Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1921-10-27
Uncle Jim's
Opposition
By R Nc WILLIAMS


cheek of his niece. "Grown into a
regular young lady, too! I'll wager
she has lots of attention. Madge's
uncle exchanged a knowing glance
with his sister, Madge's mother, at
whose invitation he had consented to
leave his farmhouse for a visit at her
summer home.
Just at present she's receiving a
whole lot of attention from one man
in particular, 1 assure you'll" declared
Mrs. Evans, a voluble little woman,
whose thoughts tripped from her
tongue the moment of their birth.
Madge blushed becomingly, but q
shadow of annoyance clouded the
hazel depths Of her eyes, and the keen
glance of Uncle Jim took note of the
fact. Was it possible that his sister,
whom he had always credited with
more heart than brains, was set upon
some match for his niece which was
repugnant to the girl herself? That
would never do.
That evening, at the supper table,
Uncle Jim found himself being intro
duced to one Bob Stratton, with whom
he doubtless felt himself somewhat
acquainted. For previous to his ar
rival, Madge's mother had found time,
in the presence of Madge, to comment
gushingly on that youths attractions,
his looks, his money, his position, his
family. Not one of his qualifications
had escaped her ~extravagant phrases.
AS Uncle Jim shook the young mans
hand he was thinking to himself. $50
this is the paragon our little Madge
must marry! Well, if clothes make
the man, this young Teller is there
with bells onr
But it was later, just after young
Stratton's departure, that Uncle Jim
uttered the remark which caused his
sister to be haughtily displeased and
brought a queer look into Madge's
soft eyes.
"How did he strike you?" Mrs.
Evans had wanted to know at once.
Uncle Jim had delayed his reply a
moment, thoughtfully waiting smoke
rings to the ceiling. Then, with one
eye on his niece, he calmly offered:
Saint kind Of stuck on himself, is
he?" Madge looked up quickly.
"Jim!" Mrs. Evans voice was one
Of shocked disappointment.
"Oh, mebbe I'm wrong. Mebbe I'm
wrong!" her brother returned hastily.
And by mutual consent the ~conversa-
ton was steered into safer channels.
AS the days passed it seemed to
Uncle Jim that Madge and her mother
were playing a game of battledore in
which Bob Stratton was the shuttle
cock. AS often as her mother threw
Bob at her daughter, her daughter
found a way of tossing him back. If
a sailing party was arranged, Madge
devoted herself to Uncle Jim. If Bob
was casually asked to drop in for tea,
Madge developed a headache and neg
lected to appear at all.
Incidentally, Mrs. Evans was regret
ting her invitation to her brother to
visit her, he seemed never to lose an
opportunity of commenting unfavor-
ably on young Stratton. His most re-
cent and caustic remark grated his
sister to such an extent as to cause
her abruptly to leave the room, while
even Madge herself, who doubtless
possessed a sense of justice, was
reused to Bob's defense.
"These white-1anneled chaps-bah |
What they lack is elbow grease. I'd
like to see one of them tackle a real
job successfully"
"But, Uncle Jim," had demonstrated
Madge, ut really isn't fair to Judge
until the emergency arises!"
The emergency arose sooner than
either Madge or her uncle expected.
Madge had managed to entice Uncle
Jim, who was a confessed coward on
the water, out for a ride in the Sea
Gull. The Sound waters were spar
king and comparatively calm at first,
but as Madge rounded the breakwater
preparatory to turning back, she no
ticed a leaden cloud ascending the
sky and an intimation of approaching
wind.
At that moment the engine, for the
first time in it's honorable career, hic-
coughed, sputtered and stopped, and
then refused to be coaxed into run
ming. For an instant Madge gazed n
establishment. Then, as the boat
bounced aimlessly on the swells, she
attempted various stunts with the coil
and spark plugs and carburetor, all to
no avail. An anxious glance confirmed
her fears that the launch was drifting
Enthusiastically seaward. Uncle Jim had
no suggestions to offer. Marine en-
gines were not in his line.
Suddenly around the breakwater
shot a long, slim speed boat and Uncle
Jim, who could recognize a neighbours
horse by the cut Of his name, but to
whom all boats looked alike, won
dered why a slow blush mounted to
Madge's cheek as she stood up and
waved her sweater.
An hour later they were safe in
port. Bob Stratton had climbed
aboard, rolled up his silk shirt sleeves,
kneeled \on the engine bed on white