82 Union Square Jim 



never wore one before. And in a few days I saw 

 Jim sitting in her lap, his eyes partly closed, happy 

 and contented ; and such a smile of satisfaction as 

 Mary had on her face it would be hard to find 

 again. Yes, Jim cured her of the gin habit, and I 

 know it. Somehow I do n't see why such hard luck 

 should come to so good a fellow. If it had been 

 one of these low, cruel chaps, like Shifty, who 

 started to kick you once, but caught my eye in time, 

 it would be nothing but right ; but here you are 

 laid out, you who never did a bad thing in all 

 your life.' 



Just then Jim opened his eyes. There was a 

 lack of lustre in them, but he recognized George. 



' Poor old Jim ! how is it, old fellow ? ' George 

 said ; but Jim closed his eyes again and relapsed 

 into unconsciousness. 



It was two weeks before Jim recovered, and 

 when he did there were no traces of the terrible 

 plunge which he had taken. 



But a sad day came to the Union Square. One 

 fatal noon the theatre took fire. What it was that 

 caused it, no one could tell ; but the smoke rolled 



