The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-11-27
CUPID AND THE
MUD CLERK

Copyright. Iea. by T. c. Mcclure


Stanton. and he was proud of the fact.
, Now. tine chief clerk on Mississippi
river boat is diSnitary OF no mean
Importance. while the second clerk Is
almost rs impressive an Individual
The mud clerk is the youngster who
, follows the foremost deck hand on the
eangplnuk nj every landing and checks
the freight When he jumps on the
ganyplnnk he generally lands in mud
mn to his knees. The reason why he
never receives his rightful title OF third
clerk is obvious.
Some men might not consider this
pleasant work. but II suited Jimmie
| He knew. too. that the way OF mud
clerk. il properly directed. leads 10
| chief eierkship and eventually TO
post as captain. Meantime he was a
| happy 20 lucky sort of lad who was
liked by every one from the captain
| down TO the negro deck hands. more
| commonly known as ''rousters."
On this particular evening he was at
| peace with himself. the world and even
/ the rousters who were unloading the
/ car.o Of cotton on the leyee. Jimmy
was mechanically checking the num-
| bcrs atop the bales. but strange sort
of inner consciousness was drinking In
4, the beauty of the scene before him.
| The setting sun had turned the muddy
| waters TO a sensuous. laving silver.
Just beyond the ripples made by the
slowly turning paddle wheels OF the
boat In the reverse motion necessary to
counteract the force OF the current lay
| n tiny island formed by the cutting In
two of n long. narrow sand bar. A few
cottonwood trees nodded iazily on the
willful bit of land. To his right the
old Ievee had crumbled away. and o
| new one had been built behind II. form
ing an artificial lake fringed with tall
cottonwood trees and gnarled stumps
of cypress. Across the stream the
mighty force of winter had cut into an
island, and every time the boat passed
ND and down the river the contour of
the bank had changed. Sometimes
only foot or two had been sliced
away Sometimes whole acres had dis
appeared
1t was a marvellous power. was this
! mother OF waters. and yet Jimmie
thought exultantly that lie was master
OF it, lie could ride 1t. turn its force
, into money. make il earn him position
. and promotion. And, thinking thus. he
decided that he would not trade Jobs
. Just now with his own congressman.
/ And then she came on the scene. and
} he suddenly discovered that II might be
desirable to be congressman after all
: and wear glossy boots and unstalned
trousers.
1t all happened very suddenly-sc
suddenly, in fact, that lie stopped In the
midst of a mighty volley OF very forci,
BILE language aimed 1T a lazy rouster
dropped his stub OF a pencil and, In
blIssfuI ignorance of what he was do
Ing, stood deliberately staring at the
E dainty vision tripping up the gang
plank.
The vision wore something very nut
fy and thin and blue. with something
! thinner still ut her throat and wrists
something which tuttered about very
coduettishly when she turned her head
or lifted her skirts. And her broad fia'
hat was wreathed in the pinkest oi
pink roses. Jimmie had only one brlei
glimpse. but he remembered quite dis
tinctly that the blue in her dress ant
In her eyes matched perfectly. likewise
the pink in her hat and her lips.
Now. of course any authority on fash
ion could have informed Jimmie tina
the vision was most badly dressed FOL
travelling. but to Jimmie good form
was an unknown quantity. He de
/ cided that the vision must be daugh
ter Of u railroad president at least, ana
probably had million or two in hel
own right Having reached this deci
sion. he finished the vOilcy of language
= picked up his pencil and rcsolutell
turned his back on the vision
But visions such as Miss Loren:
Thomas POSSESS IL haunting quality
The ladies' cabin. so called by courtesy
l lay ut the other end of ;he long. narrow
4 oval expanse. but Jimmie was thor
ou.lly convinced that Hiss Thoma
q could see his mud spattered garment
as he rushed through his report i
front Of the clerks desk. So eSpedl
tiously did lie complete this task tina
the Rcna Stanton had not got unde
full headway before Jimmie bolted int
his tiny stateroom in search of the onl
other pair of trousers he possessed.
They met mt the supper table. an
when the meal was over Jimmie thank
ed his stars that. after ALL he was onl
the mud clerk.
Roth the first and second clerk ha
desk work before them. and Jimmi
had only long. lazy evening on decl
during which he could show Mis-
Thomas the beauties OF his river life.
There We're moments when this plea
ure pa!Ied. however. That was whe
the soft, thin stuf mt Miss Thoma
neck and wrists futtered with a pa
ticularly elegant air or the pink ros'
in her hat bent with languid dignii
In his direction They seemed to r
mind him that daughters Of railroa
va presidents with their purple and fir
- linen. which IN this instance appears
in the form Of forgetmenot blue au
rose pink. were not for mud clerk
oe even II the latter Ind fiatteTing pro
10 poets He had about decided to lea
TO mp 10 the topic of her family when II
Kate Adams hove in sight. and ths