The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1914-02-07


collars wilted."
He was the only boy in Jonesyille
who would have thought of that; he
was the only boy in JcnesYiIle who
owned a pair of patent-leather shoes.
AS they passed his uncle's residence
the old man, who was his guardian.
caught glimpse of him through an
opening in the neglected shrubbery on
| the great lawn, and sent a serving
man to bid him enter.
! Jackson made wry face for the
! benefit OF the girls, as he said good-by
! to them, promising to appear for sup
per at the Spotswoods' He carefully
| obeyed the summons, but it irked him.
His uncle always irked him He be-
| Iieyed, and there were others who be-
! lieyed, that his uncle tried to irk him.
| They never had. got on very well to-
| gether; the old man was hard, con-
servative to the point of stubbornness
| and opposed every young idea, particu-
larly to every young idea which
CHANGED to have originated in his
nephew's brain.
We'll. Jackson" said his uncle sour
1y
We'll. Uncle Abner"
Ready to settle down in Jonesville,
are you?"
Now. uncle" said the youth protest
ingIy.
Your father settled down here,
settled down here, and you'll have to
settle down here" said the grim, IN
loyable old man. You have obliga-
tons heEe. The Jones Gum factory
has built this town, and is responsible
for it. You viii have charge of the
factory before long"
Jackson writhed He didn't wish to
have charge OF the factory.
It's not good business. uncle" he
had once told the man who now sat
staring at him modify. They'll think
it was the gum that made him bald.
Poor grandfather was too bareheaded
to be a good advertisement for any
thing, except-an Indian"
why an Indian?" his uncle inquired
without suspicion.
las an Alternating 'ad' Of the best
sCalper in the tribe
This irreverence had abruptly end
ed that days interview.
But this evening Abner Jones was
busy with more serious thoughts.
When are you going to work. he
crabbedIy demanded.
| Il don't see"
jackson, every Jones for two gen
erations has learned the gum business
before he was as old as you; but you.
foolishly INDUCED by your father
have never seen such madness as the
way he brought you up-have come to
manhood knowing nothing of it. Don't
/ iSh fn
Not yet." said Jackson, boldly I'm
too young"
You're twenty one"
I'm twenty-one; but I've lived most
of the time in Jonesville. That makes
me just fifteen SO far as actual age
goes-and yet the time seems longer
than it is" said the iTreverent Jack
Il son.
I'm almost discouraged. I'm free to
tell you, Jackson, that. if your father
; will had left me any opportunity for
doing so. / should see to it that, when
l pass to my reward, you would have
no share of the great business which
you hold in such contempt"
Pass on to your-er-yes. sir" Jack
son murmured.
81 have had tales brought to me of
some things you have said about Jones
yille,' said the old man bitterly. You
| have compared it most unfavorably
with that modern Babylon. New York -
''Well-er-uncle. you know New
York is-well, more metropolitan
"JonesviIle is metropolitan enough
jonesville is pleasant little town
built by the industry and brains Of the
members of your family, sir-in both
of which you seem to be most singular
iy lacking; and, while It has fewer
people than New York, It has more vir-
tues. You will be the only Jones re
naming after l have gone. 1 am far
from well. Il"
Instantly the young man was con
trite. He had no wish to hurt his
uncle's feelings.
I'm sorry. sir. if you are feeling i'll. .
he said. respectfully. but. you see
you've always lived in Jone6ville-a
great drain on a mans vitality
didn't mean to say a word to bother
you"
But the old man was not to be paci.
fed; his face continued stern 1T is
less your words than what seems to be
your disposition which annoys me- he
burst forth. rs there nothing serious
in you?"
4. guess I'm pretty young to settle
down. Perhaps that's what's the mat
ter"
! Il had settled down and had com
plete charge of the bookkeeping depart
ment Of this great enterprise before
was eighteen. You might begin to
take life seriously"
You can't take it any other way in
Jcnesville''
Z feel that l should tell you vari-
Gus details of the business. for my
days here may be numbered
The youth looked deprecatingly
around the dull old library feeling in