The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-11-07
The B|eSSiDQ Of Jim Robbins.

He was quite too ready to admit that
he was just an average sort OF fellow.
That was really all he cared to be.
What he could do he did fairly we'll, but
he did just as little as was decently pos
soble. At college he had gone i'll a little
fer athletics, and made a very credlta-
bic record. but he shraHk from anything
really brilliant. He was good scholar,
too, but was quite willing to rank with
the intellectual second-raters.
The key to his aimless, lrresponsl De
wealth stretched like bar across the
path to better things. There was no in
centive to work. And without incentive
Spencer Clifford merely vegetated. And
vet he felt a little conscience stricken
when Anna Goldie gravely asked him
one day about his future hopes. 1t set
him to thinking, and thinking was an oc-
cupation that always disquieted him.
He avoided Anna Goldie for a time. and
just as he was thinking he would invite
another talk with her On the subject she
suddenly went away. Sne Went. tneF
told him. to visit an invalid aunt In the
interior Of the state. In what part OF
the state lid Miss Goldie's aunt live!
Somewhere near Palmyra.
Palmyra? That was where Jim Rob
bins lived. Good old Jim Robbins.
whom he hadn't seen since his last col
lege year Jim was somebody down III
Palmyra. Member of the Legislature or
something.
AS the days wore along the desire to
visit Jim grew upon him. so he decided
to go down at once and make Jim visit,
and he wrote to him to that effect.
Then he went to the bank and called
on his father. And while he was there
his Uncle Tom came in and the three
were closeted for long time IN his IA
HOY mo
out his uncle Tom shook hands with him
and patted him on the back in his usual
hearty fashion, and both the older men
seemed highly elated. Spencer shook his
head little doubtfully as he left them.
Then he braced up with a swift stiffenn-
hands, and accelerated his pace.
He arrived at Palmyra early in the
evening and concluded he would look Jim
up in the morning. He went to the no.
tel and had his supper. After supper he
strolled up to the clerks desk and in
Quired about his friend.
ooh, Jim Robbins!' cried the clerk.
eyes, yes. Jim is one of our leading cit
liens He's a great hustler, Jim is. Go
ing to send him to the state Senate next
fall. Tell You what you do continued
the clerk. Jim is the chairman Of the
It's a complimentary feed given in honor
Of Col. Jack Speed, orr congressman,
you know. Hon Dwight Perkins. from
somewhere out West. one of the big ma
tional lights of the House, is to be the
speaker of the occasion. Better go over"
Guess l will" said Spencer. I'D
like to see old Jim at the head of the
table. You say can go?"
All the credentials you need is a 81
bill laughed the clerk.
Spencer went back to his room and
donned his dress suit A half-hour later
he ascended the stairway of RAYMOND
hall. He noticed a number of ladies in
the. crowd that steadily marched into the
hall, and he was rathe- glad TO find that
the banquet was not TO be of the usual
political fOr-men-Only chara cter. At the
head of the stairs he noticed a door
standing. open. and looking through into
a brightlv-lighted ante-room he saw his
old friend. The impulse was too strong
to resist, and he passed in the doorway
and held out his hand.
What's the matter with Jim Rob
bins? he laughingly called.
In an instant his friends hand gripped
his
Spencer, old man, so glad to see your
He pushed Spencer off little and held
him there. lyon are looking prime" he