The Van Buren press., 1897-02-27
"That boy Jeems" in Training.

pIblll JeeHlS.
"That boy Jeems" in Training.
l forgot to tell you in the outstart,
but anyhow, old man Cas- Garner was
one of the best fixed men in all of the
surroundin country. lie want to say
no ways rich, but he wore good clothes,
and rode a fat horse with a screakin
saddle, and had plenty of everything
around him. 1t was some six or seven
years after that Sunday evenin when
the old man called up his fine bunch of
boys for me TO look at, and named the
winner for congress, and | was over
there to see the Garner folks onet more.
| soon took notice that the family
looked ruther swunk up in size, and
went on to ask about the boys and
girls. 1t turned out that two of the
girls had already took and got mar
ried whilst the others had went to
hayn company right tolerably con-
stant. Some of the boys went 70 the
city, and got in business, and theee was
two or three off at college takin on the
fDishin touches to preach.
"What about our comm congress
man, Uncle Cas?" says /.
who, Jeems? Well, l don't try to keep
very clost up with that boy, Rufus, but
he is summus around the place." the
old man come back, and then he sorter
loosened UP and went on to say:
"Ef Jeems amt plowin the best pair
of mules on the place and layin by
swamp corn, reckon you will find him
runnn the wagon and haulin timbers to
build a new barn, or either down on
the creek clearin up new ground. You
must recollect, Rufus, / am trainin
up Jeems for congress and learnin him
how to go in all the gaits. He is farm
in on shares with me this year. | give
him a third of what be can make, with
his board and washin free. If TIE sea-
sons hold out good and no bad luck
comes our way, l reckon Jeems will go
to school some this comm fall and win
ter. 1t all depends on what we have
got left after the crops come in and we
count up and divide out. 1 will give
him the time providin he can rake and
scrape up sufficient money to pay his
way. He takes to books as quick and
natural as hound dog to meat house
and would be in school all the time if it
was so he could.
"As to that, Rufus, you know good
and well l am able to send the boy to
school for 20 years hand runnin, but
Jeems don't know that and it amt none
Of my business to tell him. 1t wouldn't
do nohow for a boy in trainin for con-
gress He has got plenty of speed on
him right now, but l must work him
somehow and manage so as TO put the
muscle on him and give him some stay
in qualities. He has got plenty of
sense, but it will take some hard work
to round him out and fill up the low
places. The upper machinery is per-
fectly all right now, but in orderment to
make him a dead sure winner l am
bound to look out for the underpinnin.
Jeems must learn his right hand from
his left, and stand alone and walk be-
fore he can run winnin race. l don't
claim to know much about anything in
AulS MOIltl, IuIuS, tAGNptlil tOih anu
cotton and niggers and mules and
boys, but I'll be everlastinly dad
smashed if i don't know all about
them!
Now the boys that my old lady has
picked out for preachers, they are Off
at college, and our future merchants are
now clerkin around and doin about in
town. That is well enough and all
right for them, l reckon, but as to
Jeems, the comm congressman, he
must sweat for bis feed and swim
without gourds, Rufus. 1t never
would do for things to come easy with
Jeems. l am not goin 10 push the
youngster in his work, but let him take
his own gait and come down to his knit
tin steady aud natural like. But when
he goes on the track he is goin to show
down like thoroughbred, and-maybe
you mought-well-at any rates, you
can keep your eye on Jeems."