The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1903-01-13
|, The Story of !
! "OId Jimmy" :
(EEHEEEEHEENN


His name was Herbert Jameson He
was in the prime of life as far as
years are reckoned-certainly not
more than thirty-fve--but we. his
colleagues. always spoke of him as
"Old Jimmy This was partly
from the feeling of affection
we all had for him. and partly be-
cause, in spite of his few years. he
really looked much older. He walked
with stoop, and his face, except on
the rare occasions when II was lighted
up with a smile, looked so furrowed
and careworn that 1t was easy to see
that at some time or other the black
OK of trouble had trodden down heav-
lily upon his foot. Yet Old Jimmy was
kindness itself, and as gentle in all
his ways as woman. When his face
| did break into a smile It did one good
| to behold 1t, and one instinctively felt
when looking into those frank blue
| eyes-"Here is man, a gentleman.
honest and true as steel" Everybody
had good word for Old Jimmy.
He had been scholar of Balliol,
and had taken First in Mods and
Greats; therefore, as might have been
expected, his work lay chiefly with
the Upper Sixth. Yet it was in the
company of the younger boys that he
most delighted. They simply adored
him.
In his younger days he must have
been very handsome man. in fact,
he was so STILL in spite of the deep
burrows on his face.
One popularity he had, and that
was his great liking for the crimson
flowers commonly known as French
currant blossoms. never saw him
wear any other flower, but every
morning through the spring and early
summer he was sure to appear with
a spray of French currant in his but.
tonhole. 1t had grown to be an old
joke with us that he wore it because
he thought 1t suited his complexion.
Whenever ! went to his rooms, and
that was every day, there was always
a large bowl of these flowers on his
table.
We hazarded all kinds of guesses as
to what the trouble was that had be.
fallen him, but could never come to
any satisfactory conclusion. Some
said he had never been intended for q
schoolmaster's life, but had taken to
1t for living. owing to heavy losses
while at Oxford; but for one did not
believe 1t. In the first place | believe
\ hn Inn sol.
liked the life; for he never seemed so
happy as when In the company OF
boys, and though | have known a few
schoolmasters who hated boys, could
never understand why they did not
rather break stones upon the roadside.
or drive cab, than enter upon a pro.
fession which in their case must have
proved perpetual hell. Then, again
Old Jimmy had always plenty of mon
ey to spare for those in need. Why
to my certain knowledge, when the
hfteen-year-old daughter of Spook, the
porter OF st. Anselms, was said to be
going into decline, Old Jimmy paid
for her to be sent to Ventnor and kept
her there for almost twelve months
When the boys of the village school
about mile away from St. Anselm's
wished to start juvenile cricket club
but wished in vain owing to lack OF
funds, who supplied them with q
whole set OF apparatus and set them
going? Old Jimmy, of course. Blu,
he never liked these things to be
talked of. Oh, no! When | happened
to say, II see the village boys have
at last found friend to provide then
with cricketing outfit" he looked III
In the most innocent and surprised
way, and said, "Oh, indeed!' And on,
day, as he and ] were going GU
through the big entrance doors,
stopped to ask Spook how his daugh
ter was. "Gettin on fine, sir, all ow
in to the kindness of Mr.. -" Sud
denly Old Jimmy broke in with
"Spook, there goes Collins mino
across to the cricket pavilion; run a.
fast as you can and tell him-tell hin
,. let me see! oh, tell him he Shout,
be wearing his school cap"
But this is all by the way.
No, 1t was some other kind of trou
bic that had darkened Old Jimmy
life; and. though I never knew tn
full facts OF the case, afterward
learnt enough to account for a goo
deal.
, one day a new boy arrived. He wa
quite youngster--nine years old, Il
fact. Old Jimmy and happened [
, be strolling in the avenue when b
came, and we reached the front door
just as he was alighting. saw Oh
Jimmy start and look curiously at hir
!. for few moments. A iar-awa,
yearning look came into his eyes, an
heard him mutter TO himseI fT-for h
! often had a habit of talking tn hin