The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-12-29
q smile. II should not like to have you
give up what nee YOU have under

q smile. II should not like to nave o
give up what once you have under
taken to do"
Then you'd like me to add that
will be neat in my personal appear
ance. Now | want to ask you a ques-
ton. Does being neat mean wearing
a stiff collar and a white shirt AND
keeping my shoes blacked?"
II should think so"
We'll l can't do it,"
You can do it. You may not want
to very much"
Suppose L. fa.1?"
TRY again"
Suppose Tom tells me to take a stlf
neck so / can't nod?"
Don't hear him" 4W
Yes. / will, and pound him, too"
"Well?"
why, of course, when you look at mo
like that TN try If / die N the attempt"
and, taking n pencil from his pocket, he
recorded HIS two VOWS.
on the following day Jimmie went down
town and bought a nelf-dozen white shirts
and as many collars.
81 don't want any half-high collars.
eithcr." he said to the clerk. II want reg
tllar cisok crs. Death can't come any too
sS'pa TO 81 follow that has to wear such
thhlgs. / want good points to them, too
Nf.eil h@ appeared at dinner, his head
held hleit and his chin scraping the points
~ every movement OF his head, the entire
family locked he an.azement that it did
rct dare sleak. Something in Ji,nmie's
expression forbade it.
Witi @nfailing regularity, his answers
Gel: Yes, mother" mo. father" and If
at=r-Ires he head moved suspiciously, as
II the nod or the snake We're coming, he
always caught himself and the words
calnc in time 10 save him. Eva declared
to her mother an hour later that her head
and neck ached for Jimmie. and on each
succeeding day through the week she
wished for Saturday.
Surely Jimmie would put on his old cot
ton shirt fer Saturday." she told her moth
or in another outburst of suffering. And
slouchy Old Jimmie a hundred times bot
ter than 1 do this high-coliared Yes
1iva-ed' boy we nave now"
But Saturday brought no change in
Jimmie's attire, and still no one dared
speak to him about 1t. Jimmie went to his
room earlier N the evening now than he
used to do, and during the summer he
spent many an hour alone in his room
with his door locked. The year wore on
and finally the 31st of December, 1899. had
come and was almost gone. A party of
young people had gathered at the house
OF the Wilson's to watch the old year out,
but Just before the clock struck IL Jimmie
touched his mothers arm. and together
they slipped off to his room.
Going to the table drawer he took out
the little book. and, opening 1T to the page
on which he had written his resolutions,
he spread 1t on the table and waited for
the clock to strike. WhenRthe last sound
had died away he took his pencil and
wrote across the page 'Vintory." Then he
slowly removed his high collar and threw
1T into his mothers lap. Standing directly
in front OF her; he said.
Mother. ask me. is . am glad that 1895
has arrived"
She repeated the question, and Jimmy
deliberately nodded his head three times.
Now, ask me IL I am. going to make anv
more New Years resolutions.
She asked THIS question, and he shook
his head three times. from right to LEFT.
Then he broke into a hearty laugh.
II just wanted to see. if i knew how4to
do It," he sadd. ''l used to come or up
here and take or my collar and rest my
head and neck. but never oace did I nod
my head. Now. Z think I can! remember
to say yes and: no. but Eve bought = box Of
new collars, and they are not hdGh onea.
either.'
He produced q box filled with the COM
Portable turnover kind. and, selecting one.
put 1T on. Then he said: I'VE had bet
ter go sdowNstairs. They nave missed w.
But don't say a word about this.
Tell me ono thing more" sad hi,
mother as they started down .IIow did
you manage to remember not to nod your
head?' Jimmie laughed again.
"Oh, my collars always managed that
for me-. he said.