The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1917-01-20
The Only Fool
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.


because she was hired girl and work
ing for So u week; because. again. she
was tired OF work aud wanted home.
Jim Hewson married Sarah Martin
because he also wanted home and
because he knew that she earned ~
month. That would pay the rent OIL
cottage in village In those far buck
days.
Jim was lazy. He was born that
way and couldn't help 1t. He hadn't
energy enough to sweat IL shirt collar.
and therefore when he worked he got
paid according to his energy. which
pay seldom exceeded 10 cents u day.
The bridal tour Of the newly weds
consisted OF walking mile arm In
arm. each with basket on the free
arm. to n huckleberry swamp n mile
away There they picked twelve quarts
of berries-that Is. Sarah picked ten
quarts and Jim two. Then they walk
ed bnck to town and sold the berries
to II grocer for 60 cents In cash.
You Sec" said Jim as he jinglcd the
money In his hand, I'VE can get along
as easy as grease. This money would
buy us provisions for week"
The bride half laughed at the re-
mark. but soon felt serious and hadn't
much more to shy. Two weeks later.
however, she had. Jim had gone to
see her in the kitchen In which she
worked and was feeling glad that he
was married man when she said:
Jim. have been thinking things
over
"Well?" was the query.
II have come to the conclusion that
was either a lunntic or an idiot to
have married you. You are all wrong.
You are lnzy and shiftless. You haven't
got the energy Of potato bug. You
want me to work and support you in
stead Of it being the other way. II
you were the best husband In the state
wouldn't do it,
We'll what are we going to dor
asked the husband after lapse of a
minute.
81 can't get a divorce from you. Jim.
for | haven't got the money to put one
through. II we agreed OH sepura-
ton 1t would do me no good. for I'd
still be bound to you. II was free
altogether might stand IA chance OF
getting II husband who would provide
II home and comforts for me-"
"You mean II l should die you'd
have your chance?"
The wife didn't reply. She only
looked at him.
Jim rose up and left the house with
out n good night and went to his bed
of hay In the stable. and for an hour
he did more thinking than lie had done
In year before.
In about week he tried suicide He
went over on the railroad track IN
midafternoon. and when the O'Clock
express came along lie was standing
between the rails and facing It. The
whistle screamed and footed. but Jim
stood there AS II spiked to a tic. The
engineer tried to stop the train, but
the pace was thirty miles an hour
when the cowcatcher did its work.
Five minutes later man who had
witnessed the accident from forty rods
AWAY Sh"S w JhSt 81" Wv Wv
tim was climbing the fence OF corn
field into which he had been hurled.
He had n slight limp in the left leg.
but that was nothing for Jim to kick
about.
Sarah had heard OF this attempt and
started out to look for Jim. but she
didn't have the luck to lind him. lie
was missing from his usual haunts for
three or four days. and then he turned
up ON blum overlooking the mill pond
half n mile from the bridge. He was
going to try the water cure this time.
Inc bluffs were thirty feet above the
water. and lin couldn't swim stroke.
Instead of striking the water. how
ever, he struck Il strip of mud.
You blamed idiot. What did you
Jump for? saw you when you made
the lenp!' said passerby.
II wanted to die" replied Jim.
Sarah got every loose boy In town
10 hunt for Jim. but they hunted In
vain. He had one more attempt com
ing to him. and IL found at all he want
cd to be found dead. He went two
miles away from town and hired to II
farmer to sprinkle paris green over the
potato vines of his patch. The farmer
left him alone for an hour. and Jim
mixed big dose Of the powder and
drank 1t down. 1t was an overdose,
however. and It was thrown on. and
his life was saved again.
1t was when poor Jim was tottering
down the road toward the village that
n man In an auto overlook him and
halted to say:
IF you aren't drunk. then you are
sick. Get in here. Now. what's the
mattery'
Jim told him all. and. curiously
enough. the autoist proved to he an
uncle Of his whom he had not heard
OF since his boyhood days. When the
uncle had heard the story to its end he
n