Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-05-08
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good shape. 1t is but justice to say
that If it had not been, Romance had
dangled her Turing wisp O. light In
vain. Several Of his new schemes had
worked out well, his subordinates
were of one mind with him, trade was
f%iourishing. He felt he could afford
a little spin.
Jimsy's ~radiating fancies focused
themselves, at last, on the vision OF
a trig little sail-boat, "a jug of wine,
a loaf of bread" in the cabin, with
possibly a book of verses underneath
the bow, or more suitably, in the
shadow of the sail; and Aleck Van
Camp and himself astir in the rigging
or plunging together from the gun
vale for an early swim. "And before
I get off, I'll hear a singer that can
sing" he declared.
He telegraphed Aleck, who was by
this time running down the eyelid OF
the squid, to meet him at his club in
New York. Then he made short work
with the family. Experience had
taught him that an attack from am
bush was most successful.
Look here, E~dith"--this was at thes
breakfast-table the very morning of
his departure. Edith was sixteen, the
tallest girl in the academy, almost
ready for college and reckoned quite
a queen In her world-"You be good
and do my chores for me while I'm
away, and I'll bring you home a duke.
Take care of mothers bronchitis, and
keep the house straight. I'm going on
a cruise"
All right, Jim"-Edith could al
ways be counted on to catch the ball
go ahead and have a bully time
and don't drown yourself. I'll drive
the team straight to water, mother
and dad and the whole outfit. trust
met"
Considering the occasion and the
correctness of the sentiments, Jim
forbore, for once, from making the
daily suggestion that she chasten her
language. BY the time the family ap-
peared, Jim had laid out a rigid
course of action for Miss Edith, who
rose to the occasion like a soldier.
'Mother'll miss you, of course. but
Jack and Harold"-two Of Edith's ad-
~mirers-"Jack and Harold can come
around every day-stout arm to lean
upon, that sort of thing. You know
!, mother can't be a bit jolly without
plenty Of men about. AMI since Sue
became engaged she reilly doesn't
count. The boys will think they are
running things, of course, but they'll
! see my iron hand In the velvet glove
} You can throw a blue chip on that
| Jimsy. And don't kiss me, Jim, for
{ Dorothy Smell and l vowed. when we
wished each others rings on-Oh. well
!. brothers don't count"
And so, amid the farewells Of a ten
t der, protesting family, he got off
leaving Edith in the midst of one o.
? her monologues.
l There was a telegram in New Yori
3 saying that Aleck Van Camp would
( join him in three days, at the latest
Hambleton disliked the club and lef
0 It, although his first intention hat
t been to put up there. He picked GU
Q a modest, uptown hotel, new to him
t for no other reason than that 1t hat
d a pretty name, The Larue. Then b,
y began to consider details.
D The day after his arrival was occu
pied in making arrangements for hi
boat. He put into this matter tn,
4 same painstaking buoyancy that h,
had put into a dull business 10
b twelve years. He changed his plan
half a dozen times, and exceeded then
O wholly in the size and equipment o
the little vessel, and in the conse
ouent expense; but he justified him
self. as men will, by a dozen goo,
reasons. The trig little sail-boa
o turned out to be a respectable yacht
e steam, at that. She was called tn
Sea Gull. Neat in the beam, stancI
9 in the bows, rugged for coasting an
If provided with a decent living outfit
I. she was good enough for any gentle
man" in the opinion Of the agent VIII
3. rented her. Jim was half ashamed O
giving up the more robust scheme q
sailing his own boat, with Aleck; bu
some vague and expansive spiri
a. moved him ito see," as he sale
: what 1t would be like to go as far an
3 as fast as we please" While the
n were about 1t, they would call on som
cousins at Bar Harbor and get goo
Ia fun out Of 1t.
a The idea of his holiday grew as b
ID played with It. As his spin took o
ID a more complicated character, hi
ID zest rose. He went forth on Sunda
feeling az II some vital change wa
ID impending. His little cruise loome
ID up large. important, epochal. Fl
10 laughed at himself and thought, wit
IS, his customary optimism, that a vac
d. ton was worth waiting twelve year
fe for, II waiting endowed It with sue
ID a flavor. Jim knew that Aleck woul
relish the spin. too. Alexis natuI
IN was that Of a grind tempered wit
In sndrtineaa finn asf down annea