Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1917-08-24

~ illIt'1lNtig unu ihtn Anlbhkh
habit called upon his daughter for
vcrlncatlon. "Didn't |, Palomaf"
Miss Palomn's answer was unexpect-
ed, and cnme with equal emphasis:
mo, you didn't, father. The miserable
thing lost money"
Blaze was only momcntarlly dis
mayed. Then he Joined his visitors
laughter. How can n man get along
without the cooperation of his wi
householder he inquired nnlvely. inlay
be II was next year l was thinking
about" Thereafter he confined him
self TO statements which required no
corroborntion.
Dave had long since learned that 10
hold Bla9e Jones TO a strict account.
ability with fact was 10 rob his So
clety Of It's greatest charm. A slnvlsh
accuracy IN figures, m arid lack OF
Imagination, reduces conversation TO
the lnslpldncss OF Nat wine, and
Blaze's talk was never duh. lie was Il
keen, shrewd, practical man, but some
where In his being there was CON
ccnled n tremendous, lopsided sense
OF humor which took the form OF n
%hewilderlng Imagery. An attentive nu.
dlence was enough for him, and, once
his fancy was In full swing, there was
no limit 10 his outrageous exnggern-
lions. A light OF credullty In Il hcnr-
er's eye filed him with %prodigious
mlrth, and II Is doubtful II his listen
ers eyer derived n fraction OF the
amusement from his fabrlcatlons that
he himself enjoyed. Palomn's spirit
OF contradiction was the only fly In
his ointment now that his daughter
was old enough to "keep books" on
him, much OF the sto%ry-teller's Joy was
denied him.
OF curse his p~rocllvities OCCASION
ally led TO misnpprehenslons chance
ac|qualntances who recognized him as
an nrtful were liable 10 on
slider him generally untruthful. But
even In this misconceptlon Blaze took
a quiet delight, secure In the knOwl-
edge that all who knew him well re-
garded him MS a rock Of integrity. AS
Il matter OF fact, his genuine exploits
were quite Us sensational us those Of
his manufacture.
When, after supper, Blnze had
hltche n pair Of driving mules to his
blackboard, preparatory to showing his
guest the glorles of JonesvIlle, Dave
said:
"Pnlomn's getting mighty pretty"
"She's as pretty as n b~lue-bonnet
flower" he father agreed. "And she
runs Inc around something scandalous.
! amt got the freedom of n peon."
Blaze sighed and shook his shaggy
head. "You know me, Dave; l never
used TO be scared OF nobody. Well, it's
different now. She rides me with a
Spanish bit, and my soul nln't my
own" With n sudden tightening OF his
gloom, he added: "Say, you're going to
stay right here with us as long us
you're IN town; / want you TO see how
l crlnge."
In spite OF Blaze's plnintiye tone II
was patent that he was lnordlnately
proud OF Pnloma and well content with
his serfdom.
Jonesvllle proved 20 be n typical
Texas town of the modern variety, and
altogether different TO the pictured
froniler village. All In all, the effect
was much like that Of n prosperous,
orderly northern farming town. 10 It's
happy founder II seemed wcll.nlgh per.
feet, and It's destiny reused his mnd.
dest enthusiasm. lie pointed out the
ODD Fellows hall, the Palace Picture
thentcr, with Is glaring orange lights
and dlscordnnt electric piano; he con.
Quoted LAW TO the First Nnilonnl
bank, of which Blaze was n proud but
somewhat ornamental director; then
to 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 to want to
shake his hand.
"Some town and some body Of men,
ehw he inquired, finally, and Dave
agreed:
ayes, She's got a grand framework,
Blaze. She'll be most ms big M Fort
Worth when you fatten her up"
Jones waved his buggy whip In n
wide circle that took IN the miles OF
level prairie on all sides. "we'ye got
the whole blamed state to grow In.
And. Dave, I haven't got m enemy In
the placed II wasn't many yenrs ngc
that certain people allowed I'd neveT
live to raise this town. why, II used
TO be that nobody dared ride with
me-except Paloma, and she used Ia
sleep with Il shotgun NJ her bedside
you sure have been a responsible