Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-03-08
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BEAUTIFUL jim.
By JOHN STRANGE WINTER
CHAPTER X.
TOMMY EATS lTTNCIr y,y,-

general, and the last of the race in par
tieular, the household at the Deanery wa.
habitually an early one, and if 10 enter.
tainment was atioat, the family were in
the habit of disappearing at half past II
o'clock.
Therefore, when Tommy had pulled
himself together, paid the cabman and
Strengthened his somewhat unmanage.
able person and his decidedly refractory
arms and legs, which somehow wouldn't
keep in their proper places, he gave o
pull at the bell
The door was opened, not by the staid
and respectable family butler. by young
fcotman. who knew that the young gen
tlenlan had been dining at the Infantry
Barracks and wass perhaps sympathetic,
showing what singular effects night air
sometimes has upon a person who has
come out of hot and noisy room.
Any way. he shut the door and imme-
iiately lighted candle. with o remark
that the family have retired for the
night. sir, all but the dean. who expect
every minute"
Now, this was enough to send Tommy
off to his room as fast as his unsteady
legs could climb the stairs; for, although
he had felt perfectly equal to chatting one
Of the keenest witted men in the service,
in the person of Col Urquhart, he did
not feel equal, after a twenty minutes
ride in jolting, springless cab over the
villainously quaint cobble stones which
paved the streets Of Blankhampton, max
ing him feel as if he had eaten ten times
too much dinner, and as if, when he got set
tied in the Blankshire regiment, he should
have something not perhaps altogether to
his liking to say to the president Of the
mess committee about the quality Of the
wines. to encountering the very reverend
the dean Of Blankhampton; in fact, he
had moro than q suspicion that that
gentleman would tell him in blunt. out
spoken words that he was drunk
Not that he was drunk, mind you! He
pulled up short ON the first landing, and
glared at himself in big square of look
ing glass which was set against the wall,
as if his other self in the glass had
charged him with being drunk, and he
cant to knock him down for the INSULT
there for minute no and his reflection
TODD. with one white face staring at
mother. with hair rumpled on end like q
sulphur crested cockatoo. and with candle
stick held with elegant negligence on one
side, so that the hot wax ran down in o
stream upon the handsome Administer
carpet beneath
I'D bad wine that" he muttered.
Il believe it's got into my head, or upset
my digestion, or something" and then he
heard = Quick. firm footstep on tho flag
of the portico, followed by tho rattle Of
the key in tho door.
Oh no, he was not at all drunk He
blew out his candle and crept of to his
room. only lurching once or twice against
the wall on tho way-that, of course, was
because he could not see. Anyway, he
gained his room in safety, and sat down
upon tho first chair he could find to 10.
cover his breath. It happened to DO an
easy chair, and his breath took long
time to recover; and, somehow, he dropped
off to sleep. and slept like top until the
daylight was streaming into the room.
and the bells high up in the great tower
OF the parish were ringing for saints
day celebration.
Thus Tommy got uncommonly well over
the episode of the dinner at the mess of
his new regiment. But he thought he
ought to 20 up and call, SO that il he had
in the faintest degree upset b. command.
ing officer that was to be, lie would be
able to set it straight, and not start. as
1t were. with q black mark against his
name.
So he went up to the infantry barracks
and asked for Mr.. Beresford. who was. he
foul1d, in his own room, whittier - went.
tnueaseh 6f him
Bespt,ful Jim was iyinx in : IL ehair
with novel and pipe, enjoying the dfst
half hour of rest lie had had that day
lie looked up and laughed ss Tommy
entered.
Halo. youngster, is that youi Tow
are your he remarked, speaking IN
more friendly and civil tone than his
feelings would have indicated had they
been on the surfGce.
Tommy sat himself down ON the edge
of the cot and informed Beautiful jim,
with man about town air. that he felt
SO bit chippy."
And don't wonder 1t II" returned
the other. CURLY. You made regular
splash here last night"
It might have been the accent Of re-
Duke in Beresford's tone, know not, but
certain it is that Tommy turned brazen
oil at once.
That's a good thing" he remarked,
aitslys .1nsser Nkc putting myself for.
werd, but anythings better than medi.
0crity;" and with that he got up and
shook himself out ~ it were, staggering
to the glass above the fireplace, and stand
ing there just in front Of Beautiful Jim's
disgusted nose, preening himself q you
may eco . peacock preening his feathers
It Z safe to ~ that at that moment he
fairly stunk in Beautiful Jim's nostrils.
ITS ell very fine. youngster." he said,
In tone which he tried hard to make
fairly civil; but the sort of splash you
madc last night won't do any good In the
sof harm. Why. q Il, nuediocrity vim
stand you in good stead long after that
kind q splash has sent you to the devil. +"
Tommy turned round with an innocent
.isSshasaidlf ssrhs asked: Il dIdnt
stand on the table. did II"
Woese than that. returned Jim.
Il did4t ell ~ ne 49, cd. did r.
mo; but You might have got over that
IN time II you had owned TINT your head
wouldn't stand liquor"
Then what did dot" Tommy WAS b.
ginning 70 get alarmed, and showed It.
Il didn't shy tho knives about, or any.
thing Of that sort. surely?"
.Hsentifn1 jim hurst out laughing.
Look here, young 'un," he remarked.
You've got very fair notion Of your
own sQuaaities.s ysur position. your sp-
pearsses. youf-your ever thipg: You're
tho last OF the Earles"-
"D-n the Earles, put In Tommy,
who had no sort Of respect for his position
asthes lat Of .. proud raee, though he
liked others to have. mono better.
with al my heart" said Jim. ut
viii do you no good in the Blankshire re-
giment ever 70 rsmemhee It again. But
you're youngster, new idea, scrap, Q
vaxt. = yet-and for You to give your
opinion among field officers On subjects Of
which you are totally ignorant, and about
which your opinion has not been even
asked, Is not the way to become . popular
of1cer when you Join. And then to back
Il al BY trying to chat Urquhart Of the
1Dack Hpgso. whet got tie 1evehst head
md thecaeerest 3dguus and the ken
ut vi and the most singing tongue Of
any man in the British army, take It from
orc end to the other; UrquhAft, who's
f. coolest. pluckiest beggar that ever
nvsd-for . scrap IKE You to try and best
ludicrous, and it won't do, Tommy. and
the tine i sooner you make up your mind othas
It must b owned THAT Tommys brave
and hsasea ftunt I'D kiven plaoe 70 utter
dismay and confederation long before
Beautiful Jim had como to an end Of his
remarks. His smooth young Jaw fell to
the length Of . fiddle, and 10 looked in
truth the picture Of abject misery.
'What an ass must have beenl" he
calculated.
well. you were. retu1aed Jim, With
delighted candor.
"And what consummste fool tho fel.
lows must have thought me, he went on.
never being above blaming himself when
he found himself fairly cornered.