The Holt County sentinel., 1911-09-22
"Uncle JIMMY"

item about friend Of my youth.
You called him Uncle Jimmy" Cur.
It's. Now have some very definite
notions on this "uncle" and your
item stirred up my "feelin's." II
also awakened food Of memories.
! knew Jimmy and his estimable " life
before they were married. Gee. How
long ago was that anyway Let me
see: II happenei In the winter OF
1850 was teaching my first term
Of school In the kimsey district. !
think II was then called "Hardscrab.
BILE" and very improperly named, too
for nicer lot of people, or finer
bunch Of boys and girls ] never found
anywhere.
Lets see-what was talking
aboutp Oh, that wedding Of jim.
my's. And thereby hangs a tale
I've never before mentioned II to a
living soul--not even to the little NO.
man. At that time was as fine
specimen Of yerdant. awkward,
backwoods boy Of II as ever came
down the pike: and I was basliful
| and sensitive, too. Some Of my
friends may question the latter state.
ment but none who knew me then
will doub, the former one.
was boarding with Thomas Cot.
tier and family at the time. Out of
kindness, to me the bride to he sent
me an invitation TO be present-sent
1t orally by Hannah, Co,ticr's oldest
daughter. Was scaredp guess
Yes. with big Y. Get this
"growed up" among the tall trees Of
the Iioosicr state In the pioneer days
Of that commonwealth. All the
function ] knew anything about
were old.timc spelin' schools with
their "Oli. sister Phoebe. how happy
were We The night We sal under the
Juniper tree" and other games Of like
Kind AT recess. and those ever popular
parties which some heartless wretch
has wickcdly and with malice afore.
thought called "bussin' bees" lid
~
function Of ,ha, kindy did your
Oh, those good, old days Gone. gone
forever.
But all this II not telling how !
didn't attend that wedding l told
you was scared to a standstill.
did not know what to do or how to
act II I went. I knew I couldn't put
my boots In my pockets and I was
sure they would he In the way II !
didn't. And ! didn't know how to
get out Of going. but u bright idea
struck me-a wedding was.-to my no.
tion--a very formal atTair-my invita-.
ton was informal-ERaO, ! could
=, and on ceremony Honest lnjun, !
wouldn't have recognized wedding
card II ! had met II In the middle Of
the road, In broad daylight, but that
seemed to he the only way out and I
took u. May he you were young and
bashful and awkward, once yourself.
And that happened nearly forty
seven years ago. II doesn't seem pos.
sible. TO me II does not seem long -
but the boys and girls who studied
their lessons In the little house down
by the creek that winter are fathers
and mothers and some are grandpa
rents. Think Of It. And that young
bride and groom viii soon he cclc.
brating their Golden Wedding Ami.
vcrsary May suggest that ] am
not bashful nor timid any more. III
were near enough, and should hear a
noise like any kind of an invitation,
would answer present" when the
roll was called.
Say, SENTINEL, here am talking
right along and haven't said word
ger,na,c To the subject that was III
my mind when started, II Is said
that old men grow garrulous. vii
this bc taken rs evidence that ! am
getting oldI Perish the thought 10y
the way, ! have never heard tina, say
ing applied to women. Is IL because
they don't have to wait so long To ge,
the habit?
hut I'm bound to register my kicl
on that uncle and father habit wher
the fellow to whom II Is applieC
"ain't no Kin q yOurn." ] have, In thi.
country a tine lot Of nephews ant
nieces. am proud of them and
like to hear them call me Uncle Ill
Well, once young friend addressed
me with that afTectionate title.
did not answer him as did u colore(
lady answer me when ! called hel
"auntie"-Sh said: "Iluccome ! L
he your auntY" ! said: "YounI
man over thar In Old Mizzourrali
sub, whar | come from, sub, when 1
colored man gifts so old, sub, and 81
no count, sub, as to be PRACTICAL.
out of active life, sub, they call him
Uncle Ned or Uncle Joe or rnclt
Nick. IT you think, sub, that hav,
reached that stage of life, sub, YOU
address me properly with that title
sub, otherwise Not, sub. IOr
HEAH ME, sun"
Seriously, do you think that u mar
who is vending his rapid way adowI
the sunset slope of life needs re
minder of the years that are goneI
How would you like to have young
looking grandmother to address yOl
J as F-a-t-h-e-r D-o.b-y.n.s? Gee, /,
, makes a fellow feel like getting
, on a regular tear and becoming such
|, an old reprobate that nobody won't
want to claim to be kin o. hisn." Cut
1t out; don't red flag man about the
years he has lived. A man who had
the misfortune to he born as long age