Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-15
The Argus Daily Short Story
THE TOWN FOOL BY M. QUAD.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated Literary Press.

1t was-a brutal way Of putting II,
but evergbosly-in the town of Graham
had come to speak of Jimmy Landon
as the town fool. ItSSsts said that the
boy had been born brigltenough. but
at the age of five n stroke of lightning
had worked the change in him. HaloSt
the power of speech, and his mffl
was weakened, and after the death of
his widowed mother he was an inmate
of the poorhouse for two or three
years. Then lie became a hanger-or
Of the town. having no particular
home, but being cared for as an OBJ
ject of charity. Not quite that either.
He was always willing to do any work
he could TO pay his way. He could
hear If he could not talk, and. though
he seemed to have no more mind than
child of three, he got along very
we'll. Two things the boys of the
| town came toaiearn in time-Jimmy
| had streak of cunning in him, and
| he was revengeful
Jimmy Landon was thirteen years
| old and had been looked upon as the
town fool for several years when n
sort Of event happened in the quiet
| community. A stranger, who called
himself Colonel Bliss and who was 50
| crippled up with wounds that he had
to use pair of crutches. arrived in
town and delivered 4 series of lectures
on war; 1t came to be understood
that he had been the colonel of a gal
liant Illinois regiment and that owing
| to his wounds and other misfortunes
he wss in bad financial shape. He did
fairly well with his lectures. and he
made many friends, and when he pro-
posed TO open a singing and writing,
school he received much encourage
ment. He could sing, and he wrote a
beautiful hand.
The colonel took up his quarters at
one of the two fms in the town. where
he had the use of the hall used for
dancing. He could have had the best
room in the house, but he did not want
/ it. He wanted one with a back in
stead Of front view. Just beneath
his windows was the roof of the kitch-
en-, and below that was the roof Of a
shed. From thence it was a drop OF
only six feet TO the alley in the rear OF
the hotel. These things were not taken
. notice Of by outsiders until later on
The town fool took Il liking to Colonel
Bliss at once. He was drawn toward
him by his crippled condition. The
lad had never seen anything like it il
his life. The colonel could manage t.
get up and down stairs, but no more
If he left the hotel it had be be in &
carriage. Jimmy Landon started out
, to attach himself to the stranger as Q
, body servant, but his unusual curiosit!
, brought about his downfall. He haG
served for two weeks when the colo
mel found him rummaging his trunl
and sent him to the right about. No
only TINT. but he whacked him ovel
, the back with one of his crutches
Those whacks destroyed the boys IL
, lusions The colonel was no longer ;
god to him. Jimmy had reasoned I
out in his silly mind that the trunl
was partnership concern and that h'
!. had q perfect right to examine 1t
: contents, and to be whacked for dom,
. it and then to be driven away in dis
grace aroused thirst for revenge.
The schools had just got fairly start
ed when more events came along
One night the postoffice was robbed o
cash and stamps to the value OF $2OC
1t was a widow who held the Office
and everybody felt sorry for her. l
was decided that the trick had beel
done by two men who were seen loaf
ing about the streets at a late hou
that night. and the sheriff failed to &c
any clew. The colonel heard Of tn
robbery. Of course, and seemed to tax
a deep interest in it. In fact, his ad
vice was taken by the sheriff in seeh
ing to solve the affair. Only ten day
later the leading dry goods store wa
entered at night and SO In cash tai
en-. As no goods were taken. the sheril