Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1907-06-27

girl and lover were fonder than We OF
each other.
My people had money and TO spare.
and with II a hard.headed. northern
horse sense. The Brownleys were
poor 40 church mice, but they had the
brilliant. virile blood OF the old
southern oligarchy and the romantic.
"salaam.to.no-one" Dixie.land pride of
before-the-war days. when southern
prodlgnlIty and hospitality were found
Wherever women were fair and meo's
mirrors In the bottom OF their .uiep-
glasses.
Bob's father, one OF the big. white
pillars OF southern aristocrncy, had
gone through congress and the senate
OF his country 20 the tune OF Spend
and Not Spare" which left his widow
and three younger daughters and a
small son dependent upon Bob. his
eldest.
Many a warm summer afternoon.
as Bob and padded down the
Charles. and often on a cold. crispy
night as we sat In my shootlng.b box on
the Cape Cod shore. had we matched
up for our future. | was to have the
inside run OF the great banking bust.
nses Of Randolph & Randolph, and
Bob was eventually to represent my
fathers firm on the floor of the stock
exchange. I'D die in an Office" Bob
used TO say. and the floor OF the
stock exchange Is Just the chimney.
place to roast my hoe-cake in" So
when our college days were over my
able old father stood us up against the
wall in his office and tried us by his
tests, and proud we both were when
dad said: Jim, you and Bob have
chosen well. You, Jim. are Just the
chap to step into my shoes. and Bob is
cut to q thirty.second and sixty.fourth
, for the floor" Proud we were, not
J so much because Of what my fathers
decision meant for our future. for
we knew we should get into the busi
ness all right, but because our judg.
ment was Endorsed by one we both
thought as near infallible as man
could be In anything pertaining to
business affairs.
Bob was then % and a year old.
er-I one OF your raw.boned New Eng.
land lads. not much for prettIness.
but willing TO weigh I'm race.day with
any of them for steadiness and stay.
ing qualities: Bob as handsome as
they made them. six feet tall in his
gym sandals straight as an arrow. with
the form OF an Indian. and one Of
those clean. brave. all.for.heart.noth.
ing.for.policy. smiling faces To which
men yield willing friendliness, and
women. idolatry. Bobs eyes were as
big and round and purple-brown as an
English bulldogs. unfathomable. at
once mild and stern, with a childish
come-and.go perpleSity; his nose as
straight as though chiseled by mus
ter for n Greek medallion, with thiT
curved lips to correspond. and high
broad forehead, whose Wilderness was
set OF by q luxuriance of hair that
seemed jet.black. but was of the same
rare purple.brown as his eyes. But
IL was the poise of Bob's head that
gave his good looks their crown. Who
ever has seen bunch Of two-year-olC
colts In a long.grass Kentucky pad
dock, when the darby boy lets loose
his shrill whistle at "taking.up time.
Is sure TO remember one that threw
up it's head and kept II poised L
make sure It had caught the call
Grace. strngth and embarrassed way
ward leadership are there personified
Some such suggestion was ever In thu
carriage OF Bob's shapely head ant
vigorous figure. and dull indeed woul'
be the man or woman who failed 4
recognize the mans rare distinction
and masterfulness.
Indeed. as I said a bit back, BoI
d Brownley was by all odds one OF tn,
g. handsomest men have ever seen
y but besides that, he was a sterling
d manly. unaffected fellow. as true a
"a steel. as brave as a lion and tn
81 best comrade friend ever had.
10 Perhaps IL was because his father
10 death had saddled Bob's youth witt
O. the heavy responsibilities OF husband
Ie ing and directing his famlly'a slln
d finances that he took to business as
swallow TO the air. We entered tn
20 Office Of Randolph & Randolph on tn
e. same day. and on its anniversary,
= year later, my father summoned u
d into his once for a sort Of taily-u
a. talk. Neither Of US quite knew wha
Is was coming. and We thrilled wit
O. pleasure when he said:
u Jim, you and Bob have fairly out
n done my expectations. I have had m
N eye on both of you and want 20
$, TO know that the kind OF industry an
81 business intelligence you have show
n here would have won you recognitio
y IN any banking house on the street
m want you both in the firm-JIm :
n learn his way rcund so he can ste
n into my shoes; you. Bob. to take on
a. OF the Arms seats on the stock Q,
y change"
Or Bob's face went red and then pal
"a with hnnninaaa na hn rear.hah fnr ~,