Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-05-26

habit called upon his daughter for
verifcation. "Didnt !. Palomaf"
Miss Paioma's answer was uueXpect-
Ell and came with equal emphasis:
No, YOU didn't father. The miserable
thing lost money"
Blaze was only momeltarily dis
mayed. Then he Joined his visitors
laughter. Glow can a man get along
without the corporation of his own
household?" he inquired naively. May
be It was next year | was thinking
about Thereafter he confined him
self TO statements which required no
Confederation.
Dave had long since learned that to
| hold Blaze Jones to a strict account
ability with fact was to rob his So
ciety of its greatest charm A slayish
accuracy in figures. an arid lack of
Imagination. reduces conversation 10
the inSipidness of fiat wine. and
/ Biaze's talk was never dull. He was u
keen. shreWd practic;l man. but some
I where in his being there was con
cealcd a tremendous. lopsided sense
| of humor which took the form of a
/ hewildering imagery An attentive au-
/ dlenCc was enough for him, and. once
his fancy was in fun swing. there was
/ no limit to his outrageous exaggera-
tons light of creduity in hear
| ers eye filled him with prodigious
mjrth. and it is doubtful iC his listen
/ ers ever derived a fraction of the
amusement from his fabricauons that
/ he himself enjoyed Paloma's spirit
/ of contradiction was the only fly in
his ointment; now that his daughter
| VAS old enough to keep books" on
! him much Of the st0ry-teller's joy was
denied him.
OF course his proclivitieS OCCASION
/ ally led To miSapprehenslonS chance
! acquaintance who recognized him as
an artful romancer We're liable TO con
slider him generally untruthful. But
even In this misconception Blaze took
a quiet delight. secure in the knowl
edge that all who knew him we'll re-
gurded him as a rock of integrity. As
u matter Of fact his genuine exploits
were quite as sensational as those of
his manufacture.
When, after supper, Blaze had
hitched pair of driving mules to his
blackboard, preparatory to showing his
guest the glories of Jonesvlne, Dave
said:
Paloma's getting mighty pretty"
"She's as pretty as a blue-bounet
flower he father agreed. And She
rms ME around something scandalous.
] amt got the freedom of peon."
Blaze sighed and shook his shaggy
head. you know me, Dave; never
used to be scared of nobody. Well. it's
different now. She rides me with a
Spanish bit. and my soul amt my
own With sudden tightening Of his
gloom. he added: Say, you're going to
stay right here with us as long as
you're in town; l want you to see how
l cringe."
In spite of BIazes plaintive tone 1t
was patent that he was Unfortunately
proud Of Puloma and we'll content with
his serfdom.
/ Jonesylle proved to be n typical
! Texas town of the modern variety. and
/ altogether different to the pictured
frontier village. All in all. the effect
was much like that of a prosperous.
orderly northern farming town. To its
/ happy founder ii seemed well-nigh per-
feet and its destiny reused his mad
dest enthusiasm. He pointed out the
/ Odd Fellows hall, the Palace Picture
( theater, with IS glaring orange lights
and discordant electric piano; he CON
/ Quoted Law 10 the First National
bank, OF which Blaze was a proud but
somewhat ornamental director; then
TO the sugar mill, the lee 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.
chr he inquired, finally. and Dave
agreed:
Yes. Shes got a grand framework,
Blaza She'll be most as b. as Fort
/ Worth when you fatten her up"
Jones waved his buggy whip In
Wide circle that took in the miles of
level prairie on all sides. We've got
the whole blamed state to grow In.
And Dave, I haven't got an enemy ia
the place, 1t wasn't many years ago
that certain people allowed I'd never
+ live TO raise this town. Why, 10 used
to be that nobody dared ride with
me-except PaIoma, and she used 10
sleep with a shotgun at her bedside"
You sure have been a responsible
) ity 10 her"
"But I'm az safe now a 9 Il was In
! church"
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