The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-05-31

1T GCdS that OF u tau gentleman enIuT-
ing his nineteenth t0tnter
Henry Louden's about the saddest
case of abused'stepfather l ever saw"
ITS his own fault" said Mr.. Arp
''twice not havin' sense enough not to
marry. Him with a son of his own
toop
Yes" assented the colonel, mar
ryin' a widow with a son Of her own,
and that widow Fannyw
Wasn't ii just the same with her
first husband, BantryT Mr.. Davey
asked, not for information, as he i'm
mediately answered himself. You
bet it was! Didn't she always rule
the roost? Yes, she did. She made a
god of Gene from the day he was
born. Bantry's house was run for him,
like Louden's is now"
And look" exclaimed Mr.. Arp, with
satisfaction, "at the way he's turned
out!'
HE amt turned out at all yet. He's
too young" said Buckalew. Besides,
clothes don't make the man"
Wasn't he smokin' cigareet" cried
Eskew triumphantly. This was final.
"It's a pity Henry Louden can't do
something for his own son." said Mr..
Bradbury why don't he send him
away to college?"
Fanny won't let him." chuckled Mr..
Arp inadvertently Takes all their
spare change to keep Gene there in
style. ! don't blame her. Gene GER
tainly acts the fool. but that Joe Lou
an ornery world full"
HE always was kind of mischeev-
ous," admitted Buckalew. II don't
think he's mean though, and it does
seem kind of not just right that Joe's
fathers money-B antry didn't leave
anything TO speak of-has to go to
keepin' Gene on the fat of the land,
with Joe gittin' up at half past to
carry papers, and him goin' on nine
teen years Old
Its all he's fit forr' exclaimed Es-
kew. Hes low down, tell We. Amt
it only last week Judge Pike caught
him shootin craps with Pixies niger
men in the alley back of Pixies barn"
You ever hear that boy Joe talk pol
lticsY asked Uncle Joe Davey, cross
ing a cough with a chuckle. His
heads so full of schemes fer running
this town, and state, too, it's a wonder
1t don't bust. Henry Louden told me
he's see Joe set around and study by
A,D 0n0 AnA Fov
state in two years"
"And the best he can do for himself"
added Eskew, lis deliyerin' the Daily
Tocsin on a second hand Star bicycle
and gamblin' with niggers and ritfraff!
None of the nice young folks invite
him to their doin's any more"
That's because he's got so shabby
he's quit goin with EN- said Bucka-
lew.
mo, 1t amt" snapped Mr.. Arp. Its
because he's so low down. He's no
more n town outcast There amt
airy one of the girls III have a thing to
do with him, except that rip-rarin' tom
boy next door to Louden's, and the 9th
ers don't have much to do with her
neither, can tell We. That Arie Ia |
bor''--v
Colonel Flitcroft caught him surrep- |
by the arm. Ssh, Eskewr he |
whispered. Look out what you're
sayin'."
You needn't mind me-" Jonas Tabor
spoke up crisply. II washed my hands |
Of all responsibility for Rogers branch
Of the family long ago. Never was one
Of 'em had the energy or brains to
make a decent llvin'. beginning with
Roger-not one worth his salt set
Rogers son up In business, and all the
return he ever made me was to go
INTO bankruptcy and take to drink, till
he died a sot like his wife did Of
shame. done all could when
handed him over my store, and l never
Axpect to lift finger for 'em again.
Ariel Tabor's my graDdniece, but she
iidn't act like II, and you can say any
hing you like about her for what l
,are. The last time spoke TO her was
. year and half ago, and don't
'eckon I'll ever trouble to again"
How was that Jonasr'. Quickiy in