Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-14
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MISS DALOMA'S answer was unexpected
Ivl and came with equal emphasis: mo.
you didn't. father. The miserable thing lost
money"
Blaze was only momentarily dlsmayed.
Then he Joined In hts Visitors laughter.
How can n man get along without the CO.
operation OF his own householdi" ne In
uuired. nAively. Maybe Il was next year
l was thinking about" Thereafter he oon.
fined himself 20 statements which required
no confederation.
When. after supper. Blaze had hitched
pair of driving mules 70 his blackboard
preparatory 20 showing his guest the
glories OF Jonesville Dave said:
"Paloma's getting mighty pretty"
she's as pretty as biuc-bonnet flower"
her father agreed. And she runs me
around something scandalous. I Amt got
the freedom OF a peon." Blaze sighed ana
shook his shaggy head. you know me.
Dave; I never used TO be scared OF no.
body, We'll. It's different now. she rides
me with a Spanish bit. and my soul aint
my own" With a sudden tightening OF his
gloom. he added. Say you're going TO
stay right here with US rs long as you're
In town: want you 10 sec how cringe."
In spite OF Blaze's plaintive tone II was
patent that he was inordinately proud OF
Paloma and well content with his serfdon.
Jonesville proved 10 be a typical Texas
town OF the modern variety. and altogether
different TO the pictured frontier village.
There were no one-storied square fronts.
no rows OF saloons with well-gnawed
htchinE rails, no riotlng cowboys. On the
contrary. the larger buildings were OF arti-
fcial stone, the sidewalks OF concrete, and
| the store fronts of plate glass. Arc lights
shed a bluish-white glare over the wide
street crossings. and all In all the eject
| was much like that OF a prosperous. orderly
| northern farming town.
Not that Jonesvine would have filled an
| eye for beauty. II was too new and crude
lOORQlV
| Its clothes, for its citizens had patterned
| II with regard for the future, and II
| sprawled over twice lis legitimate area. But
to It's happy founder II seemed we'll nigh
perfect and It's destiny reused his maddest
enthusiasm. He showed Dave the little red
frame railroad station. distinguished In
some mysterious way above the hundred
thousand other little red frame railroad
| stations OF the Identical size and style he
pointed out the odd Fellows Hail. the
Palace Picture Theater, with It's glaring
| orange lights and discordant electric
| plano: he conducted Law 10 the First Ma
| tionRl Bank. of which Blaze was proud
but somewhat ornamental director; then
10 the sugar mill, the ice plant and other
points of equally novel interest
Everywhere he went, Jones was hailed
| by friends. for everybody seemed TO know
him and 10 want to shake his hand.
Some town and some body Of men. eh? %
he inquired. finally, and Dave agreed:
'Yes. She's got grand framework.
Blaze. She'll be most as big as Fort Worth
| when you fatten her up"
Jones waved his buggy whip in a wide
circle that took In the miles OF level
prairie on all sides. We've got the whole
| blamed State to grow I'm. And, Dave
haven't got an enemy In the place II
| wasn't many years ago that certain people
| allowed I'd never live 70 raise this town.
Why, II used to be that nobody dared TO
ride with me--except Paloma, and she
used to sleep with shotgun at her bod
| side"
You sure have been responsibility to
her."
but I'm as safe as II I was in church. +"
Law ventured TO remark that none OF
Biase'a enemies had grown fat in prose.
cutting their feuds. but thts was subject
| which the elder man Invariably found em-
barrassing. and now he said;
| "Pshawi / never was tho blood letter
/ people think. I'm as gentle as a sheep 4"
| Then TO escape further curiosity on that
point he suggested that they round out
| their riotoua evening with game OF pool
4 Law boasted liberal education, but he
was match for the father Of Jonesviile
| who welded a cue with n dexterity born
| OF years of devotion 10 the game. In con-
way 10 langulsh when tho proprietor OF
tho Elite Billiard Parlor returned from sup
| per to say;
'Sir. Jones. there's a real good pool
player In town, and he wants to mee,
| you"
Blaze uttered a triumphant cry. Get
him. quick Send the brass band 10 bring
him. Dave, you hook your spurs over the
rung of a chair and watch your unola clear
this tenderfoot II he's got class. I'll make
him Mayor OF the town, for good pool
shooter n all this metropolis lacks Why
sometimes go plumb 70 San Antoine for
| q game" He whispered In his friends ear
| "Paioma don't let me gamble. but II you've
got any dnero, set II down on me-" Then
| addressing the bystanders, he proclaimed
Boys. II this pilgrim 10 good enough 70
stretch Inc out we'l marry him or and
| settle him down"
mo chance, Uncle Blaze he's the most
married person In town." some one volun.
tsered. "His wife II the new dresamaker--
and she's got a mustacha" For some
reason this remark excited general mirth.
That's too bad. never saw but one
woman with a mustache and she licked
me good. II he's yoied up to that kind
| Of q lady allow his nerves will be wrecked
before he gets here hope 10 God hs
Amt entirely done for" Blanc ran the
last three balls from well-nigh impossible
position. then raoked up the whole fifteer
with trembling eagerneas and eyed the
door axpectantly. He was wiplng his spec.
tacles when the proprietor returned with
. slim. salIow man whom he introduced Al
Mr.. Strange