Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-04-10

| lIarly fitted him for the business of his
ancestors. He had ali appetite and
digestion that enabled him 10 absorb
| into his system anything, from a gold
| brick 10 a live baby; then he was built
with tucks that could be let out, or
| taken up, as the occasion required.
| About electioa tima, when there was
| likely To be any question about contin-
uing his allowance, he could make him
| self look very small indeed; but if he
wanted to make an impression it was
astonishing how he could make him
| self loom up. He had posted himself
thoroughly about the lives of all IL G
giants mentioned in history, from tie
three-headed giant aud those whose
history Mr.. Bunyan has so graphically
recorded, down TO the one-eyed eian
that Ulysses had the misunders tana-
ing with in the cave; and, at the end
Of his Investigations, concluded that,
outside of his own family, there wasn't
any Of them that had as many brains
as fishing-worm, and his own family,
although far above the average, he felt
were mere coarse and vulgar bunglers,
who, if the people on whom they prey
ed, had possessed the two s's.-sand
and sense-in any degree, would have
had an extremely disagreeabie time of
it, and, instead of rolling in wealth,
might have had TO become purveyors
to paper mill or peddle bananas TO
a callous-h earted public. He could
hardly tell which he fs 1t a greater con-
tempt for-tbe simple but brutal meth
ods Of bis father, who plundered and
devoured with scarcely an attempt at
coucgalment or diplomacy, or the want
OF spirit with which the plundering
and devouring was endured.
Among the free, strong, intelligent
people by whom be was surrounded,
he felt that the mere brute strength Of
his father would not suffice, if he was
to live as all his ancestors bad lived
from time imm emorlal. 1t would be
necessary TO possess brains Of the finest
quality. These he knew he had. But,
even with the keenest intellect, , and the
most perfect understanding, aided by
the best Of luck it was dou btful hether
be would ever be able to throw off the
mask and live as his ancestors had
doue-takIng without let or hinder
ence, with power to put out of the way
any one who should be bold enough 10
question his doings, or impris0n him
without appeal to law. The time W hen
he could have lis private army and
private prison was not go far off as he
then thought it, as We will see further
along. a heart OF ice, a hand Of steel
in a silken glove, and clear head,
may accomplish wonders, and he re-
solved in The outset Of bis career 10 BE
a giant OF this style of architecture.
You see, my boy, be was not different
in nature from the rest of his family;
he had all their love for blood and
plunder, could have taken a kid like
You on the half shell with the greatest
relish, but a great many of the more
repulsive features of his character had
been refined away by his schooling.
Education never changes the nature of
a man any more than polishing changes
the nature of wood. But giving way
to any of his brutal propensties he
knew would get him ST. nd-ba gged in a
half hour. He could afford To wait.
Oh, how crafty and sly and merciiess
he was! And this is the key to all the
horrors. blood shed, suffering and mis-
cry that he brought on those who had |
taken him in and protected him in his |
hour of extremity-wholly incapable of
an unselfish action.
Now, the farmer and his sons were
honest, straightforward simple-heart-
ed men, who did no evil, and were not |
prone TO suspect evil i'll others; but
they were not fools. and, away along |
back in the thirties, one of the farmers |
sons, who lived at the southern end Of
the island, and whose inter sts had |
made him more observant of the move
son, began to suspect hi. true character
and lineage, and to express 1oubts as
to the wisdom Of spending any more
money on him. Now, Infant indus
tries made his home, tor the most part,
in the north end OF the island, Here |
he had married a wife after his own
heart, and settled down, it being the
most favorable field, as be thought, for
his operations. He had been pretty
liberal with his money o. late among
his brothers there-not that be was ID
the least generous, but he foresaw
time coming in which he would need
their s.aunchest support; and, although
the money be had was derived from
their bone and sinew-their life blood
and which had been obtained by the
most persistent begging, no thought OF
gratitude to them ever passed through
his mind in dealing with them. ANY
act of liberalfty or seeming generosity
was simply IAN anchor 10 windward,
an investment on his part.
The old gentleman and the rest OF
the family listened in no very pleasant
frame OF mind to what the boy from
he eoutb end had TO say, and W when be