Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1899-12-22
oo7 rs jolly hard lines" Bailey
Junior said, flinging himself

| at the same time tnat altnOugn he ndu
been Jacks best man when we were
married he need not be quite so fam
iliar with Jacks own particular arm
chair. | never like to see any one at
home in Jacks chair, because, if l am
left widow, l mean to keep 1t sacred
to Jacks memory.
"a fellow isn't allowed to see Baby
Jones alone for five minutes"
"Why do you want to see her aloneT'
l said, for the fifth Jones girl, in my
mind, was still child Perhaps this
was due to the fact that she is called
Baby" but Jack says it's because
she's not allowed to have her 18th
birthday until the two eldest girls are
'off." Mamma Jones may be right;
more than four girls out at one time is
a great responsibility.
Bailey Junior, who had retained the
suffix Junior" ever since he went to
school with his eldest brother, looked
at me in surprise. why do l want
to see her alone?" he replied; because
1 want to propose, Of course; fellow
| Sdu plopOSC Will az duulShSCs
"You proposew l echoed. Propose
to Baby Jonesw
"And pray why shouldn't II" he ask
ed. Anything the matter with me?"
He pulled down his coat and stuck out
his brown riding boots on my new
self on his bootmaker. 81 can afford to
keep a wife; Jacks married"
80, but Jacks quite different" said.
"Any one can see in a moment that
Jacks different. Besides, you'll never
get the chance" I continued, remem-
bering Mamma Jones' theory
"Why the deuce notY
Because the four others have to go
off first, and they must go in proper or
der. Jack says so.'
"What's Jack got to do with it?"
20, nothing" answered; but Jacks
so clever; he always sees through
things"
why have the others got to go off
frst?" Bailey Junior asked. "Baby's
marriage hasn't anything to do with
the Others"
"Oh, yes, it has; you don't under
stand"
mo, don't; and I'm hanged If any
one else does. Why can't they begin
marrying from the other end?'
Because If the county knows that
Baby's old enough to marry, that would
make the others just too old, don't you
see? It's a point of honor with the
Baby to remain under II till the eld-
est girls Off"
"Phew" said Bailey Junior "now
see; that's why she's so closely guarded
and why the eldest girl is always
thrown in my way; but | won't have
her, will tell you. No Mamma Jones
In the world will make me marry the
eldest; none of your serving for Rachel
business for me-"
That's right" 1 said, "but you'll
have to wait for Baby until some other
fellow does want the Others"
20, Lordw he exclaimed, in a tone of
voice which was scarcely compliment
tary to the eldest Miss Jones; land
sail for India this day week."
Pm awfully sorry" said; "but
that's the principle and code Of honor
In the Jones fami y. You can't pick out
the best and leave Mamma Jones sad
died for life with the plain ones"
Bailey Junior was silent, and 1 tried
my best to think of some plan to help
him out of his difficulty. 1t was of no
use to suggest asking Baby Jones to
spend the day with me and letting
Bailey Junior meet her here, for the
Jones girls never went about singly:
they hadn't enough friends to 90 all
round, so that If you asked one to tea
two always came. They were such a
devoted family.
Dear little GIRL" he said, sacrificed
to her elder sisters. She'll be thirty
before she gets her hair up at that rate.
1 wonder what her age really Isl"
She's probably got mixed herself"
I said; "but isn't it up yet? 1t will be
getting quite worn out"
ITS in a sort Of maidenly plait,"
Bailey Junior said, refectively, lawful
ly becoming don't you know, but"
"But it's time she wore quite long
dresses, and put it right up, isn't it?
A big girl old enough to be married in
short skirts. Jack thinks 1t horrid."
II think they're lovely" Bailey
Junior answered, 80 arched and slen-
der, just think of the eldest girls"
20, no one does" / said; "she was
put into long skirts before she left the
nursery, and she was never allowed to
play lawn tennis"
Bailey Juniors furlough was I'D. and