Mexico Missouri message., 1915-01-21

the air of the buoyant Jim of old His
old friends asked him many questions
about his illness. The subject dis
tressed him SO much that they didn't
press him. After a time the town, &C
cepting the fact that Jim had been
very i'll, and that the illness had made
him much older ceased to talk about
him. Something else developed to en-
gage the attention of the people and
things moved on in their old grooves.
Jim applied himself to business even
more earnestly than before. Kenyon
was more kindly than ever in his at
titude toward him. They didn't dine
once week as formerly, but once a
day. Kenyon wandered into the store
and chatted with the young man. Jim
was much embarrassed at first by
these visits, but gradually he became
accustomed 10 them. Once he sug-
gested rather timidly that Mr.. Kenyon
should have the books examined.
NO, Jim; that's all right" said the
big man.
II ever man worked TO show his an-
probation of another's consideration,
Jim did The only way he could make
good his defalcation was by making
the business pay more. And the bust
ness did. The profits increased stead
lily. With each increase Kenyon in
creased Jim's pay despite Jims pro-
test. He did more. When an electric
light and power company was organ-
lied and a trolley line was built, he
put some stock in Jim's name and
made Jim a director. He made, him
an officer of a new land company and
one day astonished Jim by telling him
he was going to make him q director
of the bank.
Kenyon Explained It All.
There came another change in the
administration at Washington. A new
party came into power Parker Sc
NOR lost his job. He didn't live long
after that, Kenyon showed more re-
spect to Parker dead than to Parker
alive. He went to the funeral. As
they were leaving the cemetery he
asked Jim to dine with him that night,
as Jim's own home would be sad and
cherries. After the meal Kenyon
and Jim sat and smoked in silence
for long time. Kenyon was the first
to speak.
"Jim," he said, your fathers death
is great sorrow to you no doubt, pit
it is better So"
There was something about Ken.
yon's manner that told more than his
words. Jim started to speak but Ken,
yon checked him.
Il know the whole story" he said.
Il know. how he specialized with the
postofice funds, and how to save him
from Jail and disgrace you juggled
things in the store. You should have
come to me, but suppose you realized
that l never sympathized with your
father, / wish l could have saved YOU
from all the bitterness you underwent.
l searched high and low for you while
you were away. | may be rathet
hard, but ! never could forgive your
father for letting YOU bear the burden.
NO, don't interrupt me. have held
this thing in long enough What I
want you TO know now is, that when
you took that money you took your
own and not mine. What | have is
yours. l haven't chick or child Ev-
erything have accumulated is for
you. but didn't want to let you
know this while your father lived.
You had hard lesson. Maybe it will
all be for the best"
Jim, wet-eyed and confused, tried 10
express half dozen ideas in the same
sentence. He couldn't understand
what he had ever done to warrant
such regard as Kenyon had shown
him all his life. The big man stopped
him
There's reason for everything,
my boy" he said, as he put his arm
around Jim's shoulder, Maybe it "a
just as well that you should know this
one, Your father married the woman
l loved.