126 THE COUNTRY BOY 



why Coolidge didn't make his dog walk on 

 four legs, instead of three, whether there 

 were any squirrels in sight or not. But I 

 think Coolidge rather enjoyed Uncle Jake as 

 a clown, as he rode miles without ever making 

 a reply to any of his talk. Jake JNIcClaine 

 had a bay mare and she and his shepherd dog 

 Prince were steady companions during that 

 middle portion of life and early latter portion 

 that is so important to all mankind. Jake 

 JNIcClaine made the best chief marshal at the 

 Fourth of July parade of anybody around ; in 

 fact, you put a red or blue sash around him 

 and he looked like a Greek god. His beard 

 hung in ringlets like ancient Homer's; his 

 clothes were worn with the most artistic 

 careless swing imaginable, but there was some- 

 thing more to Jake ^IcClaine than artistically 

 hung clothes, something more than any other 

 banker in the world. True, he w^ould take 

 advantage of you in money matters the same 

 as other bankers; he would squeeze money till 

 it got slick and shiny and to avoid argument 

 I can say that he had perhaps all the small 

 business ways of great financiers; but there 

 was another side to him, another Jake Mc- 



