JIM CLINCH. By Robert Grant, Author of "Jack Hall,' etc. [COPYRIGHTED, 1889, BY THE AUTHOR.]

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 422, 23 November 1889, Page 3

JIM CLINCH. By Robert Grant, Author of " Jack Hall,' etc. [COPYRIGHTED, 1889, BY THE AUTHOR.]

' You'ke a confounded little sneak, and that's the last time you shall ever play on the Sagamore nine while I'm captain.' It was a terrible judgment, especially s° proceeding from Roger Gardiner, the most popular and manliest - looking boy in Lin ford. ' That's so,' exclaimed a chorus of half-a-dozen others. Then Harry Crane, the intimate friend of Roger, added scornfully : ' You see what comes of letting a mucker play.' ; Whereupon the pair turned away with i ' coh tern pt and feffc Jim-. Glinch'. They were followed by the rest of the te*ara\ The indignation felb by everybody wasrighteous, and the general opinion was that a letter > should be written that evening by the captain to the captain of the other team, whom they had just seen off in the train, explaining that the game had been won by perfidy — claimed by their opponents at the time — but not proved until the culprit had deliberately confessed as soon as the vanquished nine was out of sight that he had made the run that proved to be the winning run by cutting in from second base to the home plate without touching third — a dirty trick ; all the more so, seeing that when accused of it by one of the other side he had stoutly denied the charge. It had been a close, hard -fought match, and at the time Roger Gardiner, quivering with excitement, had claimed that the run should be counted ; and the umpire, who had failed to detect the dodge, had allowed it to be counted, to the intense satisfaction of every member of the Sagamores, who were keenly anxious to defeat their old enemies the Norboroughs. But juet after the train started Jim Clinch had suddenly burst out laughing and disclosed the truth. For a moment the announcement was received with silence ; then one or two boys chuckled as though they regarded it as a fine joke ; but fierce i denunciation from Roger and several others had plainly expressed the almost i

universal verdict of disapproval, and presently the captain had dismissed the offender with thai overwhelming sentence. Jim retorted by sticking out his tongue at his censors and indulging in a variety of uncomplimentary epithets so long as they were in hearing. He evon stooped to pick up a stone, with the idea of having a shot at them, but prudence counselled him that he was one against many, and that the many were nerved' by the consciousness of a just cause. He contented himself by watching them without stirring until they were far up the road, and then, rather to his own surprise, burst into tears. He had been biting his lip unbeknown to himself evor since Roger's anathema in order to keep the tears ftom iiovvine 1 , and now, as they trickled down, he perceived that it was bleeding. He walked round the corner of the station, still trying to move with a defiant air, and when he was screened from observation sat down on the stops, and, taking out his grimy little handkerchief, began to blubber miserably. He was just fifteen and his mother was a washerwoman. Two years before she had married again, and there were now at home a pair of twins who had superseded Jim, and a stepfather who often got drunk and beat him. Jim did not enjoy theso whipping*, which were not always deserved : neither did he enjoy the whippings which were deserved bestowed upon him from time to time by the schoolmaster ; but no chastisement had ever cut him half so badly as these words of Roger's, 'You're a confounded little sneak, and that's the last time you shall ever play on the Sagamore nine while I'm captain. 5 Not play on the Sagamores again ! Not ever again ! The sentence was terrible, and at the thought of it his tears flowed afresh, lfc had been the proudest moment of hi& life when, a fortnight ago ho had been asked to play short stop on the redoubtable Sagamores, to fill the place; of Bob Thornton, who had sprained his ankle. To excel at baseball was his absorbing and only ambition. Before his parents moved to Linford six months previous he had been short stop and change pitcher of the North Stars, of JTayville, a nine which hud been handsomely beaten several times by the Sagamores, and it had tickled his vanity that his powers as a playor should be so quickly recognised in another community, although ho was only a washerwoman's son and almost ragged in appearance. Harry Crane's epithet of * mucker ' now brought his humble circumstances vividly before him and served to fortify still more strongly the wall that had raised itself in a single moment to shut out from his reach all that seemed worth having in existence. He was despised as a sneak, and the explanation of his being a sneak was that ho was a mucker. And yet all he had done was to steal home from second without touching third while the umpire was looking another way. Was that such a terrible deed ? Ho had done the same in matches on the North Stars, and been applauded for his smartness, and he had supposed that he was doing something decidedly creditable which, if successful, would make him a hero for they moment in the eyes of the team. Insteadytolthough his was the winning run, he had^hedb cast out aa a confounded sneak and mucker. The future looked very blank. To be out off for ever from playing on the Sagamores deprived life of all its interest. What was ho to do ? What was to become of him ? He felt that he did not care vory much what became of him unless he could obtain a reversal of the sentence. But #as that possible ? How could he accomplish it ? The idea absorbed him, and, filled with a sudden hope, he paused in his sobbing. The next moment he had determined .that he would never desist irom endeavour until ho had reinstated himself in the good graces o,f Roger Gardiner and been taken back on tho team. He felt that he could not bring this to pass at once. Clearly ho must turn over a new leaf if he was to have any chance of success. _ Some lines which he had once heard at Sunday-school as to becoming a new man came into his mind, and he said to himselt that he would become a new man and make a fresh start; As he was thus communing with himself ho spied Sparrow's grocery waggon in the act of passing the station on its way to Linford, and, as he was on friendly terms with Joe Fisk f> Sparrow's driver, Jim swallowed 1113 tears in a gulp, whistled shrilly through his fingers to attract attention, and a moment later he had clambered over the tailboard and established himself among the basket& and bundles. 4 Did you whip 'em ?' asked Joe. ' Yes,' Jim answered, a little sadly, looking at the bottom of the waggon, ' W T hafc score ?' ' Six to five.' This was spoken faintly. But Joe did not seem to notice his dejected tone. He said : ' Whew ! Close shave, wasn't it V and turning, chirruped to bis nag. On the seat beside Joe was Mr Cole, of Fay ville, the adjoining town, where Jim had formerly lived. He was a grocer and on his way to Linford to parley with Sparrow He gave a nod and a sort of grunt by way of recognition and resumed conversation concerning a new brand of pickles which Jim's incursion had interrupted. Jim curled himself up under the loe of a bag of meal and remained very quiet. In spite of his resolute determination not to despair, he could not prevent the tears from stealing into his eyes, for the outlook seemed to him pretty hopeless. In front Mr Cole and Joe were keeping up an animated discussion, and presently the Fayville grocer, in order to emphasi/e what he was saying, slapped his thigh energetically, and as he did so a silver dollar that somehow had worked its way up to the mouth of one of his trousers pockets, slipped out and dropped noiselessly on to an empty sack below the seat. There' it lay glittering, { close beside Jim, who instinctively raised i his head to see if Mr Cole had noticed what had happened. No, h.e was sitting per- ! fectly unconcerned, talking volubly and earnestly as ever. Jim had never owned even half a dollar in his life, and to him the cart-wheel of a coin seemed wealth. Stealthily he leached I out and picked it up. How heavy it was ! Of course it must be real. In order to ! make sure as to this he bit it, as he had seen Sparrow and others do when confronted with silver change. It merely tasted cold and hard. However, he said to himself that Mr Cole would not be likely to carry counterfeit coin on his person. Keeping his eye on the pair in front, he dawdled the dollar on his palm and reflected. If it had been yesterday, he knew that he would wave put it into his pocket to keep, bub now the remembrance of Roger Gardiner's words came back to him vividly, and he thought* of his resolution. Would the^not be ground for someone else to say that he was a confounded sneak and mucker if he took, the money ? And would he nob be one whether he were found out or not? Fora moment he hesitated, then he replaced the silverdollar where it had fallen, and touched its owner on the shoulder. « I think that dropped out of your pocket, sir, when you slapped your leg just noWt' lEh ?' said Mr Cole. 'Oh !' and ho gave another grunt as he received the money which Jim picked up and proffered him. ' Thanks. I guess I ought to have a guardian appointed if I'm going to be that careless. ' So saying, he ecr u tinised the boy

for a moment rather attentively and then resumed his conversation with Joe, who, before he faced about again, gave o glance which seemed to Jim to soy, * If you aren't a flat I never saw one.' But Jim didn't mind the glance ; he waa too happy ; he knew that he had made pro greas towards getting back on the ' Sagamore'nine, and he felt, oh! so thankful that he had not taken the money. While he was fchua lost in his own reflections Mr Cole suddenly veered round and said : 'You're Widow Clinch's son, aren't you f 'Yes, sir.' • His mother married Hugh Fogartyj the farm hand, two years ago,' interpolated Joe. ' Hugh's no good.' ' Do you want a job ?' Mr Cole was a burly, broad-ahouldered man, and he spoke in a bluff and rather a gruff voice. Jim was taken aback by Che question. 'Eh?' said Mr Cole with his grunt. * Yes, sir.' 'Well, be at my store in Fayville tomorrow at ten sharp. There's a man wants a boy to do chores, and maybe you'll suit.' Jim's heart gave a bound. Tayville was only two miles distant, not too far away to shut him out from trying to get back on the ' Sagamores,' and yet he would bo beyond reach of persecution, and getting a living at the same time. He was tired of school, and more than once the thought of running away to sea or out West had occurred to him, but his devotion to baseball had kept him at home. His mother had tried to" get him a place, bat .wibhout success. Only last week she had^im^ored Sparrow to try him, and had been" answered sourly : ' Yes, and,h,'avfe"my dried appjes and my figs and 'my bean's disappear aa though there was an etarual hole in £bet>ott6m r of the barrels. I guess not, ma'am, thank you kindly.' ' Aa it was now, Joe, amused at the idea that auybody ahould bcwilling to try Jim' Clinch, gave a grin. B'u't^evidently also he was impressed by the speedy results of his junior's honesty, for he observed with conviction : • You're in luck to-day, Jim.' Whatever Jim's feelings were on that score, he prosented himself at J\lr Cole' 9 store next day at the appointed hour, and he was fortunate enough to get the place. Mr Cole had, obviously said a good word for him to Mr Lampkin, his neighbour, who wa3 in need of a boy, for he waa engaged on the spot without ado. Mr Lampkin's business was a little of everything. He was alawyer and a notary and a real estate agent and_an insurance broker, all in a feinall way, as was necossarily the case in a small towji like Fayville. Ho was, however, a bustling, active little man, and, moreover, kindly. His house was next door to his office, and Jim had not only to keep the office clean and to run errands for his employer and to be on hand to answer quostions when Mr Lampkin was out, but ho was expected to split kindling wood and draw *vater and dig in the garden and look after the cow at the beck and call of Mrs Lampkin. He was given a little bit of a room next to the kitchen, and as soon as the cocks in the neighbourhood began to crow he knew that it was time for him to be up in the morning. He had plenty to eat, however, and Mrs Lampkin, moved to pity by the ragged state of his garments, soon presented him with a suit and some shirts, and stockings that her own son had outgrown. It was a very new sort of life for Jim Clinch, and the part that was the strangest of all to him was that he did not mind the hard work and that he felt so much less disposition to cut up what Mr Colo in some words of friendly counsel had termed monkey shines. Not that he was able always to resist that, propensity, but at such times as he was tempted to indulge in pranks the inquiry; as to whether he were not acting like a confounded sneak and a mucker invariably" haunted him. He was determined that no one should ever be able , justly so to Btigrrmti3ehim again, and every day he lived he felt more strongly the desire to reinstate himself on the ball team. Although he had so little time to himself, he .managed to keep posted as to the smallest doings of the ' Sagamores ; ' he knew the exact standing of every player, the number of base hits and nine and errors made and who were the promising recruits ; and he spent his Saturday afternoons, which were his to do with as he liked, ip going to Linford or wherever the nine was to play and watching the game from behind the hedge or by lying flat ou the grass, so that he might see without being seen. Once, while trudging along the road on hia way to view a match between the ' Sagamores ' and a rival team, Roger Gardiner and two others of the nine came out of a side lane, so that he passed them almost face to face. He felt the blood rise to his cheeks, and he saw the trio nudge one another and whisper. Jim did not try to catch Roeer'seyo, and they passed without recognition on either side. This was about a year after his dismissal from the nine. By- this time he was well broken in to his work, and so industrious had he been that Mr Lampkin, whose business was increasing, had come to depend on him in more ways than one. As it happened, Jim could write a good hand. Writing was the only study that had interested him at school, and that only because he had become envious of the skill of some of his fellow-pupils in preparing ornamental score-cards, and he had wished to be able to rival them. His penmanship now stood him in good stead. Mr Lampkin gave him copying to do and presently the idea came to Jim thafc he would like to learn bookkeeping. With the aid of an old clerk who kept Mr Cole' 3 books, he accomplished this. Thereafter he took charge of his employer's accounts, and presently he learned how to draw deeds , and other papers necessary to Mr Lamplrin's businebfl. -At the end of three years he waa a proficient office clerk. Fayville was g»jo\Ving. Mr Lampkin^ had sold his house and plot at a handaorri'e profit to make room 'for a business block, and moved his residence to another part of the town. Jim no longer did chores or took care of the cow, atfd'fchere was another, boy, in theoffice who addresspd.him as"' Mr Clinch.' There hadjbeen changes,, too, in Linford, chiefamong' which for Jim Was the disbanding of the ' Sagamores.' The boys who had belonged to them had become young men and scattered ; Roger Gardiner had gone to college and Harry Crane was in his father's manufactory. There waa a ball club composed of new boy», bub they called themselves the ' Linford Unions.' Jim was surprised that the news that the ' Sagamores ' had disbanded did not affect him more seriously, so long had he looked forward to being some day reinstated on the nine. He felt a pang of regret at the moment, and then he suddenly realised that his interest in baseball had, unknown to him, imperceptibly waned, and there were other things for which he cared more. Yet, though tlje jprize for which he had striven was no longer attainable, he continued to wor.k on steadily as though nothing had happened, and still he would exclaim, • Will anyone be able to call me a confounded sneak and mucker V Another year went by, and one day Mr Lampkin's son Charles, a mining engineer, who was a few years older than Jim, and had since graduation from the school of mines been out West making: examinations for certain clients, arrived home and wa* closeted in the private, office vrith- his

father with maps and plans. At the close of the second day Mr Lampkin opened the door and called for Jim. ' James, how should you like to go oub West to live V he asked. There was no • Sagamore ' nine to keep Jim at home now, though if the truth must be told that fact did not occur to him. He waited without answering for his employer to explain. ' I have invested considerable money in a mining property in Colorado, and I want a man out there to look after money natters and keep me posted. I can't afford bo let you go, for I need you here, but 1 know of no one else in whom I have so much confidence.' A flush of pleasure ros6 to Jim's chooks. 'I will go, Mr Lampkin, if I can be of service to you,' said he. A weok later Jim set out for Colorado, where he became general manager of the Kinglake Mine, an undeveloped property, as to the future of which Charles Lampkin, who had prospected it careiully, had great hopes. In his opinion as an engineer a moderate outlay would in course of time produce rich results. Jim had now only a little larger salary, and some of the stock of the Kinglake Consolidated Mining Company, as it was called, was given to him every six months to eke it out. He was interested in his new life, however, for ho had never travelled nor teen the world outsido his native town. Soon he became absorbed in the success of the mine. As the shafo went down deeper and deeper the specimens of ore grew even richer than Charles had prophesied. Every penny that Jim could save by the most rigid economy from what he earned he invested in-Kinglake stock, which was still selling at a 'very low figure. But rumours oi the ■favourable outlook for the property soon got abroad, and knowing folk in J'ayyille and in Linford, too, began to invest in ' Kinglake Consolidated.' Presently Mr Lampuin went West himself in ,order to satisfy his judgment before putting a larger sum into the mine. With him went his only daughter, who had been a mere child when Jim was taken in to do chores and who was now a blooming and pretty young woman, who in her turn found her father's clerk vastly improved. Their vidit lasted five weeka, and at the end of it Jim, having won the heart of Mabel Lampkin, asked hi 3 employer for her hand. Mr Lampkin, like a sensible man, declared that though he had looked higher, so to speak, for a son-in-law, if Jim Clinch was his daughter's choice, Jim Clinch phe should have, if after getting home and thinking the matter over she was still of that mind. Home Mabel went, and six months later Jim had the satisfaction of writing to his constant sweetheart that their fortnnes wore made ; a rich streak of ore had been struck which surpassed the wildest expectations of the believers in the property. There was great rejoicing in' Fayville and in Linford, where the bulk of the stock was owned. Charles, the engineer, came hurrying East to verify the information. 1 Kinplake Consolidated ' rose §100 a share, and there was talk of very much higher figures. In the midst of the excitement Mr Lampkin was taken down with pneumonia and died. Much as Jim desired to return East to comfort his wife to be, he could not leave the mine immediately. Preparations were under way for a large plant of machinery, which required his superintendence. Two months elapsed before he could see his way clear to setting out for home. In the meanwhile ho had received notification that he had been elected a director of 'Kinglake Consolidated ' to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr Lampkin. The new ore was being excavated slowly and everything was working smoothly. Jim intended to be married and return with his wife immediately. On his arrival home Jim was much impressed by the growth of Fayville ; on every side new buildings had sprung up to evidence its prosperity,. As he walked along" the street observing the changes his eye wa<} suddenly struck by the sign 'Sagamore National Bank,' which stared at him from a gulden signboard. He paused, iuterested by the association, and then he read on the smaller metal plate at one side ot the doorway, 'Sagamcre National Bank; Roger Gardiner, President; Henry Crane, Cashier.' His only thought was one of. pleasure that the name of the old Club had been preserved in the new enterprise. All the next day Jim was busy with his late employer's affairs. Only a fortnight bofore his death Mr Lampkin had borrowed a considerable sum on real estate owned by him in Fayville, and put it into • Kinglake Consolidated,' so that'hio estate held a controlling- interest in the stock of the mine. There were four directors besides Jim — Charles Lampkin, Mr Cole, Mr Sparrow, and— Jim Clinch started as he read the same in the statement of affairs shown him — Roger Gardiner, who, moreover, was the second largest holder. It had been arranged that the wedding should take place the first of the following week, and Jim, having laid businese aside, \>as sitting with Mabel Lampkin in the , parlour that evening talking over their : coming happiness when a telegram was brought to him. ,He took it to the light and read jt ; then he stood for some moments with the blank in hie hand staring at the paper without raying a word, after which he folded it and put it in his pocket, Presently ho kissed Mabel tenderly and said he was tired and would go to bed. There was to be a inee'ing of the directors of the Kinglake Consolidated Mining Company at noon of the following day at the Sagamore Bank. Jim after scanning the newspaper attentively walked down town. He went into a stock-broker's office and asked for a quotation of 'Kinglake Consolidated.' * Up a point since yesterday,' was the regly. 'It is said in New York that Director linch will make a very favourable report as to the condition of the property at the meeting here to-day.' \ ' I see,' said Jim, after which he walked out and entered the Sagamore Bank. It was 11.45, and of the directors of the Company only Mr Gardiner was present. Jim recognised him at once ; he had the same manly-looking face and bearing and the same frank, engaging manner. Plainly he did not recognise Jim, nor after Jim had told him that he was his fellow-director did ho associate him with the offender of the past. ' Well, Mr Clinch,' he said, jubilantly, as they sat down in the private office, ' I trust you bring us glowing accounts of our bonanza.' Jim sat for a moment in grave silence, then he, took, his hand from his pocket and handed to Roger Gardiner without a word the telegram which ho had received the night before. Roger read and started. z ♦Good GocT, is this true V he ejaculated. " • ' * I see no reason to doubt it.' * What ! A pocket in the mine ! -Then, everything has gone to pot ?' * It looks that way, Mr' Gardiner.' j m Roger swept ,his hand feverishly across his brow, then, after a covert glance at Jim, he wroto hurriedly on a scrap of paper and touched the bell. Suddenly, as though a disagreeable thought had .struck hinf, he gasped : * When did this reach you V * Last •vening.' *Ah ! 'Then you have sold your stock, I suppose?' * I have nob ; not a share of it,' was the quiet reply. • I aur a'direbtor of the Com-

pany. Were Ito have done bo before making the news public I should be a con 1 founded sneak and mucker.' Roger Gardiner blushed slowly a painful crimson. The clerk who had answered the bell fltood in the doorway. 4No matter,' said the President ; and he slowly tore into little pieces the order for the sale of every share of his holding of ' Kinglake Consolidated,' and a thousand shares to boot, and dropped them into the waste-paper basket. ' Thank you, sir,' he said to Jim, * for saving me from the first dishonourable action of my life. Your language savours of mining regions, bub you are right all the same.' j *It is you, sir, whom I have to thank, and it is your language that I am > repeating.' * I do not understand,' waa the puzzled answer. ' I think you will if I remind you that I j am Jim Clinch, who used to play on the "Sagamores," and whom you once discharged from the nine for beingr a confounded sneak and mucker. I was one then ; if I am one no longer it is you I J have to thank for ifc.' I Again Roger Gardiner blushed vividly, / 'I remember,' he said. 'You have made i me your debtor for life.' * Every dollar that I have in the world is in the Kinglake mine,' said Jim, • and Mr Lampkin's estate will' be insolvent. Who knows,' ho added with a smile, 'that I may not to-morrow ask you to give me a place under you here? It is, ( still the old " Sagamores ;" we are merely -men instead of boys.' 'If you do you shall have it,' answered Roger Gardiner. 'I, too, shall be a heavy loser. We will-, begin the world again together.'