The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-02-05

y
)arly to every young idea whic
Glanced to have originated in hi
nephew's brain.
We'll, Jackson said his uncle SOU
ly.
well, Uncle Abner."
Ready to settle down in Jonesvillt
are your
Now, uncle" said the youth protes,
ingly.
Your father settled down here,
settled down here, and you'll have t
settle down here" said the grim, VI
lovable old man. You have obliga
,tions here The Jones Gum factor.
has built this town, and is responsible
for it. You will have charge of tn
factory before long"
Jackson writhed. He didn't wish I.
have charge of the factory.
Its not good business, uncle" h
had once told the man who now sa
staring at him modify They'll thinl
It was the gum that made him bald
Poor grandfather was too bareheadet
to be a good advertisement for any
thing, except-an Indian"
why an indiana" his uncle inquired
without suspicion.
LAS an after-taking 'ad' of the best
sca]per in the tribe
This irreverence had abruptly end
ed that days interview.
But this evening Abner Jones wal
busy with more serious thoughts.
When are you going to work." he
crabbedly 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 tc
manhood knowing nothing Of it. Don't
you ever wish to settle down.
Not yet" said jackson, boldly. I'm
too yonng.'' -, ..ai
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 irreverent Jack.
son.
I'm almost discouraged I'm free to
tell you, Jackson, that, if your fathers
will had left me any opportunity for
doing so, l should see to it that, when
! pass to my reward, you would have
NJ hn Inns h;oh
you hold in such contempt"
Pass on to your-er-yes, sir" Jack.
son murmured.
Il have had tales brought to me OF
some things you have said about Jones.
ville," said the old man bitterly. you
have compared it most unfavorabl
with that modern Babylon, New York -
EMBELLISHMENTS, you know New
York is-well, more metropolitan"
"Jonesville 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.
]y lacking; and, while it has fewer
people than New York, it has more viz.
tues. You will be the only Jones re.
naming after have gone. l am fa1
from well. II
Instantly the young man was coz
trite. He had no wish to hurt his
uncles feelings.
I'm sorry, sir, if you are feeling iii, .
he said, respectfully, but, you see,
you've always lived in Jonesville-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?"
Il 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
l was eighteen. You might begin to
take life seriously.ys
you can't take it any other way in
J0nesville."
Il feel that should tell you vari-
GUS details of the business, for my
days here may be numbered
The yoyfh looked deprecatingly
around ~ dull old library, feeling, n
the eas1estness of his revolt, that II
his c~n days in Jonesville were but
numbered it would give him great re-
lief. Even death, he thought
I'm sorry you're not well, SIR
I'VE are but shadows cast upon the
stream Of life. Mere shadows, Jack
SON."
Jackson gazed at him with careful
eyes; that his mouth was also careful
was entirely proven by the fact that
It said nothing. A careless mouth
might have remarked that his old
uncle was pretty solid shadow, for
he weighed close upon two hundred
pounds.