The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-02-04
KINGSBORO'S PUZZLE.
A Very Satisfactory and Roman
tic Solution.

Nobody ut Kingsboro knew what to
make Of 1t. Deacon Turner, the oldest
inhabitant, said that during his earth
ly pilgrimage he had sojourned at
towns, but in no one of
them had any young man who dressed
nicely and did no work turned out
we'll. Capt. Brown, who worked hard
but managed SO badly that he was
never out of debt, glarcd savage}y
whenever he saw handsome Joe Malli-
son with his hands in the pockets of
his neatly fitting coat, and took ac-
casion to remark to the first person he
met that he wished the old days in
which people who had no visible
means OF support were prosecuted
would return again
Squire Ripson, who kept the post
Office, admitted to certain astute ques-
TONERS that 10 Madison never received
letters, so it was impossible that any.
one was sending him money with
which to support himself in idleness.
Suspicion even ran SO high that Bill
Bridger, who was the only apothecary
and candy seller at Kingsboro, and
who had 10 Madison for quite steady
customer, made it rule to examine
very carefully every banlnote that Jo
offered in payment lest haply the
handsome do-nothing might be cirou-
lating counterfeits. The married wom-
en- at Kingsboro, who had to work as
hard as women almost always do in
new towns in young states, carefully
pointed out Jo to their sons as an ex-
ample to be Stunned, except so far as
personal neatness was concerned.
But the Kingsboro girls differed from
the rest Of the community in their es-
timation Of 10. He might be indolent
Tin fact, they knew he was, for he
might almost always be seen on the
main street of the village, sauntering
along, while other men were at work
but he was handsome and he dressed
with real taste, and his breath never
smelled Of liquor or tobacco, and he
was always polite, and he never was
awkward or i'll at ease or presuining
when in tho society of ladies, and he
seemed to understand all his fair COM
panions so well. In all these respects
he was quite different from most of the
Kingsboro boys, SO that when good
mothers warned their daughters
against young men who could only give
fine words in proof of affection the
damsels experienced strong misgivings
as to what they would say if 10 Malli-
son were to propose.
But Jo saved them the necessity of
deciding any such question. He pro-
posed to nobody; he made love to no.
body; he seemed to have no special
favorites among the girls Of Kingsboro.
He never even firted. He seemed to
heartily enjoy himself when with la
dies and to express his gratitude SO
deftly as to leave no one word upon
which to base a suspicion of any
stronger sentiments. And he did not
stop with conquering the hearts of all
the Kingsboro girls. Without any
seeming intention to do SO, he won the
hearts of few Of the elderly women
in the town. They did mot mean to
give countcnance to snowy idler, but
somehow, when 10 would coax some
| bad or fretful child to take walk
| with him and then send the child home
| with head full of Bible stories and q
mouthful of pretty songs, the mothe,
of the child would reluctantly admit
that the handsome young do-nothine
did have real good heart
There was not at Kingsboro any
| club, that institution so industriously
hated by all good women, but there
was gathering place which fulfilled
all the requirements of club, and tina
was the post Office. The mail stage
was noninally due at seven in the ev
ening, so that half the male inhabitant.
congregated in Bill Burth's saddle
shop, which formed the ante-room O.
the post office, Immediately after sup
per, and they usually enjoyed a two
hour season of conversation before thu
arrival and distribution of the mai
gave them a hint to go homo.
| Subjects for conversation We're no
very numerous at Kingsboro, and o
the few native characters with an,
salient points had been thoroughly dis
cussed during the many sessions of tn
men who waited for the mail, the ar
rival of 10 Madison was perfect god
send. 1t is hardly necessary to sa.
that Jo found but few companion
among the Kings boro men. The youn
men hated him for estranging thei
sweethearts, and each of the older me-
was afraid that Jo might marry hi
daughter and come under the paterna
roof for support.
One cool night, several weeks afte
JOS appearance at Kingsboro, tn
opposing theorists as to JOS characte
] indulged In many-cornegsd and yer