Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-09-13


suggested that it was time the great
and only James Chesterley Braden
should be put on exhibition.
Paxley glared at him so darkly, and
turned the subject in such queer,
unhappy sort of way, that after that
nobody mentioned the child again,
till Paxley himself began to do 1t
1t was after Jenkins had been tell
ing of some of the funny sayings or
his little brood.
Jim gets off good thing occasion,
ally, now he's beginning to talk" said
Paxley, and every one felt better. 1t
was so unusual not to be able to talk
about anything and everything with
Paxley.
The next day he had some bright
saying to retail, that made the boys
laugh heartily and honestly-not the
conventional giggle that is generally
reserved for such accounts OF Juvenile
wit.
Paxley smiled. In fact, Haines, still
resentful, asserted that he smirked
like a self-satisfled woman. But
things were easier at any rate, and
from that time on, PaXley talked of
the boy freely, and told store OF
funny things that became famous
throughout the office.
The respect for "Paxley's kid" grew.
That he was an exceptionally bright
and clever little fellow everybody adj
mitted, and Cummins, who went out
with Pax and the doctor one Sunday
night and saw the boy in his crib, gave
an enthusiastic account Of his beauty.
The crash came one stormy Deem
Der eight, when Paxley had been pa
rent-in-law, as the boys expressed 1t,
for about a year.
A number of his friends, Haines,
others who were members of his club
were gathered again in the library as
they had been the summer before.
AS usual, Haines started the CONVEX
sation. "Paxley's clean daffy over
that kid of his, isn't he? Can't hire
him to go out this winter, and he's
thin as wire fence"
The others grunted Then little
Cummins, rather red and altogether
embarrassed, spoke.
well" sputtered CummiIs, you
know that story he told about the
boys asking If the clouds were Gods
dust cloths?"
There was a grunt Of assent. "Too
precocious-too precocious by far"
muttered Jenkins, who had got night
off, and was enjoying the society of
adults unmixed with children.
81 don't know about that" went on
Cummins, "for | don't know anything
about children. But / do know that
that's an old story. I read it myself
in a magazine last night And the
magazine was dated more than year
ago."
There was an odd, strained silence.
Eyes" said another man, 1--WE
had my suspicious myself. I told two
or three of Pax's stories at dinner
not long ago, and the people just
howled-said they were every one Of
them gray-bearded with age"
T've done that, too" remarked
Haines, but thought maybe two kids
could say the same funny things
they're capable of anything, you
know"
The doctor rose and walked undecid
eddy up and down the room a few
times.
Then he stopped by the table, lean
ing forward, with his long fingers
resting lightly on the polished wood
Boys" he said, and there was some
thing solemn in his voice which made
the others lay down their cigars and
look expectantly at him. Boys, / am
going to do something I've never done
before-Tm going to betray the conf
dence of friend"
The men sat very silent, gazing up
at him.
eff you would stop and think" the
doctor went on slowly, as though
choosing his words, II would not have
TO tell. You would understand. But
YOU have not seen, and you must-for
your own good, and Paxley's-and lit
tie Jim's. Do you remember when he
flew at Haines when he said, jokingly
he didn't think much Of the boy? The
strange trip to New York? The anxi-
ETY. and the sorrow in his face for
months now? And these stolen sto-
ries? For they are stolen, every one.
He's stolen them for Jim. He's been
learning them for months. They've
been his last weapons in the hardest
fight he's ever fought. For he's been
fighting against God this year. And
he has not won. Oh, don't you under
stand?" For the first time the doctor
raised his hands and threw them out
az though asking help and strength
from the men before him. Don't you
seeq Little Jim will never say any
bright things of his own. Because
and unconsciously the doctor lapsed
into the Scottish tongue OF his boy
hood days-"because lads Paxley's
found his wee lamb is one Of Gods
poor innocents."
And only the waiter, who had just
come in, noticed how blindly the doc
tor walked across the room.
For all the other men were strange
ly blinded, too.
IL