The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-04-26

NtTllFillbU. blhll ~ "''''"
Miss Paloinu's answer was uneXpect-
ed, and came with equal emphasis:
"No, you didn't, father. The miserable
thing lost money"
Blaze was only momentarlly dis
mayed. Then he joined his visitors
laughter. "How can n man get along
without the cooperation of his own
h%ousehold?" he inquired naively. MAY
be 1t was next year ! wa thinsing
about" Thereafter he confined hVn'
self TO statements which required no
Corroboration.
Dave had long since learned that to
hold Blaze Jones to II strict
ability with fact was To rob his so
ciety OF It's greatest charm. A slavlsh
accuracy in figures, an arid lack or
imagination, reduces conversation to
the insipidncss OF fiat wine, u
BlnZe's talk was never dull. lie YVES n
keen, shrcwd. practical II but some
where In his being there was con
ccalcd II tremendous, lopsided sense
of humor which ooh the form of "a
h%ewildering imagery. An attentive nu'
dience was enough for him. and. once
his fancy was in full swing, there was
no limit To his outrageous eXaggera-
tions. A light OF crcdulity In II hear.
er's eye filled him with prodiglous
mirth. and IL Is doubtful il his listen
crs eve derived "a fraction of the
amusement from his fubricatiohs that
he himself enjoyed. Paloma's spirit
of contradiction was the only fly In
his ointment now that his daughter
was old enough to keep books on
him, much ot the story.teller's JOY was
denied him.
or course his proclivities occasion
ally led TO misapprehcnsions; chance
aCqunintunCeS who recognized him rs
in artful a We're liable TO con-
slider him generally untruthful. But
even In this misconccption Blaze took
n quiet delight, secure In the knowl-
edge that all who knew him well re-.
gardcd him ny u rock of integrity. As
/; matter of fact, his genuine exploits
were quite as sensational as those OF
his manufacture.
When. after supper, Blaze had
hitchcd II pair Of driving mules to his
blackboard, preparatory to showing hi.
guest the glories of %Joncsville, Dav,
said:
'Paloma's getting mighty pretty"
shes as pretty rs n blue-bonnei
flower he father agreed. "And sh,
runs me around something scandalous
| amt got the freedom of II peon.'
Blnzc sighed and shook his shaggy
head. You know me, Dave; | never
used to be- scared of nobody. Well, il
different now. She rides me with ;
Spanish bit, and my soul amt IN,
own With Il sudden tightening Of hi
gloom, he added "Say, you're going t,
stay right here with us as long "A,
you're in town want you to see how
| %cringe."
In spite of Bla2c'S plaintivc tone /
was patent that he was inOrdlnutcl,
proud of l'aloma and well content will
his scrf1on.
JoncSvillc proved to be n typlca
Texas town of the modern variety. an,
altogether different to the picture,
frontier village. All in all, the offcc
was much like that of Il proSpcrou,
orderly northern farming town. 10 IL
happy founder 1t seemed wcll-nlgh per
feet, aa3 It's destiny reused his mad
dcst enthusiasm. lie pointed out III
odd Fellows hall, the Palace pictur
th"atcr, with Is glaring orung light
and diScordant electric piano, he con
Quoted Law to the First Nutlonu
bank, Of which Blaze was Il proud bIl
somewhat ornamental director; the
TO the sugar mill, the Ice plant an
other points of equally novel intercs.
Everywhere he went Jones wa
hailed by friends, for everybod
seemed to know him and TO want [
shake his hand.
"Some town and some body Of mel
eh?" he inquired, finally, and Day
agreed:
yes. She's got n grand framework
Blaze. She'll be most us big rs Fol
Worth when YOU fatten her up
Jones waved his buggy whip In
wide circle that took In the miles {
level prairie on all sides. We've e
the whole blamed state to grow II
And, Dave, i haven't got IN enemy |
the place! 1t wasn't many years nc
that certain people allowed I'd new,
live to raise this town. Why, IL use
To be that nobody dared ride wit
me-except Paloma, and she used ,
sleep with a shotgun Mt her bedside
"iou sure have been II responsible
ity to her"
but I'm as safe now ms IL I was
church,"