The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-01
HOW HE BACKED A WINNER.

Everybody in Pennington smiled pity-
inSiy for old man lyman, Uncle Jasper.
when he bought hull new outfit foT
! his nephew Harry and sent the scape-
grace up To Chicago 10 study law. II
vas a relief to be rid of the y3ung ras-
F, cal, but the good old neighbCrs shook
their heals and said swan Ct faint
shame the way THAI spTiggins is got
his pore old uncle hyDnotizedr'
Put pore old uncle Jasper was far
from poverty a. that time, ard having
no living kin but Harry and no extrava-
CANT habits except fnventoning." rs the
I folks called It. was glad CROUCH 10 sCiuan-
der his estate upon both precarioas OBJ
5ects. Up TO the time he began 10 lavish
favors on the worthless nephew every
I body allowed that TTclc JaSner was ,
pretty cute old man; -lis inventions Were
the boast and marvel of Pennington. and
I everybody but Harry looked with re
spect if not awe upon his ingenuity.
But Harry. spendthrift. idler and trif1er.
was forever guying his indulgent uncle
about going dlfy' on new machines.
The neighhors agreed that this was an
ether Indication Of the boys selfishness,
that he wanted 10 git every cent FOR
hisself' and that Jasper was "A idjit 10
let the young smart Alec pull the wool
over his eyes that way"
After Harry, with much delay and
many backslidings. finally got his sheep
skin, Jasper set him up in a pretty good
office in Chicago For a year and more,
every fortnight, the old inventor would gro
to town to look in on his pet. He could
not understand why the boy was always
broke. He had paid tailor bits and
board bills till ne was beginning to lose
faith in his protege, and finally he made
up his mind TO shut down on the lad s
wastefdlness and evident inability II
git goin.''
Harry tried to persuade the old man 70
shake Pennington and come up TO the
city to live. but. forever warned by his
old neighbOrs that his nephew was
working" him, Jasper at last began 10
suspect that the boy was a bit too cum
ming. anu II GREATER must stand OF fall
by his own efforts. SO Jasper ceased his
visits, and for six months the young law
Yer slipped down the ladder that he had
creased with extravagant habits and in
Vulnerable small. debts Now the truth
about the nephew was that his heart
grisved more over Uncle Jaspors dcser
ton of him than over his own impecuni-
Gus and discouraging state.
From the first of May until the fifth
he avoided his subby-hole of an Office
for reasons that became quickly apparent
when he finally opened the door and
kicked aside the kopje of bills that lay
within. Locking the door behind hIm, he
sat down in the dusty chair. wondering if
the monthly attack of collectors had sub
sided. He was thinking regrctfuily of
Uncle Jasper when there came "a gentle
rap upon the door. He waited notion
less till card peeped through the door,
and then, as the footsteps shuffled away
along the hall, he sneaked over and pick
ed Il up. 1t was Jasper Tynan's. Harry
rushed out after the visitor, calling, oh,
uncle,' The old chap came hustling
back. Rugged The boy with an Ill-con-
cealed ardor and sat down in the other
chair. Harry let up the shade, and,
smiling, looked with incredulous pleas
ure at his transformed uncle. Jasper was
almost gay in new store clothes"
Amt been tendin' to business much
lately, hev you Harry he began by way
of parrying and criticism of himself.
Been sick?'
NO, uncle; I've been lodging credit
ors,' came the laughing answer. first
of the month you know. See that pile?
All bills, every one of them"
NO, they amt, Harry. Some o. them
is my kyards. I been here at least a
dozen times. Been here in Chicago sence
April thirty"