The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1917-02-21
JOHNS LUCK
BY JAMES E. JOHNSON


boy, or rather his face gave the Inn
preston of largeness; just as his
waistcoat does now. In those days he
had pendulOus cheeks and his legs
bulged at the line of his shoe tops. so
that the other boys called him
Fatty"
When he went on an errand he
never hurried himself about It, Of
course but his luck had given him
indulgent parents, so that instead of
giving him the licking most boys would
have got. they gradually refralned
from sending him-unless they we're
In no hurry themselves. II goes with
out saying that he was never in a
hurry to get up In the morning There
was one Fourth Of July that he did
get up at four O'Clock. but he was so
leisurely about his dressing that the
other fellows went OF to fire their
cannon without him. John arrived on
the scene just In time to go back aud
tell his people about the accident He
was the only one OF the six who was
not hurt.
Another time he went out with a
crew of young reprobates TO loot the
orchard of n particularly cross grained
farmer. He was up in the tree when
the alarm was gwen but he calcu-
lated thar there would he time to Sc
cure a few more apples before the
farmer arrived
Get a move on you. Fatty" sung
out fellow criminal below. Hes
R-startin to run.
"Awl What's the hurryT" said John.
reaching for an outlying limb. There
was no reply TO the question. for the
boy had fed. The farmer saw them
stringing out In the direction of the
fence overlook and cOrnered them.
From his perch In the apple tree John
witnessed those unfortunntes come,
one by one. beneath the horny palm Of
the farmer. and saw them hOisted I'M
tremendously over the fence. As their
bowls died away In the distance. John
quietly descended and made of the
other way.
John got through school somehow,
but he was no forced plant. He was
in no hurry about going to work. but
eventually took a clerkshlp in the local
grocery. His employer dispensed with
his services AT the end of a month.
and suggested to his father that po-
lltlcal influence should be exerted to
secure the young man q position In
some claim department In Washington.
where his peculiar dllatory talent
would be appreciated. Johns father
thought the lden was good. but he
didn't happen to have the political In
fuence. so he set his son to studying
law with a conservative practitioner.
It was Intensely aggravating to the
brilliant and energetic young men Of
the community. those who rose early
and worked late and moved around
as If they had some object in life, to
see vanderpoot who had no brains TO
speak Of. no burning ambition to dis
tinguish himself. becoming one Of the
solid" element He drawled In his
speech and he dawdled through what
he called his work. hut all the good
things seemed to come his way.
He married Of course He was In
no hurry about 1t, but he got the pref
iest and brightest young woman In
the state. What she saw in him It is
hard to say.
One evening John was loafing In his
office when Dave IIinsley broke in,
GREATNESS and hatless aud gasping
"FireV
AT your house Judge" he added.
Your wife told me to hurry down and
get you. don't reckon there'n be a
stick saved II somethln' amt done
pretty soon"
John took one foot down from his
desk.
as the hose company therer
yes, but there uln't no water"
in that case. Dave. guess the
only thing we can do is TO let 'er
burn" And he put his foot up again.
OF course he was heavily Insured.
Johns title of Judge was purely
hon orary, but there is no doubt that he
would have attained judiciary honors
in course Of time-he was in no hurry
If 1t had not been for his investment
in Guayquil Central stock. That would
have been his limit however. Beyond
out. Guayquil was down to a pretty
low ebb and friend OF Johns who
had inside Information urged him to