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

CHAPTER I.
Back of the massed red-brick anC
clapboard buildings forming, in Jones
willie, Conn, the extensive group de
voted to the manufacture of Jones
Pepsin Gum, was the abandoned power
house, wherein were housed the water
wheels which once had furnished force
TO drive the factory's machinery. The
streams diminishing flow, the III
creased needs of the business, and the
economy of steam all had initiated to-
ward industrial abandonment OF the
old building.
naSmall boys never 6shed there, for
th0asluice-waters were too swift, loaf
erD never idled there, for the watch
men Of the mills were too strict in
their guardianship; but lovers some.
times wandered there, of moonlight
the academy sessions had ended,
broadway" really named Jackson
Jones, but nicknamed Broadway" be-
cause of his continual glorification of
New York's great thoroughfare, which
he had seen upon occasion, sometimes
went there Ito get away from Jones'
vil1e." This afternoon he was to teach
two Jonesville girl friends new dance
steps which he had learned in New
York city. Later, dancing these with
him at the Odd Fellows ball, they
would confound all other girls in
Jonesville.
The girls came promptly. Clara
Sp0tswood was the daughter of the 10
cal judge, Josie Richards the daughter
of recent manager of the gum fac
tory. Her father was now laid up with
rheumatism, and Josie was in training
for a bookkeepers post in the great
enterprise which swallowed most Of
Jonesville's youth of either sex, as
soon as they left school.
Now this step, girls Broadway
said in preface, was invented on
broadway for use upon Broadway by
broadway people Don't mistake it for
aquiet nap It's not sleep-dance. 1t
was not dreamed out in Jonesville.'
And was everybody dancing it,"
asked Josie.
EVERY girl saw" he answered. He
had been telling of a. ball he had at
tended in New York, but not quite all
he might have told about it. Every
one saw, but one"
And was she dancing old style?"
No; she was being carried to an
ambulance. She had just sprained an
ankle
f''Oh, Jackson, you're too funny!"
"Thanks for those kind words He
watched them whirl together for a
moment. NO; not quite that way,
Clara. Don't give a. Broadway Sep a
JOnesville twist; you want to give a
Jonesville step Broadway polish
Breathless they stopped their ef
forts. "Oh, YOU and your Broadway!
You're always talking about Broad
way!"
'Clara," said Jackson very seriously,
have you ever seen Broadway"
You know ] haven't"
Well if you had, you'd never see
another place you thought worth see
ing"
,''Oh, you and your Broadway" Josie
Richards was an extremely pretty girl,
more serious than Clara, who was fluff
" mo wonder the boys all call you
Broadway
81 suppose minister is proud when
Deople call him DOCTOR" was the an
'syer. When people call me Broad
way feel about like that"
I'D rather folks would call me An
drew-Jackson,' remarked Sammy
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS a-states
-.not-a-street-"
s.s'Your-er-little brother" began
Broadway, but, not being eloquent by
nature, he left the sentence incom-
plete
s,:''He thinks he'll be Caesar. He
wants to kill some boys by strategy,
fQr he's too fat to fight
s,s:The girls laughed again. Now they
h&d*sbegun the pleasant homeward
walk along the high road to the border
Of the village.
Can you come to SUPERB Clara
asked.
."As long as can't eat on Broadway
I'd rather 60 to your house than to any
other place I know" said Jackson.
but I've got to 60 home first. This
collars wilted.'
He was the only boy in Jonesville
who would have thought of that; he
Was the only boy in Jonesville who
owned q 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 serving.
man to bid him enter
jackson made a wry face for the
benefit of the girls, as he said good-by
r. them, promising to appear for sup
Per at the Spotswoods'. He carefully
Obeyed the summons, but 1t ,irked him.
His uncle always irked him. He be-
heved, and there were others. who be-
heved, that his uncle tried to irk him.
They never had got on very well to-
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