The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-30


q little turtle from the coast he takes a
can OF red paint down cellar and touches
up the sign on old Ben's baek-tiey call
the turtle Ben, after Holdings father In
law that won't do a thing but lay around
the house All the time and kick about the
meals. Well the sign on Ben's back Is.
Green Turtle Soup Tomorrow and Ben
Is drug up to the sidewalk in front Of the
Little Gem. And Holdings does have turtle
soup next day. but It's always the little
turtles that s killed, and old Ben is lliked
back to his boudor until another killing
comes off. It's a good deal like that In
Wall street; there's killings made, but the
big fellers with the signs on their back
don't worry none.
You're right, Uncle Peter. 1t certainly
wasn't my game. Will you come down
with me?''
Me? shucks, no! I'm jest a poor.
broken old man now. I'm goin down to
the square II can walk that fur, and set
Uncle Peter did succeed in walking as
far as Madison square. He walked. in
deed, with a step of amazing springiness
for man of his years. But there. In
stead Of reposing In the sun, he entered
a cab and was driven to the Vandeyere5
building, where he sent In his name to
Rulon Shepler.
He was ushered into Sheplers office
=
hands warmly. Uncle Peter was grinning.
now with rare e11joyna ert-he who had
the presence Of the family shown naught
but broken age and utter dependency.
You rough housed the boy considerably
yesterday. se45 8
on said Shepler. Il Ia sure you're right
in way about the west. There isn't
another man In this section who'd have
plunged as he did. Really, Mr.. Bines,
the streets meyer known anything like
1t. Here are those matters. =
He handed the old man a dozen or so
certified checks on as many different
banks. Each check had many figures on
it. Uncle Peter placed them in his old
leather wallet.
II knew he'd plunge he said, taking
the chair proffered him, near shepler's
desk I knew he was q natural born
plunger. and knew that once he gets
an idea in his head you can't blast it
out; makes no difference what he starts
on he'll play the string out. His pa was
jest that way. Then of course he want
used to money, and he was ignorant of
this game, and he didn't realize what he
was dom. He sort of distrusted himself
along toward the last-but 1 kept him
swelled up good and plenty
We'll, I'm glad it's over, Mr.. Bines.s
OF course concede the relative irsignif-
qualities $50
MOT its relative insignihcance Mr..
SHEPHERDS plain damned insignificance,
If you'll excuse the word. If that boyd
gone on he'd "a been one of what Billy
Brue calls them high-eollared Clarences
mo good fur anything but to spend
money and get apoplexy or worse by 20.
AS it is now, he'll besta man. He's got
his health turned on like a; steam radia-
tor, he's full Of responsibility, and he's
really long headed. - !.2t
How did he take the loss?''
tie acted jest like a healthy baby
does when you take one toy. away from
him. He cries a minute, then forgets all
about it, and grabs up something else
to play with. His other toy was bad.
What he's playin' with now will do him q
lot Of good. = $50 s.s2s. 8 ...
| hopeful?''
'That amt any name fur it. Why,
he's actin this nnornin'' jest like the
worlds his oyster-and every month had
an r. in it at that t.s
I'm delighted to hear it. I've always.
been taken with the chap and I'm very
glad you read him correctly. It seemed
to me you were taking a risk It would
have broken the spirit of most men,
well, you see I knew the stock. 1t 9
pushin', fightin' stock. My grandfather
fought his way west to Pennsylvania when
that country was wilder n Africa, and my
father fought his wayete Ohio when that
was the frontier. seen some hard times
myself and this boys father was a fighter.
too. So knew the boy had itain him., All al
right. He's got his faults but they don't nj.
hurt him none. ~ Al ~
win he return west y 8.
t.IIe will that-and the west is the only
place fur him. He was gettin' bad no
tons about his own country here from
them folks that's always scrackin' up the
other side sif there want any this SIDE
worth speakin' of in company. This was
no place fur him Mr.. shepler, this
whole country is Cod s country I don't
talk much about them things, but
believe in God-a man nan has 70 II ne
lives so much alone in them wild places as
-fave-and I believe this country is
His favorite believe He set it apart
fur great works. The history of the
United States bears me out so fur. And
/ didn't want any Of my stock CROWN up
without feelin' that he had the best ma.
| tive land on earth, and without 'be1n
ready to fight fur 1t at the drop of the
| hat. And Jest between you and me, be-
llieve we can raise that kind IN the west
better's you can here In New ork. You
got 8, fine handsome town here, it's a
corlzin good place to see--and get out OF
but it amt any breedin' place-there
| amt the room to grow. Now, we pro-
duce everything in the west, includin'
men Here you don't do anything but con-
sume-includin men. IF the west stopped
producin' men fur YOU you'd be as
bad off as If it stopped producin food.
You can't grow a big man on this island
any more than you can grow wheat out
there on Broadway. You're all right. You
folks have your uses. amt like one Of
these crazy populists that thinks you're
rascals and all like that; but my point is
/ that you don't get the fun out Of life.
| You don't get the big fee1in's. Out in the
west they're the flesh and blood and bone;
and you people here, n1eanin' no disre-
spect-you'r the di1np1es and wrinkles
and-tl1e warts. You spend and gamble
back and forth with that money we raise
and dig out of the ground, and YOU think
you're gettin the best end Of it, but you
amt. found that out thfrty-two years
ago this spring. had a crazy fool notion
i then to go back there even when hadn' t
gone broke-andS L done we'll to go And
that's why wanted that boy back there.
And that's why I'm mighty proud Of him
/