The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-23
JEREMIAH BOLTON.
Two Opinions OF Him as Expressed
by Hiram Stiggins.

'Is there person living in this vii
lace by the name of Bolton, Jeremiah
Bolton?" asked the stranger of Hiram
Stiggins, who was sitting on the top rail
of the fence.
''TIe doesn't live here said Hiram,
a good deal of emphasis on the word.
Il have letter from him and he gave
this place as his address,
''Oh, it's his address all right enough.
We don't call Jerry's existence living,
you know. He vegetables. And If you
want to collect any money from him
let me give you pointer or two that'll
save YOU some trouble. You just go
back where you came from and wait
till Jerry sends it. You'll get the cash
just as.quiclz that way as by bothering
him about it. Jerry's the allfiredest
loafer in the hull country, and that's
saying good deal, for Iolnow most OF
the folks In the ncighborhOOd. I've
lived here myself goin' on twenty-four
year Some of EN- are splecny enough,
and these times man has to be up and
dom eff he wants to pay his debts, let
alone gittin' credit for maxim more
Times amt what they used TO be. |
remember nineteen year ago this spring
when -"
What is Mr. Bottoms business? He
is mechanic, isn't hep
Jerry? He amt got no business
never had. l tell him he's got no bust
ness to live. Beats me what such men
are made for in the first place. Natural
born loafer, Jerry is. Yes. sir. Work?
When you see Jerry Bolton tackle
honest work. you look out fer the judg-
ment day the week after. The world
will be comm to an end, sure. Why.
last harvest own this farm joinin'
the village-and men were mighty
source, l come over to get Jerry to help
me with the yin'-offered him good
pav-a man can get anything he likes
in hayin' nowadays faint like what
| il used to be Seems as eff the more ma
chinery we get on a farm the more
work there is to do. Labor savin', they
call them. Labor maxim is more like
it. remember sixteen year ago last
! harv that We"
! 'NOuldn Jerry work?
Not by long chalk Needed the
/ money. too. His wife was doin' the
washin' for the village to keep the chill
! dren and Jerry alive. As fer the rent.
| they never thought o payin' no rent.
! own the house he lives in and | sup,
I pose Jerry thought | would take 1t ont
/ in rcnt eff he came to work. Stlll,
! that's hatterln' Jerry. He hain't sense
enough to be afraid I'd apply his wages
on Lis rent. He's just good for nuthin'
He's tinkerer, Jerry is. Allus work
/ in at some new tangled thing that ain''
no good to any Twin creature. Jack OF
! all trades and good at none, tell him
/ Trusts providence and his wife mostly
! Jerry would have starved long ago II il
was at for that woman. She's sight
too good for him. But she's just as biz
fool as Jerry, for she believes he'll &C
| son.ethin' some day. She's the only
| one creature on earth that does
. but that cont make no differ
encc to her She's faded. washed
out creature. and the only tim'
She fares up Is when some one tells th'
truth about Jerry and she hears it
| jest ike a woman, you know. There:
no accountin' fur EN-. Many woman
with q good, hard-worllin husband
don't appreciate him There's my wife
| fur instance"
What does he tinker at, principallye?'
who? Jerry? On. Lord knows SOM
fooi thing or nuther. Deacon SwiPe.
says it's perpetual motion, but tell III
deacon there's 10 motion. perpetual CT
otherwise. about Jerry. Perpetual duI'
foc llshucss. / call it Tryin' to get /
living by the sweat OF somebody else
brgv. I'll en- down Il the villag
that Jerry's smarter man than any .
?. 'cacsc lie en- live without work 2ns