The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-11-05
Jimmie
School Marks
By F. A. Mitchell

asked to be advised how to send mluuc;'
to her son in another city. The presi-
dent was the only one Of the officers
present, and the woman was referred
to him. She was a garrulous old lady
and, like most women when started
talking about their sons, poured q
| steady stream in the presidents ears
Of her sons superiority yer other wo-
mems sons, mingled with some hard
luck he had had.
Jimmie" she said, was always an
affectionate child, truthful, thoughtful
and eve gave me a bit Of trouble
He was so smart when he was at
school that he never needed to study
much at home, and his marks were
always G and D, which are the high
est. He got A but once. and he
said that was u mistake, One day he
came home and said he wasn't going
to school any more; he didn't approve
Of the system of education. He
| thought the boys were treated like
sausage meat-all put into a hopper
and ground out together. He said he
had found that he could do one thing
we'll and it was very easy for him. l
asked him what it was, and he said 1t
had nothing to do with school work
and didn't need any education at all.
He would show ME instead Of telling
me; then l would understand him. He
! lifted the clock from the mantle, took
It all to pieces and put it together
again.
"'For lands sake, Jimmie l said.
are you going to be satisfied to I've u
clock tinker!
"'Oh, mother he said, giving me a
hug, you don't understand what I'm
driving at!
1.-The next day he bid me goodby and
said, You won't see me again till I've
| made some success in the world
"'You won't make much of a sue
cess,' i said, without I'm education. /
bition and go to college. l could have
paid part. and you could have earned
the rest teaching school or something
"'I haven't time to 20 to college, he
said. I've got u big work before me.
I'm going to make something that has
! never been successfully thus far con-
structed.'
"He went away, Il I've not seen
him since. I'm sure he will succeed,
but l wish he would tell me how he is
getting on. You see, he has had a lot
to contend with. First he was taken
sick and didn't earn a cen for months,
besides paying something for being in
a hospital. Then he"-
Madam" interrupted the banker,
I'm too busy to listen to all this.
From your description Of your son !
Judge that he is q ne'er-do-well."
The old lady looked at the banker
wonderingly. Jimmie a ne'er-do-well!
Why, he's the smartest boy you ever
saw. How do you suppose he ever got
those high marks at school unless
The banker cut her short, asking her
how much money she wanted to send
her son, but when she said that she
was going to let him have $1,000, for
which he was to send her a thousand
shares of stock in q manufacturing
concern he was organizing, the presi-
dent implored her not to rob herself by
putting her money in some wild scheme
that would surely explode and leave
her in the lurch.
wild scheme!" she exclaimed. do
you suppose my boy would let his
mother put her money in a wild
scheme? Why, he wouldn't
Enough, madam. Let me have your
$1,000 and I'll give you a draft for 1t
that will be as good as money for your
son. But remember that 1 warned you"
The old lady opened a hand bag and
took out a stocking, from which she
poured a quart measur of bills, gold
and silver. The banker called a clerk
and directed him to count the money
and, finding the amount as the old lady
had stated. gave her a draft for II.
Two years passed. One day a car
riage, drove III to the bank. and an old
lady wrapped In expensive furs was
helped to alight by IL maid who carried
IL satchel ind. going into the bank,
asked for the president.
live got Il lot Of papers," she said, ]
Il want o to take care of for me-
And. opening the satcllel. she drew
forth a pile Of securities which the
president. OH looking over, found to be
Of great value He locked them In a
box in the safety deposit branch of the |
bank and. handing her the key, told
her that she. and she alone. would be
able to unlock the box and would have
ACCESS to 1t at any time during business
hours.
You don't seem to know me- she
said.
'I.eally." replied the banker. II must
confess that I don't"
Don't YOU remember my coming In
here and emptying a stocking full Of
money and you giving me q paper for
it to send to my boy? Well. Jimmie
was getting up a company to make
he had invented. He'd saved
$1,000 himself and needed $1,000 more.
I Snof t. IN him md h.