I felt Celt as ns If I could not be the thc same sante man again Ie 1 a few days Sarah began besun to move around and I began to get ready to b back ck to work I 1 had forgotten all about go Davis nail ami w e were r re talking happily of ot the thc home iome we would soon boon have hwe in the city for you OU S ses we v intended to move to town and had made man many bright plans plaus for tho the future We Ve were sitting alone the night before I left home Then it was I told toM her to be he careful and rot fot do too much work vork and she laughingly replied Have o no fear Cear for or me Hubby When I find anything too hard for me mC Ill I'll send for Joe Davis ls Joe Davis Davis' How the name hurt me It seemed emed as If ie I had received a blow blow- that shattered m my every cry hope I was an angry y In an Instant t and could not h help ll it Sarah no matter malter what hat happens n I want you ou to leave Joe Davis Davia alone We e dont don't want an any help from him She felt the doubt my words Implied and I saw a look of oC horror come conic It to her e eyes cs I saw h her h-er r lip tremble but phe he an gently Very ery well Hubby don't dont bo be cross But little else passed between us that night I lay Jay awake a prey to my jealous fears She Sho thinking I had gone to sleep p. p Silt sat up In bed an antI and Hissed me I f feigned to be asleep p and felt and saw her tears fall In sll nce Strange that Jealousy should hould so benumb the feelings of tho the heart and constrain one ono to deny to himself the boon he lie la Is so eager cager r t to possess By rJ morning I had gAined ned control of m myself and there was no lack of fer vor In the thc 1 kiss 1 with which we parted purled and even now after many years oars I can hear her say gay Trust me Jim I love 10 you you As I saw w her there our baby In her arms waiving waiving- her hand at me my h heart art smote me mc and J resolved that ut never again agnin would I give va way WU to that horrible feeling How happy I was as when I rented that little house on the hill lull near the brewery you rou se see sec my run was wag wa to o Fort Doul Douglas q and I thought of or how often orten I 1 would see her and baby watching at the window for tor my car to pass One da lay day when wien I had Just run In one of oC the bo boys boya s 's came to to- tome me I dont don't remember who It was as as and mid placing his hand on m my arm iad Jim old man be brave bra Instantly I felt there was something wrong A nameless dread seemed to overcome me I clutched him him b by the shoulders and whis whig Tell me me tell tell me all Jim be brave Oh Jim Jim your our wife Is dead deall I repeated the words My ly Iy wife wife- Is la dead God It was true She died bellev- bellev inS inS' in m In my distrust Died and ami I wa way vars not near her Dle Died before they could send Bend me word and I my I-my my heart s seemed emed dead that day I pass over a few years the misery of oC which I can never forget torset I had brought m my sister to tho the city to keep house for me and ond care caro for JUlie lIttie Jini Jim I hs to watch the house eve time I every pa passed ed In hopes of seeing peeing him wave his hia hand from the window for it seemed med to comfort me In every look in every act I I. saw the of his mother One wintry da day when Jim was waa about I I years old I I. I Iwas was in front 1 I tell you ou at the hc t of times a u. motorman has to be on be-on on the lookout especially on the hill lull between the fort Cort and tho the city A wet sleety s had been falling and it was hard for Cor or us to make our way down clown the hill the wheels slipping and turning turning- In itt a wa way to to provoke any man but at las last t we i reached cached the tort fort As s we wo started back we wo came down with brakes half hair set and md we we- were going going- pretty lively too but the worst vorst port part of the grade lies between tho the cemetery and nd Fourth South Well ell Just as I left led tho cemetery I found It necess necessary UY to s set fet ct the brakes a q little tighter and being busy I looked d back at the thc conductor making some om remark about the tho way we vero traveling 1 saw mw him point wildly wild wild- ly 1 ahead u. u look of horror on his face ace I turned nt and d saw a child running up the track toward the tho car I set liet the brakes with the strength of or a madman The car seemed to s hoot shoot over the rails rail a as It If hurled by some sonic devilish power Oh God Goo I cried be m merciful to If me on one must die le let it bl bo be me I knew it was sas little J Jim m Wild lid with despair I prepared to j Jump mp In front Qt the car hoping In some wa way to save rn my child or die with him when hen I taw saw a man running toward the track Will Ill he save rove him Oh God I prayed praed hell help me nic help hell help him Then Them I fainted dead away awny When hen I recovered my senses the conductor and others were vere standing around At last laut my ny eye ee rested on 00 tho th man who held little Jim In his hi arms arm I staggered toward him clasped 1 rn my tr treasure to m my heart and aud turned to thank the thc savior oC of m my life lite He He- held out his lila han hand to m nie and In a voice filled Oiled with emotion said Please don dont don't thank m me Jim It was yas Joe Davis Davi |