The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-12-12

evil knowledge or habits, their parents
always knew where they had learned
them. In fact, Jake was Beelzehub's
sole agent for the juvenile population al
the Anderson country He was sure to
fetch up on the gallows sooner or later
and the date of his death would probably
increase the speed of the coming mil,
lenium
Jake was not lazy Even his worst
enemies were forced to admit that And
as he grew up, various reports ofhis being
drunk were found 10 be without founda-
ton. But of course it was only question
of time as TO when he would begin 10
drink. Nobody could tell of really
mean thing Jake had ever done; but he
was IL hard case, and he of course got
credit for all the mischief done in the
neighbOrhood. 1t was mystery how he
ever learned anything at school. The
teacher said he could always catch Jake
at anything else easier than he could at
studying, yet he usually had his lessons
better than the other pupils. II Jake
had caused the old folks of the country
trouble with their boys, he threatened
them with still greater mental distress,
for when lie was seventeen he began to
| show n deiaded weakness for ladies' So
ciety, and although he was closely
watched by the parents, yet he was eter-
nally being found ON the way from
church or singing school with some
of their girls. The girls could never
help it. He would walk with them,
and they were not to blame, and
they wished they never had been
born, and all that Now, at the
time we introduce this scapegoat he was
twenty-One. He had changed consider.
ably for the better, but still he had no
reputation us model young man, and
his stock of that indispensable American
capital, check" was out of all proper
tions To his bank account. At the time
our story begins, had you asked the
girls about the two Anderson boys you
would have found ont that Bill Amber.
son was good young man, but that
Jake Anderson was IA little wild, but
awful nice.
Now we do not wish to be understood
that the fair damsels admire wickedness
in men. Oh, no; we would have thrown
ourself in the river or under the cars
long ago had we thought that. Of
course the Anderson boys were excep-
tions, and the only way we can account
for ii is that the girls always told Bill
Anderson, when it came to the scratch,
that they were MT go0d enough for him.
Bill could not always see it in that light,
it is true, but men are queer creatures
at best just as Mrs. Anderson began
to make sure that William would soon
be happily married, Jake discovered that
the Karps were very interesting people,
and as he rapidly rose in the girls es-
timation, he could plainly see that the
old folks were beginning to regard him
as nuisance. Jake was never known
to lie awake nights because any one did
not like him, and in this case his visits
were just AS regular rs If he had been
the idol of the whole family, until at
last Mr.. Karp notified him that he would
always be welcome To come with any of
his folks, but as an individual visitor he
would not be received. Jake received
this information with perfect GOODNESS,
merely remarking that his mother often
wanted to come over, and he would
bring her along. The old gentleman
had never in all his life met with such IA
clear case of "cheek," and he did not re-
cover himself in time to get angry before
Jake had bid him polite good after
noon and was going out the gate. AS
Jake walked slowly home, instead of
being melancholy, his countenance of
ten developed II smile, which occasional
ly took the form of an actual grin The
Karp girls seemed to look at the affair
very differently, for they were terribly
dOwncast all the afternoon, and Mary
cried half the night, but in few days
she cheered up and was her bright, cheer
full self again, all on account of note
which she had received by some means,
no matter how. \ hollow tree or IA fence
post has acted rs country post Office
many time, and Jake Anderson had
been expecting 10 be dismissed long be-
fore he was. Cried, did youg' the note
ran; you dear little goose. Did you
think he had scared me so | would run
clear ont of the state. Never mind, it's all
right don't blame him, but I'll show
him that I'm not what he thinks | am,
and if that don't bring him over to our
side, you will be of age in IA year any
way. Yes, you might as well tell Bill,
he VIII keep our secret. | could trust
him with anything, poor boy. Come to
Smiths party Wednesday evening if you
can. / will be there with Sue Wells.
Her father is not at home, you know, &c"
Bill Anderson had never dreamed that
Jake was his rival. Jake was not old
enough 10 marry. and besides he was not
the kind of n man such a girl as Mary
Karp would fancy. If Jake ever married
at all, he would probably marry some
wild girl. OF course he would not fancy
quiet, sober girl, like Mary Karp. But
alas, one Sunday morning he received
note from Mary, and us he began TO read
it, his ideas got so mixed and confused
that he was compelled to read it sec
Ond time before he could fully realize
that Mary and Jake were nearly en-
gagged. She was so sorry. She said if
she had caused him any unhappIness,
she hoped he would not think ill of her.
She would be Il sister To him, and she
hoped he would some day find girl
worthy OF him. Would he please burn
this at once and keep their secret: Jake
said he would, and she knew they could
trust him.
What comfort! Sister! Yes, very
nice, no doubt. How glad lie ought to
have been-but he wasn't. Sister! He
had two natural sisters and one artificial
one, and if his brothers kept growing up
he was liable to have several more. Sis
teri Who ever heard of man pining
himselfto death, or drying up and blow
ing away for the want of a sister?
Nobody. All, We lovely fiends! tell him
he is fraud, a failure and total wreck
Tell him to go west, or go up in ba-
loon, but never give your lover the sister
game. Its irony, bitter irony, and be
sides it's the oldest and the thinnest
thing imaginable.
Bill Anderson went up to his room
and sat down 10 think it all over. Yes,