Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-10-07

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opening the door to go. Joel turned a
little in his chair and said, without
looking directly at the youth: IS Well,
we don't seem to jibe very web on
some points, but don't let that stand in
the way OF your coming up to see US
when you can"
Thank yeu," said John Earring. 81
certainly shall not forget that duty"
CHAPTER XII.
When the sun had climbed up the
heavens far enough on the morrow to
look comfortably down over the soft
naples in the courthouse yard, his
beams, or more poetically, his eye
lashes of fire, fell against the portly
person of Joel standing in the doorway
of his bark, and fingered gHnteringiy
about the great gold fob that dangied
just below his bullying vest. 1t was the
only ornament that Joel ever permit
ted himself to wear, and for that reason
the more perhaps the sunbeams gfinted
from it umbelliferously. Joel had
s'thickened up'' as he termed it. during
these years, being quite pronounced in
the matter of growth with well-de-
fined double-chin, and two rather por-
tentious puffs of fat just below his
eyes However, his skin was still
clear, albeit some little red veins were
traceable about the nose, but all in all
he was very comfortable and solid
looking person. "Consarn the boy!"
he muttered to himself, Il wish l had
told him about it long ago." and he
knit his brows and looked hard at the
threshold where ''Whitney's Bank" was
cast in the iron. He heard the ten
o'clock train whistle while he was
staring, and Julius Popp came spring
lily around the corner. His hat was on
one side and he gave his cane a jocund
twirl at every second step.
"Mornin', Whitney, mornin'," he
said, coming to stand still with a jerk
big mornin'," hanging his cane upon
his arm and lighting a cigar. slick
as a weasel, sir!' putting vigorously;
like a nightingaler' Then beaming
advanced, with his cigar sticking up
home; played 'er brilliant! brilliant as
a rainbow, sir. My son-in-law, Cap
Heater, is expected in any time, I
hear. He's noble specimen, sir; a
specimen I'm proud to say l feel to-
son, and L might further remark as a
man should feel toward protector,
a national protector, sir.
Joel said nothing; he was looking a
little sorrly beyond Julius and patting
the iron door-sill with his foot Jul
Illus whirled around with flourish of
his cane and set his hat down over his
nose. -HoneysuckIesr' he calculated,
''lots of the blue boys gettin' inn'
Joel looked down the street; good
many people were coming from the
train, and sprinkled among them were
a number of soldiers. One stalwart
long-legged fellow in blue, with full
square beard and sun-burned copper
colored skin, strobe along in front
with swinging powerful tramp that
left the rest behind. He carried belt
and scabbard-i Enclosed sword loosely in
his hand, and the short hair just below
the crown of his head where his sol.
dier's cap shut down stuck resolutely
up. He went by the two men in front
of the bank at sweeping gait. Julius
clapped his glasses upon his nose and
peered at him, and Joel started a little
and widened his eyes, but the soldier
simply winked one eye and strobe for
ward with immovable face. Julius
jerked his glasses from his nose and
looked at Joel The deucer' he said,
with kind of excited squeak; ''who-
who was that?"
Joel stepped down upon the side
walk and looked anxiouslv after the
retreating figure, but said nothing. On
through the square the soldier strobe,
not speaking to any one or seeming to
notice much. and up the street and in
door. He glanced at the barn and els
tern, threw his sword down and
pumped drink of water, took off his
cap and sat down upon the doorstep
and began to whistle a march softly as
he looked about the place. Presently
Ether opened the door. The soldier
looked up into her face, and said. with
strained sort of quiet: Hello,
Poppy!,,'
Mercy" exclaimed the woman,
springing back with CONSERVATION in
her eyes Then she wayered, tumbled
and sank forward with one cry: cab
salom!" and fell fainting against his
breast.
Down in front of the bank the two
men stood and watched the soldier TN
til they saw him turn in at Joers gate;
then Julius snatched the glasses from
his nose again and looked at Joel.
Joel nodded his head affirm atively, and
Julius, with kind of ecstatic squeal.
started off in the direction of Joels
residence with such marvellous
springiness that his coat-tails came
after him in a jerky flutter. Joel
stepped to the doorway of the bank, and,
telling the cashier in a slightly excited
tone that Cap Heater had got in, he
started after Julius. When he arrived
at his back door Julius was already
there. with his glasses Jared down
across the end of his nose and his hat
very far back upon his head, shaking
Absalom by the hand and talking with
such superhuman volubility that little
could be extracted from the stream
save such shining and broken frag-
ments as, brilliant" ''slick," my
latest-born specimen, .'bright." ''glo-
rious,' ''rainbows," ..nabobs," '.hon-
eysuckles," and other like ,inexplicable
shreds. Ether was sitting on the door
step crying and laughing, and Absa-
lom was being shaken helplessly about
by Julius.
well, my boy" said Joel, as he
came painting up, "this is richl Give
us your hand! Why, your big as an
OK! what was the matter that you
never come home to see your friends?"
Absalom sat down in the doorway
by Ether with rueful sigh. Thought
| wouldn't come home but once" he