The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1921-10-13


away that his name was not Mcneil
but McNamar that he had changed
his name to keep clear of his family
until be had made success; that
he had gone East to get his father
and mother and bring them back with
him; lastly she came to the thing
that worried her most-the suspicion
of her father and mother that John
was not honest. "They say that he
probably had a wife when he came
here-that that is why he don't write
to me-" ~
Then after a little silence she plead
ed: "You don't think that, do you,
Abe7"
"No," said the latter, giving her
the advantage of every doubt. "John
did a foolish thing, but we must not
condemn him without a knowledge of
the facts The young often do foolish
things and sickness would account for
his silence. You go home and 20 to
sleep and stop worrying, Ann. You'll
get that letter one of these days"
A day or two later Abe and Harry
went to Springfield. Their reason for
the trip lay in a talk between the post
master and Jack Kelso the night he
fore as they sat by the latters fire.
side.
ave been living where there was
no one to find fault with my parts of
speech or with the parts Of my legs
which were not decenuy covered"
said Abe. 1.-THE sock district of nv
person has been without representa-
ton In the legislature of my intellect
up to its last session. Then we got n
bill through for local improvements
and the governor hns approved the
appropriation. Suddenly we discoy.
cred that there was no money In the
treasury. But Samson Traylor has
offered to buy an issue of bonds of
the amount of fifteen dollars"
"Pm glad to hear you declare in
favor of external improvements" raid
Kelso. "We've all been too much alb
sorbed by internal improvements.
You're on the right trail, Abe. You've
been thinking Of the public ear and
too little Of the public eye. We must
show some respect for both"
Sometimes think that comely
dress ought to go with comedy die
tion," said Abe. "But that's n thing
you can't learn in books. There's no
grammarian of the language of dress.
Then I'm so big and awkward. It's
a. rather hopeless problem"
you're In good company" Kelso
assured him. Mature guards her best
men with some sort of singuarity,
not attractive to others. Often she
makes them odious with eoncelt or
deformlty or dumbness or garrullty.
Dante was such a poor talker that
no one would ever ask him to dinner.
II Il had not been so / presume his
muse would have been sadly crippled
by indigestion. If you had been q
good dancer and lady's favorite, |
| wonder If you would have studied
Kirkham and Burns and Shakespeare
and Blackstone and Starkie, and the
science of surveying and been elected
to the legislature. 1 wonder If you
could even have whipped Jack Arm
strong"
"Or have enjoyed the friendship Of
Bill Berry and acquired n national
debt, or have saved my imperlled
country in the war with Black Hawk"
Abe laughed.
In the matter Of dress the postmns-
ter had great confidence in the Taste
and knowledge of his young friend,
Harry Needles, whose neat appear
ance Abe regarded with serious ad-
miration. So he asked Harry to 60
with him on his new mission and help
tailoring, for it seemed to him a high
ly important enterprise.
"Our appropriation Is only fifteen
dollars" said Abe as they came in
sight of "the big village" on a warm
bright day late in October. "Of course,
/ can't expect to make myself look
like the President of the United
States with such IA sum, but want to
look Ike a respectable citizen Of the
United States, If that is possible. I'll
give the old Abe and fifteen dollars
to boot for a new one and we'll see
what comes Of It,"
Springfield had been rapidly chang.
Ing. 1t was stil small and crude, but
some of the best standards of civillza-
ton had been set up In that commun-
fly. Families of wealth and culture
In the East had sent their sons and
share of their capital to this little
metropolis Of the land Of plenty to 20
into business. Handsome, well-groomed