The daily tribune., 1907-07-27
The Rebellion
of Jackie
BY sash BoucheNs Wight
Copyright, By Joseph ., .powlss)

what a perfectly exquisite child"
exclaimed passor.by to her com.
panion, after glance at little Jack.
Jacks mother fidgetted with compla.
| cency, and looked admiringly at the
| vision at her feet--a vision OF golden
curls, rich, creamy complexion, and
the most tempting briarrose checks
| a small boy, clad from top to toe In
| spotless white He was pretty boy.
She knew there was no denying that
| fact, and 30 she did not tarry to ask
| herself the meaning of that inscruta-
BILE look that was dawning in the great
| brown eyes. A look new and strange,
| 1t would have seemed to her, for she
| was all a-nutter with maternal vanity.
Mrs. Perham sighed.
How fortunate you are Matte" she
| said. Jack is such a perfect gentle
| man, and takes all the lovely dressing
you can think up for him. but my
| James" She sighed again. and
Jacks mother laughed for the mere
| mention of James. the unspeakable,
usually provoked smiles in Oldtop.
You needn't laugh, Matte. | as
| sure you 1t is anything but funny to
| be the mother of freckled little
| tough, that will not stay clean two
minutes after he is dressed
Jacks mother laughed again
"Oh, James is all right, only it is a
| pity that he looked like the Perhams
instead of like our family-that is all!
| | do believe, though, Jennie dear, that
| If you would pursue different course
| with him, you could mold him as
much to your liking as Jack is to
| mine. Now, no matter IL he does re-
| bel at blouses and frills and other
| things that he ought to wear as mat
| ter of course, you ought to make him
understand that your will is to be his
| law about his dress for good many
years to come yet"
How can I? | told him only last
week that If he would wear a sweet
| little brown linen sailor suit to the
| Fourth of July celebration l would
| give him a dollar-now what do you
! suppose Jim said to that? Why he
| simply looked up from his paper and
said, Take her up on 1t, son, and get
your dollar, and then father will give
| you another to go out and roll In
mudpuddlc with that suit on
Jennie Perham! You don't mean
| to say that Jim Perham set your au-
thority at naught in that way?"
"Oh, he didn't mean to set 1t at
| naught-but he is always saying that
he cannot bear to see country people
trying to put on city airs" Mrs
Perham stopped suddenly and bit her
| lip at a recollection of the connection
in which he had said this. but Jacks
mother did not seem to feel hit. so
she continued: He is given to abet-
ting James in all of his shines, any
way, and | simply haven't the back
bone to undertake the quelling of the
two of them"
There's where you and | differ!
said her sister. Now listen to me.
| Go right on and make that linen suit
for the Fourth, and when the time
comes let him choose between wear
ing 1t and staying at home all day,
and you will see that he will come to
terms; then. when ne has worn 1t
| there will be no more trouble. Don't
say a word to Jim about 1t, and above
| all. do not try to hire James-just
| be firm and positive and you will see
| that you will carry your point readily.
| He really would be a strikingly hand
| some boy II he were well dressed, and
whether you will believe me or not.
his freckles and his snaggled teeth
look a great deal worse to you than
they do TO anyone else"
They left the room and Jackie, aged
| seven. looked out of the window
| across the street at his cousin James
| turning handspring in the dust OF
vacant lot. and then down at his
own immaculateness. with envy and
| rebellion in his soul.
The Fourth came. 1t was In the
| south. where the sound of fireworks
| did not smite the morning air. Early
| In the morning the people began to
| gather from all the country round,
for oldtop was to do itself proud this
day. and was keeping open house.
Jacks mother, flushed and charm
ing in white and layendar-the first
appearing in anything else than Wild
\ ow's weeds for a long time-came
down the street. leading her lovely
child by the hand. He was all In
white, except for n tiny bow OF blue
| ribbon, which peeped out from under
the broad-rolllng brim OF handsome
white sailor-the bow OF which tied
back the long front locks. which were
saving for subsequent use. His
little shoes were white, too, so he had
to walk circumspectly, to avoid mud
and dusty spots.
They paused n moment at the gate
for Mrs. Perham, who came down the
walk. drawing on her long white silk
mitts.
why, Jennie. where Is james,"
asked Jacks mother.
James Is In bed" replied Mrs. Per.
ham. firmly. Il have locked up all