The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-29
The Making Of Jim Blake.
. By GUY BooTHBY. Author of ''Dr. Nikola." Etc.

When James Blake, only son of Sir
Peregrino Blake, of Todrope hall, said
goodbye to respectability and England,
which terms in his own mind he con-
sidered synonymous, he did so fully con-
WINGED that when he returned it would
be as a millionaire, and an exceedingly
sagacious man. He was going to show
the colonists, he said, what could be done
by person who had his head screwed
on the right way. Had he considered for
a moment and pondered the histories of
the men who had made their fortunes
in the great land of which he was soon
to be a citizen, he would in all probable
ity have discovered that the majority Of
them had started with less advantage
than himself. That" he would have
said, was their look out not his. 1t
was so much the better for him. He
was a gentleman he told himself, and
If illiterate men could succeed, was it
likely he should fail?. You mustn't mag
inc from this that there was any real
harm in the lad: far from it. 1t was
only the result of his bringing up. All
he wanted was to rub shoulders with
the big world, to have the rough edges
knocked off~him. For this reason, when
his father had paid his debts for the
lllltu ltillS, ne was IOIl " IOlu
in readiness to be dispatched to Austria
liza. He hailed the notion with delight.
1t was essential to his scheme for in
structing the colonial, that the outfit he
took with him should be large and eX-
pensive. A banjo, violin, a grama-
phone, halt plate camera, a nickel
plated revolver, a pair of exquisite ham
m@less guns and a Winchester repeat
ing rifle. were among the items. Two
dress SUITS a silk lined dinner jacket,
three admirable frock suits, a quilted
dressing gown, and variety of hats and
boots formed part of his wardrobe. Each
was excellent of it's kind but scarcely
adapted to the requirements of the Aus
tralian bush He did not realize this
fact at the time, but he was to do so
in the near future.
At last the eventful day arrived. He
said goodbye TO his father, who accom-
panied him to Plymouth, on the deck
of the mail steamer. They shook hands
the old man wished his son a pleasant
voyage and the latter accompanied him
to the gangway and watched him make
his way across the plank to the tender
alongside. There may or may not have
been a lump in the young mans throat.
and mist before his eyes as he waved
an adieu to the parent who had been so
long suffering. He had quite recovered
his spirits, however, by the time Eddy
stone was out of sight. Long before they
reached Colombo he was the old trav-
eler had lost upwards of a hundred
pounds at ecarte to a gentleman who
knew more of the world and also of the
game, than Jim was ever likely to do,
and was beginning to entertain certain
qualms as to what he should do on his
arrival in Australia if luck did not favor
him before tbeV rea phod their destination
AS a matter of fact when he said goodbye
to the steamer at Sydney and had cashed
his last note, he had scarcely sufficient
money left to settle his wine bill and to
pay for his railway ticket to Bourke, near
which place existed the station of Wool
ongobbrah, to which he was consigned
1t was at this juncture that the utility of
the outfit with which he had so gener-
ously been provided became apparent to
him. The banjo, the violin, the grama-
phone the guns, rifle, camera, and sew
eral other articles were converted into
coin of the realm, and three days later
he reached his destination. In his own
heart he regarded his arrival with con-
siderable satisfaction. His father had
paid premium to the owner of the
property In order that the lad might
learn the delicate art of sheep farming
The managers name was Radcliffe and
1t had been casually mentioned in the
prospectus that he had a wife and two
daughters. The latter had been sub
JectS of mystery and conjecture to the
young Englishman ever since he had seen
the paper. A variety of wild thoughts
had originated in his mind concerning
them. He recalled all the fiction he had
read, and as result endowed them with
the most romantic attributes. The elder
he determined, would be tall and grace
full, with large, dreamy eyes and a voice
as soft as the evening breeze.
The second would be a madcap maid,
more at home in the saddle than in the
drawing room, with nut-brown hair, ha-
Eel eyes, and in everything the direct
antithesis of her sister. AS matter of
fact, he found a couple of tall Australian
girls, by no means i'll looking, with sun
burnt faces, accomplished in housewifely
duties, good riders, and Boosting fund
OF reDartee that found favor with the
overseers and the other colonial expo
rlences but was somewhat disconcerting
TO the newcomer. He began to have a
hazy notion that he was not being accord
ed the reception he had expected He
almost believed that on one occasion
they had laughed at him. Being bucked
from the saddle of a notoriouSly amiable
horse, in full view of the young ladies.
to his contentment In the privacy OF
his own apartment he thought of mis-
half-dozen pairs of riding breeches and
blushed. He was devoutly thankful now
that he had not worn them. What re-
manned of that fashionable English rid
Ing costume had brought him sufficient
ridicule already. Don't be downhearted
my lad,'' said the manager one day when
Blake had been dispirited by a particu-
Jarly unkind practical joke that had been
played upon him, and which had made
hin the laughing stock of the station
"A man can't learn everything in day
Don't you fret about what the boys or
girls say; it's only their way, and they
don't mean anything by it,
Blake had his own opinion upon this
point, but he did not give utterance
TO it. 1t was gall and NORWOOD to him
youths, who seemed to find their way
about the country blindfold, to be able
to sit any animal that might be run into
the stockyard, who could kill and dress
g sheep or bullock, drive the worst
horses on the station and yet not be able
TO sing decent song. play their own ac-
compartments or make a water color
sketch of the big lagoon had their lives
depended or 4.
I'm az you've got the idea that
We're altogether uncivilized, Mr.. Blake
said pretty Nellie Radcliffe one evening
as they sat together on the veranda after
dinner. Il suppose We must be, accord