Pueblo chieftain., 1921-06-12

TnA command WAS Wh0ly 0o00leSS-
Emma" had -whoa-ed'' long before
foot in rest and contentment
Hi. boys! How b ye'! Heh-hsh-'
heh-h-e-h!"
1 shall never forget the figure that
at before US that beautiful July day.
bumped carelessly on the seat of bat
tered and time-scarred blackboard, the
driving lines held Imply and 0gging
hardened hand. He was an old. old
man. poorly clad and uncouth. His
shirt, unbuttoned. gaped open. expos
ing his sun-browned dusty throat and
chest. His hair. doubtless once black
and curly. WAS ragged and unkept
and greatly streaked with silver. a
scrassly group having become detached
a hole in his battered felt hat.
What was 1t about this creature that
had such an instant heart touching ap-
peal? Was 1t the lines of his tanned
ace indicating in one pose great
strength of character and in another
honest gentlenees? Was it the quirk
at the corners of his mouth. or the
wrinkles about his funnily half-closed
eyes that so plainly portrayed happy.
trusting nature? Or. again. was It the
half-cackling. high-keyed laugh that
somehow reached out and got ono and
made ono want to laugh too? It's left
to you. but to me he exempnfied
great contentment-simplic honesty.
happiness. As 1 looked. still without
speaking, into his wrinkled. homely
face, 1 looked on into the depths Of
pair of wonderful brown eyes and saw
there a pasta closed book-his book.
II you will. and thought 1t must be
a wonderful story because Of its won
derful author.
Coin somm'ers, boys-
Bill and 1 had sat there nks fools
time. He had thrust himself upon us
20 suddenly and presented no many
psychic influences that We had merely
sat and ga,ped for breath
With almost a bound, Bill had risen
from his seat to grasp. In a veritable
bear grip. the old fellows horny hand.
Hello, Dad" he said. worry simply. Il.
ingly into the face before him. I had
never seen Bill affected in this man.
ner before He stood before tho old
man. cap off. much as = penitent
or. as ono before pat
He WAS not Biil!s real dad.
Bill just adopted him, out
OF tho bigness OF his heart
Upon our reply that We were going
nowhere in particular. just 'moseyin'
around as Bill put II. the old fellow
smiled. a little YEARLY. perhaps, but
good d-naturedly for all that. Gripping
his now deep sagYinE lines between his
knees. he occupied both hands in
the various pockets OF a
and much-worn pair OF
trousers, to presently bring forth \
small plug of black tobacco. Cutting
off \ generous uuid. he mumbled II
about in his toothiess Jaws for time
before speaking. Several tiVes. l
know. tho bristles on his chin tickled
the lower extremity of his nose
'@Yeh know" he said. looking away
acroes the distant horizon much a. II
his thoughts were far beyond It. Il
used to be . boy Hike you felers-
ans strons-aye.' them wa
wonder dAypboyhood days he
lowered his voice roverently and spoke
After n considerable pause he turned
from his thoughts beyond the horizon
and. bendi9.g his funny. auizzicxl eyes
on me. broke forth in his peculiar
laugh. II was not tho haw. hav! W.
hear 40 often. but was more refined
meiodious and rich. so to speak. In
his laugh he used the sharp sound OF
"e'' much as We use II in pronouncing
tho word pct" II was peculiarly
soulfu, and appraling-one wanted. for
somc reason. to love tho old man upon
hearing it-makc n confidant OF him.
"Ayel them Is wonder days-hoy-
time. n whom druv up here. .eein'
you two young fellers. though, as
how I'd draw up an visit yeh a spell
since II nint long now thet-thet-." Hc
looked away again across the green
clad. suniit hills.
''Yeh see-ych see. boys, Emma an
mo is a gitiiu' n Iettls old. but we're
happy. ayei very happy. The same old
-tnrtnna Shirrs ha ~hAn~ xrh a. -
were young. like you. An'-an' there's
tho same flowers an song birds that
was here in our ycsfer-yoar Time war.
when 7 looked on life on all its fuiness.
1t Is wonderful to be young, ayei hut
II is beautifu, to be old II ones heart
bc right. Whether a man he in rigs
or n millionaire matters little. he may
f,e either and he successful. II would
he better II men would judge ono an
other by what they wear on their faces.
rather than what they wear on their
backs
1, wondered much at tho old mans
odd mixture of good and bad English.
but was none the less wont to listen
as nc rambed on. Unauest ionabiy.
or. what We are often pleased to term
better days
'If yeh live to hev a vat. n money.
n lot o fine friends. n hope you
will. cause them. in n way. Is n mark
o. distinction. remember that. after all.
you're Jest boys grown a lectlc bigger
maxim more mistakes bccausc of your
bigness-bcin' not so sure as you war
then when a small boy"
'Hoh-heh heh -h-e-hi Phwito- o-o,"
He stopped his speech abruptly tho
while he sduirted a vicious stream OF
black tobacco juice in the direction OF a
big beetle that was industriousiy max
ing his way thru the hot dust OF the
road toward sone inviting shade at
the road hank. BY hairs breadth he
missed the beetle which. no doubt
greatly wondering a. the unusual de-
lure. beat a ha=ty retreat into the
shade of the protesting wheel felloe.
BE boys" he continued in his
droll. hsitine way.
'Be boys jest as long as you can.
but bo good boys. rememherin' ITO
hi ...ararI..nz n ckcrc Of her