Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-30
BAXTER'S BOYS,
they Are very Bad Lot, but the Old Man
Loves Them Dearly.

man Baxter was pointed out to me for
the first time. Everybody had a good
word for the father, but it was the I'M
anlmous verdict that the song were fit
emily for the state penitentiary and the
gallows.
ot course jumped to the conclusion
that old Baxter's hair was prematurely
gray, and that the numerous lines craven
oeep In his face were stamped there by
sorrow and care. As I began to know
MIN better, his tender heart. his unfail-
ing patience, and his sunny temper drew
me TO him, and / often found myself
enlnklng bitterly and resentfuIIy of his
wicked boys.
Gut OF consideration for the old man
carefully avoided family topics. but one
sunday, when l stopped to chat with him
IN 'front.' CT his cottage, he suddenly re-
marked:
Il got letter from Tom this morn
ing" A1i0AA
TONI" l repeated inquiringlv.
| Yes; one of my boy" was the 70
ply; but you are newcomer here. so
OF course you never met Tom"
NO. l answered, in some embarrass-
ment; II hope he is we'll"
wen enough, but in trouble" said
WIN O org n' tell you the way
that boy has been imposed On is shame.
ne mas had run OF bad luck all his life.
lou know they charged him with forging
a check, and run him off from hereY'5
| told him that had understood tbot
| there was some trouble.
Eyes sir; it is a fact" continual NV
companion, indignantly. "And althoupb
raised the money and settled the check
matter, actually indicted the lad. and he
| had to leave. He first went to Texas bnt
there were some bad fellows ont there
who wanted to get rid of him, and so
they charged him with stealing horse.
don't remember all the facts, but of
course know that he didn't intend to
steal the animal. However, they had it
their own way, and he had to get. Well,
when he left there he went to Indian
territory, and now he writes me
that he's hiding out from the United
States marshalls. Somebody's been i'm
posing on him again, reckon"
Wishing to change the conversation I
said something about taking a walk for
my health.
''That was Jim's idea" said Mr.. Baxter.
with a pleased smile. CLINT another
son Of mine,,' he explained "You'ye
heard of Jim?"
I admitted that 1 had heard of him,
but did not think it necessary to add
that had been told that he was cold
FLOODED murderous cut throat
"You ought to have Jim here to walk
with you. But, Lord bless you, jim
wouldn't get along with these people.
They Wero always after him."
Imposing on him?" I suggested.
eyes, just so. Now Jim was little
how came you so one day, and barkeep-
or refused to sell him drink. 1t was
the meanest thing that man could do
| under the circumstances, because that
man might have known that Jim was
bound to have his way. Well, Jim, he
just pulled OUT his pistol and shot that
barkeeper dead in his tracks, and helped
himself to a drink. 1 advised the peo-
pie not to make any fuss over it, as they
all knew Jim and his peculiarities, but
devil got into them, and nothing would
do but an inquest and all that sort of
thing. So I mortgaged my house and
let my boy have several hundred dollars
and he went off out west"
SIS he getting along well?"
"I'm afraid not. People don't under
stand Jim. They don't make allowances.
He's as kind hearted as baby, but he
wont be imposed upon. Once out in
New Mexico Jim borrowed mans
toothbrush, and when he returned it to
him what do you think the fellow did?
Why, he actually threw it away. Yes, he
did; ne threw it away. Jim was in for
peace but he couldn't stand that. He
drew his pistol and blew daylight through
the man, and then he had to move again
I think he's gone to join Joe. Ever hear
of Joe?"
mumbled something non commital.
"You ought to know Joe. He's as kind
hearted as Jim and as honest and true
hearted as Tom. But Joe's forgetful
That's the great drawback with joe"
"Forgetful?" said [.
eyes, that's what's the matter with Joe.
People don't understand it, and so they
have got him indicted in five states for
bigamy."
"What has his forgetfulness to do with
that?"
"Why, sir, g. great deal. You see, Joe
travels heap. Among new scenes and
new acquaintance he forgets things.
After being away from wife for several
months he forgets all about being mar
ried, and so gets into a new entangle-
ment. Instead of making allowance for
him people get fighting mad and indict
him for bigamy and nearly worry the life
out of him. It's a mighty wicked world,
anyhow"
''You have three boys, them" said I,
preparing to walk on.
'Four, sir, FOUR" replied the old man
briskly. 'There's Jerry, you know.
Jerry, I think, is the best one of all. He's
in the penitentiary now at Albany, but I
think he'll be pardoned out. They can't
be cruel enough to keep him there. In
fact he didn't do anything but kill rev
enue officer, and everybody knows he
wouldn't have done it if the officer hadn't
been monkeying around his still. Oh! I
think he'll get out SOON"
I started TO continue my walk, but old
man Baxter held me back.
"You must drop in again." he said
It's such comfort to me to talk about
my boys. They are the best and most
affectionate sons a father ever had. You
don't know how I love them. It is all
that keeps me alive. Now, if I had bad,
undutiful boys, such as some fathers are
cursed with, believe it would kill me.
p,,o M To bo boro