Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1908-05-07

tOhipriuhcn pcCuiidflty III WuiSh
two opposite qualities were evenly
balanced. Jones' mental condition was
that OF kingdom ruled by warning
rivals. neither of whom was strong
enough to gain q final victory over the
other.
Lght-heartedness Of SO volatile q
quality that II led him into many fool
ish excuses. was his inheritance from
his father, "Tripper'' Jones. who. on
his deathbed could not refrain from
passing a joke at his approaching end.
Morbidness, black and soul-withering.
was the prenatal gift Of his mother
one Of the groaners-who always
sighed at night because another day OF
her life had passed away, and, in the
morning, lamented because OF the
trials that the coming day might
bring.
Doubtless there are less common
place ways than this OF explaining
Jones infirmity. An astrologer would
have discovered that two planets in.
fiuenced his birth; one. bright sun
kissed thing diffusing light through
space; the other black, desolate, life
less, cursed Of God.
At school he was ready pupil and
q merry playmate except when the
dark planet cast its shadow; then he
was a blockhead and Ounce. These
moods earned for him his nickname
of Dumps"
His teachers answer to one who
had inquired concerning his progress
was: HE is a bright pupil when he
wills to be, but when the black dog
mounts his back, and that occurs very
often, he is q Ounce and We can do
nothing with him."
Sulkiness was the diagnosis of his
case and liberal application Of the
rod was prescribed. This humiliation
but increased his morbid humors. He
developed a habit of sitting alone,
brooding over his wrongs. His play.
mates deserted him. His teachers
were his enemies, he felt. He left
school far less advanced in his studies
than It was reasonable to expect.
bearing the reproof of his tutors, and
the Ill will of his fellows. On the last
day of his attendance at school his
morbidness vanished and he kept the
school in q continual uproar; spit balls
were fired surreptitiously, chewing
gum was placed on the seats, and,
when the teachers back was turned,
gross caricatures were drawn on the
blackboard. His pranks on that day
are cherished in the memories OF
some miscreants yet
His religious instincts were for the
beautiful and elaborate in ritual; In
attendance ut the services of his
church he was constant, and drank in
deep draughts of consolation; high as
pirations came, good resolutions for
the future were formed. At such times
he would have suffered, II necessary,
martrydom for his faith. Then, sud-
denly, morbid mood would come and
black rayless doubt would reign in his
bosom. He would mistrust the church.
Religion would be myth. He would
doubt God. Life would be horrid
nightmare with specters who preyed
on each other. He, the wretched toy
of chance, hung by thread over the
abyss where nothing was but extinc-
tion. The contemplation of which al
most bereft him OF his reason.
Lucia Holmes was a merry, light
hearted girl, and as amiable as she
was light-hearted. Jones met her at
n sociable where they We'd with each
other in an exchange OF wit and re-
partee. The influence Of the bright
star was on Jones, and his flow OF
anirits almost exceeded good taste. A
auccession of events ensued where
thew were the life Of the scene. The
acquaintance formed thus blossomed
and budded, then ripened into love.
long walks under the trees. rapturous
evenings on the starlit river, were the
forerunners of a betrothal.
Miss holmes was David to his Saul
ana exercised his moody devil. In her
society the lithesome trait OF MS
character was in the ascendency; but
when he left her presence he was
doubly scourged for the measure OF
bliss he had enjoyed.
A stray thought, a chance look or
word would plunke him into q mental
hall where he struggled for his lie
Win the devils that tormentsd him.