The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-12-12

IA oPtdhCl a JuoL hAilHiitd Ills z
marks. There was silence when he
came alongside the window at the
right of the chairman's desk, q silence
broken by the voice of Old Man Simms.
saying "Mistah Chairman %
'The chair" said the voice of Ezra
Bronson, recognizes Mr.. Simms."
Jim halted in INDIGESTION. He was
not expected while the debate was in
progress. There is no rule of manners
or morals, however, forbidding caves
dropping during the proceedings of a
public meeting. Therefore he listened
to the first and last public speech of
Old Man Simms.
"Ah amt no speaker" said Old
Man Simms, but All CANT set here
and be quiet an go home an face my
ole woman an my boys an gyuhls
withouten sayin' a word fo' the best
friend any family evan had. Mr.. Jim
Irwin" (Applause.) Maybe Ah'll be
thought forrard to speak hyah, beln'
as All amt nc learnin' an some may
think All don't pay no taxes; but
seem as how we've took the Blancl-
ard farm, a hundred an sixty acres,
for five yeahs, ar move in a week from
Sat'day. we pay taxes in our rent, All
reckon, an howsomever that may be,
Alive come to feel that you-all won't
think hard of me if All speak what
we-nns feel so strong about Mr.. Jim
Irwin?"
Old Man Simms finished this ex-
ordium with the rising infection, which
denoted a direct question as to his
status in the meeting. -Go on t'
you've got as good a right as any
onei" you're all right, old man r'
Such EXPLANATIONS as these came to
Jim's ears with scarcely less grateful
ness than to those of Old MaG Slmms
who stammered and went on.
"Ah thank you-all kindly. gentlemen
an ladies, when Mr.. Jim Irwin found
us, we was %scandalous pore, an we
was wuss'n pore-we was low-down.''
(Cries of "No-Noi")
"Yes, we was, becuz when a man
gets in a e place, he's got to lift
himself up to what folks does where
he's come to, or he'll make a place
fer himself lower'n anybody else. In
the mountings we was good people,
becuz we done the best we could an
the best any n done; but hyah, we
was low-down people becuz we hated
the people that had mo- learnin', mo-
land. mo- money, an mo- friends than
what we had. My little gyuhls wasn't
respectable in their clothes. My chill
dern was %igernant, an trihin', but |
was the most trifin' of all. Ah'll leave
1t to Colonel Woodruff If l was good
fer a plug of terbacker, or a bakin'
of flour at any sto' in the county. Was
I, Colonel? Wasn't / perfectly wuth-
less an trifin'?"
There was a ripple of laughter, in
the midst of which the colonels voice
was heard saying, Il guess you were,
Mr.. Simms. | guess you were, but
"Thankee," said Old Man Simms, as
If the colonel had given a really valu-
able testimonial to his character. 81
sho' was! Thankee kindly An now,
what am l good fer? CANT l get any
thing 1 want at the stores? CANT ]
git a little money at the bank, if
got to have it?"
you're just as good as any man in
the district" said the colonel. you
don't ask for more than you can pay
and you can get all you ask"
~"Thankee," said Mr.. Slmms gravely.
what All tell you-all is right, ladies
and nnntlnrnan IN u-hat hoe nanda
the change in we-uns, ladies and gentle
men? It's the wuk of Mr.. Jim Irwin
with my boy Raymond, the best boy
any man evan he'd, and my gyuhl, Ca
lista, an Buddy, an jimmie, an with
me an my ole woman.
HE showed US how to get a toe-holt
into this new kentry. He teached the
children what 0rto be did by a rentin'
farmer in Ioway. He done lifted us
up, an made people of US. He done
showed us that yoI-all is good people,
an not what we thought you was.
Outen what he learned In school, my
boy Raymond In me made as good
crops as We could last summer, an
done right much wuk outside. We got
the name Of bein' good farmers an
good wukkers, an when Mr.. Blanchard
moved to town, he said he was glad to
give us his fine farm for five years.
"Now, see what Mr.. Jim Irwin has
done for a pack o. outlaws and out
casts. Instid o. hidin' out from the
Holidays that was laywayin' US in the
mountings, We'll be Twin in a house
with two chimleys an a swimmln' tub
made outen crock-ryware. Well be in
debt a whole lot-an' we owe it TO
Mr.. Jim Irwin that we got the credit
to git in debt with, an the courage TO
go on and git out agin!' (Applause.)
"Ah could affo'd to pay Mr.. Jim IT.
wins salary myself, If All could An
there's enough men hyah tonight that
say they've been money-he'ped by his
teachin' the school to make up mo-
than his wages. Let's not let Mr.. Jim
Irwin go, %neighborsi Let's not let
him go"
Jim's heart warmed. There isn't a
man in that meeting" said he to him
self, as he walked to the schoofhouse
door, possessed of the greatness of
spirit of Old Man Simms. If he's a
fair sample of the people of the moun
tains, they are of the stuff of which
great nations are made-if they only
are given a chance
(To BE CONTINUED.)
Modern Destruction.
IF there should be another war;"