Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1904-03-17
lUCTIMS OF
y A RECOIL
By kouiIe j.. Xtron3
Copyright, 1903, by It. c. Mcclure


chile, glared about. defying contradic-
ton.
The old gentleman in front of him
bristled aGgressively.
Mr.. Sanborn. with an eye out for Of
Tense. observed the bristling and reiter-
ated dogma tically, THE very hottest
day.
"No such thing There's been mil
lions hotter" The old gentleman flash
ed around like a pugnacious bulldog.
"The very hottest dayr' Mr.. Sanborn
bawled stubbornly.
Not even the hottest this season..
On the 10th the thermometer registered
1G degrees higher his opponent ex-
planned with aggravating exactness.
"Then the thermometer lied! All Their
mometers do.'
"My thermometer is exact! It's the
best made"
Il don't care if it's the only one made.
1t lies If it says there's ever been a hot
IL
mopped his face in exaggerated dis
tress
People were smiling at the absurd
contention and a girl across the aisle
giggled. Both disputants looked at her,
and with a gesture of authority the old
gentleman ordered:
Here. miss. you look cool and rea-
sonable. Tell this lump Of obstinacy
that today is frigid beside the 10th"
"Oh, don't ask me to be umpire.
don't know anything about thermome-
tiers. | always go by my feelings" she
cried.
THE only sensible way" Mr.. San
born affirmed.
TIE way Of ninnies and numskulls"
stormed the old gentleman.
"Your station, sir the conductor in
terrupted, The old gentleman bounced
off, trailing his statements and asser
tons to the platform.
The train started. Mr.. Sanborn
stuck his head out the window and
shouted, The very hottest day."
Then he settled back and laughed
The girl laughed, too, and slipped
across into the old gentlemans place.
81 wound him up" Mr.. Sanborn ex-
planned with satisfaction.
Il expect he thinks it il pretty hot
by now" she smiled, but. really, you
know. we have had hotter weather"
"Oh, yes" he assented unexpectedly.
81 suppose I'm doing my own roast
ing
"FumngY' she minated
Like a boiling kettle. Think I'd ex-
plode but for easing off on the old
gentleman he chuckled in memory of
the exploit
You should take things easy in hot
weather. It's the only way to keep
cool" she remarked sagely.
Take things easy! Look here, when
you've had blow that's knocked all
your life plans heller SHELTER you don't
feel either easy or cool"
NO: that's true. one might make
new plans" she suggested.
"New plansr he scoffed. Il don't
know why I'm the one TO make conces-
sions. He owes all he is to me"
She looked polite inquiry, and he con-
tinued: You see, it's my nephew. I've
raised him and been Il father TO him
done well by him too; given him the
best advantages money'll buy, And all
I've asked of him is that he'll so ahead
| and be a credit to us"
He paused remniscently.
"And hasn't hef" she asked. A glow
lit his face.
HE has, He's been on top all the
time. taken the honors everywhere, and
he stands to pull off the biggest of all
| now"
Il should say that was satisfactory
| she commented.
satisfactory! I'm chock full of pride!
| But I'm justified in being proud. lie
| graduates from c. university--no lit
tie college. mind you-with the honors
| OF his class. Why, with my money be
hind him he might he anything he chose
anywhere. And what does he do but
| deliberately Kick over his own pros
poets Here I've been planning all sorts
| of things for him when he gets through
| travel. where and as long as he pleases;
marriage with the best when he's ready
/ for it. and the young jackanapes has
| gone and engaged himself 10 n milk
| maid
"A milkmaid," she repeated family.
Farmers daughter, he said. but
| they're all milkmaids | suppose her
| dad raked up a little money and sent
| her to the university to take on some
| polish and take in some young idiot
| like Maurice He's the star, and She
couldn't do better though she might
| find some with more money"
Have you seen herr
"No. nor want to either know how
she looks; overgrown and coarse with
big red cheeks that he. the simpleton,
| calls roses of nature he quoted con
| temptuously. He can go TO the farm
| with her and make a field hand for the
old man. and III try 10 crawl out from
| the ruins Iings. | wish IL trained
him In the business back there in Chi
| cagor' He struck the seat excitedly
| and went on he kept IL from me till
| his last letter. I've been boiling ever
| Stupn--l IN In tho shade | came prpffy