Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-12-29

a smile. 81 should not like to have you
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 l want to ask o a ques7
a stiff collar and a white shirt and
keeping my shoes ~blacked?'
Il should think So"
We'll l can't do it,"
you can do 1t. You nay not want
to very much"
Suppose / fa.l?"
Try again"
Suppose Tom tells me to take a stir
neck so / can't nod?"
Don't hear him"
Yes. l will, and pound him, too"
"WeIl%'
why, Of course, when you look at me
like that I'll try il / die IN the attempt"
and, taking a pencil from his pocket, he
recorded his two vows.
On the following day Jimmie went down
town and bought a nalf-dozen white shirts
and as many collars.
II don't want any half-high collars,
either" he said to the clerk. Il want reg
ular chokers. Death can't come any too
soon to a fellow that has to wear such
things. | want good points to them, too"
When he appeared at dinner, his head
iClu u-Sh dlh He Ilhl SCIdplub IN pciHl'
at every movement of his head. the entire
family looked the amazement hat 1t did
noe dare speak. Something in Jimmie's
expression forbade it.
With unfailing regularity, his answers
fell: yes, mother mo, father" and if
at tines he head moved suspic.ously, as
ii the nod or the shake were coming, he
always caught himself and the words
came in time to save him.. Eva declared
tn her mother an hniir 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 for Saturday" she told her moth-
er In another outhurst of suffering. And
f he does, I'll just hug him.. 1 Ike our
slouchy old Jimmie a hundred times bet
ter than l do this high-collared Yes
Eva-ed' boy we have 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 tina 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
como and was almost gone. A party OF
young people had gathered at the house
Of the Wilsocs 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 %esolution
he spread it on the table and waited for
the clock to strike. When the last sound
had died away he took his pencil and
wrote across the page Victory" Then he
slowly removed his high collar and threw
ii into his mothers lap. Standing directly
In front Of her, he said:
Mother, ask me il L am glad that 1900
mas arrived"
She repeated the question, and Jimmy
deliberately nodded his head three times.
Now. ask me II / am going to make any
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 IL I knew how TO
do It," he said. IT used to come off up
mere and take of my collar and rest my
head and neck, but never once did / nod
my head. Now, / hin I can remember
TO say yes and no, but I've bought a box Of
new collars, and they are not high ones,
either"
He produced a box filled with the COM
Portable turnover kind, and, selecting one.
put 1t on. Then he aid 1--WE had bet
ter go downstairs. They have missed us.
But don't say a word about this"
Tell me one thing more" sad his
mother as they started down. How did
you manage to remember not to nod your
head?" Jimmie laughed again.
"Oh. my collars always managed that
for me" he said.