Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-10-07
CHAPTER x.
~ ULLY is credited with being
the irst 20 remark what es-
M sayists have pointed out ever


proves happiness and abates misery by
the doubling OF our joys and dividing
Of our griefs. This was the sort Of
friendship that animated Jimsy Smith.
His regard began In love for Emma
Harris, but when he found that this
love was not requited he did not for
that reason withdraw his interest in
her. Accepting the cold reality with
his usual philosophy he thrust deep
down 10 his heart the passion that
never could be eradicated, and his
sterling, uniinching honesty trans
formed it in time into a fraternal af-
lection as self sacrificing as it was
loyal. which he extended to the man
Emma had chosen for her life partner.
With bis keen perception he had soon
seen that that man was morally weak.
irresolute of purpose, incompetent in
business and that his love for his wife
was not of that kind which counted
sacrifice for her as a privilege and for
bearance. indulgence and unfailing
consideration for her gentler and
purer nature as a duty But it was
not for him to judge or to condemn.
That Emma was satisfied was sufii-
cient. No other consideration matter
ed a particle. And he esteemed him
self happy in being admitted to the
little household on terms Of the in
timacy of an elder brother In all the
world there was no one else he cared
for or who cared for him.
When Mrs. Brooks and he re-entered
the apartment and she turned to him
aud told him that it was good to see
\ him back she meant It,
1T is good to me to be back again."
he admitted, IF only for a few hours"
why a few hours. JimsyW
WILLIAMS expects me to take the
midnight train for Boston There is
some legal tangle about our dock lease
there"
"Oh, / see. Did Joe tell you about
our good fortune? OF course you can
see the change" and she made GEES
ture that took in the whole room.
you mean the raise in salary and
back payT
Yes. Wasn't it splendid of Captain
WilliamsY
1T certainly has agreed with you"
he responded evasively. Never saw
you look so we'll"
did the captain tell you about it?"
mo; he never mentioned it."
"Why notY'
Captain Williams has a habit Of
keeping a whole lot to himself"
1T came as a complete surprise--at
least to me-"
Seems to have done your mother a
whole lot Of good. She never did
shine up to that Harlem fat"
In all the years I've known you.
Jimsy. you've never spoken Of your
mother or father. suppose you don't
care to-"
An expression Of pain fitted over his
face.
mo; it amt pleasant" be confessed.
Mrs. Brooks vas sincerity sorry for
her rather thoughtless remark
Forgive me. Jimsy. | wish / hadn't
said that. Could help to make it
more pleasant? I'd like to-" she said
sympathetically.
He gazed at her with a queer look
and for a few moments did not speak.
He appeared to be debating something
in his mind
MY mother, as near as l have been
able to find out hiked out into Colo
RADIO when it was a territory There
wasn't much law and. l guess, no con-
ventionalities Everybody kind O.
drifted along the best or the worst
they could. the majority voting the
straight ticket for the worst A shake
Of the hand was as good as a bond,
and there wasn't any law In the land
except that between man and woman.
Some Of them out there yearned as
much for the sanctity Of the marriage
vows as an Arab 10 the Sahara does
for a sun bath. 1t was loose coun- /
try, full of loose people. My mother
fell in love with a rowing miner, and
he promised to marry her, but before
the parson wandered into the camp to
make little loose change tying mat
rimonial knots pa got into an argu-
ment concerning alcoholic capacity
and got plugged with a 40"
"KilledY
Eyes. He passed on. Later l was
showed into the midst Of an unsuspect- /
ing public. My coming into the world
without the usual legal credentials hit
my poor mother awful hard. and be-
fore l could open my eyes she died.
Then there was an awful argument /
about where belonged"
"How?"
1.-TWO cities claimed me. Denver said /
I was born In Omaha, and Omaha
blamed it on Denver. Those that look
ed after me when / was a kid got a
little careless about my education, and
finally the city Of Denver adopted me
as a favorite son. Fathers only known
name was Jim. / grabbed it. had to
have a last one on the handle, so I /
chose Smith, feeling tolerably certain
1t would pass the scrutiny Of an in
quisitive world without raising a storm
of curiosity"