The Jennings daily record., 1902-12-16
When Football
"Sand" Counted.
By Clinton p. rielsnor.

By Clinton p. Ticlnor.
TT was great cross to Mr.. and Mrs
Crompton that Clinton was appar-
entity devoid of any worthy ambi-
l. ton. Their two older boys were
SO utterly different. Harold had been
graduated from Yale with high hon.
ors, and Eric was making remarkable
progress at the scientific school. In
fact. they were both exceptionally fine
students, which made the contrast all
the more striking.
For Clinton was sadly unlike his
brothers. He seemed to labor under
the impression that he had been sent
to college simply and solely for the
purpose Of learning to play football.
Apparently nothing else had the pow
er to kindle the slightest enthusiasm
in his sluggish breast, and his mother
argued aud expostulated with him in
vain.
"You are frittering away your valu
able time" she argued again and
again, land letting slip golden oppor-
,.nnities which, once gone. never will
O. me back to you, and what have you
20 show for it all but 4 broken nose
And fractured collarbone"
''Is there any prospective benefit to
be derived from these hours spent in
Scrambling after football?" his father
questioned, severely, TO which Clinton
merely responded. in his usual ofshand
style: "Who knows but may be elect
cd captain of the Varsity team next
year:"
''Is that the height of your ambi
tion?" his parent returned. bitterly.
II am terribly disappointed in you. sir.
Are you to so on playing football for
| ever and ever or what do you propose
| to make OF your life? Perhaps you
think that your reputation as q foot
ball player will prove an open sesame
to all desirable positions. Do You
suppose that any one wants a fellow
who has willfully wasted his best op-
portunities? l had hoped to make 4
professional man OF you-not a pcores-
sional athlete-and had even aspired
to see you some day in our leading law
office with my Old friend Robert
Choate, but it's no use. Choate only
wants young men OF the highest prom
ise." and Mr. Crompton sighed wearilv
ut does no good to talk to Clinton
| nc conG5ed to his wife afterward. "for
hardly tea minutes had elaDsed after
had been demonstrating With him about
the evils OF football before he inquired
If wouldn't bring you down to see the
same on Saturday and informed me
that he had saved two tickets for u.s."
| Mrs. Crompton regarded her husband
heiplessly. What did you say to
him:" she queried.
! Il told him certainly not" Mr..
Crompton exclaimed. warmly. land I
expressed my surprise at his daring to
suggest such n thing. Show me some
lasting benefit or any abiding good
| that is TO be derived from this ridicu-
! iouG game. told him, and then come
% me to abet You in such folly, but not
ill them"
! And so Mr.. and Mrs Cror,pton failed
to witness that memora be game in
which their youngest son gained for
| himself such enviable laurols. Once on
the field, Clinton was like one trans
| formed. Keen. alert. cool. rising sp,en-
Idly to every emergency. no one would
| have Known BIN for the same SLOW.
indifferent. e. y-gcing specimen OF hu-
| manity who grieveG the ambitious
| souls of his parents by his small apt:-
tade for Greek
Not by any means that Clinton was
y Ounce. for his class Standing was
rairiy good, hut what panied his father
ard mother was the RECOGNITION OF
what II" might have accomplished had
| it not been for that arch enemy foot
bah.
The great game over. the victorious
team FASTENED back to the Svmnas 'um
with all possible speed. They had
some little distance to so. rs tie gym
SUM was rot very near tie bail
Grounds, so that in order to reach it
they were obliged to traverse the CEN
tre Of the town aud cross the railroad
tracks
Clintoa. whr had been detained n
moment or SO longer than the others,
reached the station short time Il ter
they had crossed. and found the plat
forms crowded with people who were
returning from the game. mingled with
those who were alighting from the IN.
coming trains. AS he stepped from
the platform he became conscious that
something unusual was soin: on and
Ne Immediately perceived the ewes of
Tic m'llt';tuc were riveted unon n
] cure half way across the tracks. n
figure pausing there in hcwilder!ncnt.
There's Il train corning each way
somebody GasNeh. "Why doesn't he
get off the t:ac,i?'
The station aren't and enc or two
other officials were shoutin. loudly.
hut the man. who was old end seem
iH~iv deaf. aDnea"cl ihornu~hly 4lazn.l