The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-07-17
CHAPTER XII.

Jasper Holt when he was born. They
handed him an honored name from
some free old warrior OF a forebear,
RELOCATED him to a fourth story back
nursery with a trained nurse, and left
I him to himself. -
His mother paused long enough be,
fore returning to her interrupted social
career to look him over, declare that
he had nice eyes and she believed his
hair was going to curl; then she was
swallowed up in the world from which
she had reluctantly STEPPED aside. She
had little use for a son excep to dress
him in velvets and Lord Fauntleroy
collars and make of him a toy to amuse
her guests. Until he reached that stage
she saw very little Of him.
OF his stern father he saw less. He
was immersed in business. He was
rich, but what Of that? He had to
make more riches to keep the social
whirl fed. .,u- 3D. co,.s+-.
The baby had a face and form worth
noticing, even in his first days. The.
great blue eyes that had attracted his
mothers fitting attention, could be
gray sometimes, and had in them
depths Of light and wisdom that fairly
startled his practical nurse. He had
thebrow of a philosopher. and gold
hair rippled around the fine little head
like a halo. The old warrior namesake
must have bestowed upon him that
firm chin beneath the cupid's bow of
the nd surely an angel had lent
him lie!
p grew older there came
into % a usefulness that was
aim .etic at times. He was an
affecs e child, quite embarrassing
his cold, reserved nurse with his dem
onstrations, but winning the utmost
devotion Iways from all who had to
serve him. - .
He was not a good boy in the con-
yentional acceptation Of the word, He
sweetly serenely had his own way IN
everything from the time he could
walk, and talk. He would neither eat
what he did not like, MOI wear what
he did not fancy. He did not take
kindly to his mothers velyets and
curls and lace collars. He always dis
appeared hopelessly when made ready
for a dress parade. He would fight
ny bully on the hack streets who I'M
dertook to cheat the little lame news
boy, and he was always trying to take
the part of some weak dog or child.
He could run down the street with the
swiftness of a swallow, his pockets full
OF sharp stones, and hit every electric
light in the block as he ran, and he
was forever taking the blame frankly
of all the broken windows and looted
garden plots in the neighborhood. In
these days his acquaintance with his
father was limited to severe inter
views in which stern threts and scath-
ing reprimnds mingled with a CALLING
srcasm were delth abundantly. It was
as his clear eyes looked steadily, un-
fraidly, into the angry steel ones OF
the man that his young face hardened,
his warrior chin took a firm SET, and
the light in his face vas deadened
by a stab of pain. He was growing
wise and losing his faith in the love he
udu lahCh lOl 6iohtCu LII JUN LoIIAOI
and mother. 1t was at that time that
he lived mostly upon the street, and
companioned with boys of the rougher
class. No but his nurse knew it,
and she but seldom. She "a only too
glad to have the time off duty.
1t was when they discovered a child
ish plot in the neighborhood to mob
the president of q defaulting bank in
which the hard working parents Of
some of his playmates had lost their
all, that Jasper was taken hold Of by
the law as leader and financier of the
whole enterprise. Brayely, proudly, he
took the whole blame, generating the.
other boys, and dclring himself in
stigtor ofe the affair. -
His father paid a heavy fine to hush
1t up a. ok his son In charge. A
morciless " tipping was the beginning
of that interview between them, which
the son received like a gentleman. But
when 1t was over he lifted reproachful
eyes, steadied his ~quicering warrior
chin and said%detefminedly But all
the same, father, I think l was right!
That mar had been stealing those poor
- Lf#H .