The Red Cloud chief., 1884-10-24
GUIDE ROCK

Last weeks issue Of the TIE CHIEF
has failed thus far To matcrIaliZc.
Sundays dust storm was perhaps the
most cxteiIsi sc affair of the kind eve
experienced i'll this part OF the state.
The skating rink ope..ed Saturday
evening, aud the number of canes.
ba~ndages. a%rnica, etc. called into re
QUESTION l. simply astounding.
About IL year ago there came into
our village a nan who bore the plain
name OF r. b. Jones. He was accom-
panied 10y his wife and two small
children. Mr.. Jones was "A quiet. un-
assuming man, was rather poorly fixed.
but had every appearance of being "a
man well brought up. By occupation
Mr.. Jones was a carpenter, but his
health being at times poor he finally
sat up his bench in Monroe's black
smith shop, and did little jobs o~frepair-
ing wagons, etc. Mr.. Jones lived in a
dug-out a half mile north of town.
Nothing unusual occurred To attract at
tention toward Mr.. Jones until within
the past three weeks, when he made
known To a select number of our cit
Zcns that he lad received from tho
$. government Il pension amounting
$3.50. Mr.. Jones kept on ut woT
his little shop, telling iII~ friends 81
said that he thought 1t bGcQsSr-~>.H
80 fortunate To tnuS manifest hi mod
estv. But he now made known to the
favored lew shat he had been Il major
in the army, and IN that way account
ed for the large sum received aS pen
sion. Finally a few Of the friends tax
en- into the majors confidence. began
10 look around Tor some safe invest
ment for Nr. Jones money. Ii was no.
long until n merchant was husiiy in
voicing his stock, Mr.. Jones 10 lecome
half owner. Another Grm was ready
to take him III as half owner in their
business. While several loans had been
contacted in sums ranging from $1,000
to $1,000. Some OF the more obvious
citizens who h; d caught on So tie Sc
cret ~ could not believe it possible.
while the more open hearted ones ex-
pressed their pleasure. Mr.. Jones
meanwhile kept the even tenor of his
way, bought Il new suit OF clothes, a
nice watch and Chain (Ail un tick
borrowed IA few doiiars-fur present
use of course-went 10 church, and
with all the politcnCSS of a Chesterfield
and ~ the same time the meeknesS of
a Moses, returned The oft repeated sal
utations of good morning. Major"
And thus things passed smoothly on
until the opportunities of the various
business men 10 hare the Major take
rank at once III the business circle of
u little city became 81 urgent that the
Major sat apart IA day for going 10 the
county seat 10 draw out the precious
dust. One of II best looking citizens
had been selected by the major for The
drive As we'll as for the honor of iden-
tlfying the Major at the bank. The
Major lad arranged Tor an early din
ner, and to be ut his lttle shop at | =.
Vi. sharp. At The identical | u. VI. 4
span of high stepperS was refined up i'm
front of the little shop. and the cheer
full tones of the driver called, All
ready, Major" But alas for human
hopes. The Major was not there. Half
past one, then the hour of two. and
still the Major came not. Il required
u a short drive 10 reach the Majors
humble domiriie. The parties who
drove out 10 the Majors suburban
home found the poor wife and two
sick children all alone. except 1t were
the Majors old clothes as they hung
upon the wall, a pile of potatoes on the
earthen floor, a bed. stove and Il couple
of rickety chairs. The gentlemen who
drove out, ~torgetful OF tie Oft repeated
title of Major, asked simply for Mr..
Jones, but that worthy had Just stepped
cut for n little stroll in the corniield
east of the house and had not returned
And need ii he added that the Major
bad. like the Arab. folded his tent and
silently stolen away? Barring the pity
liable condition of Mrs Jones and her
little ones there is something SO ludi-/
crus connected with this affair that ONT
people, many of them, can scarcely
meet upon the streets without indulg- !
ing in y hearty lareh. |, is believed |
by many, however, that the Major had /
lost the proper balance OF his mind. |
All lament the fact that the pew
church building was not dedicated he !
fore the Majors departure for other |
for beyond a doubt the most hb- |
erai subscription would have s'een
made by hin. ROCKET. !