New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-17
Matchmaker Jack.
BY HALIIWELL sUTCLIFFE.
IN TWO PARTs-PART I


tales. When I was a kid they crammed ne Wltn
tales OF Jack and the Beanstalk and seven leasued
boots. and that sort % stuff I'm not s4cn
sotty now as TO believe in fairy stories: but I've
noticed over and over again that big fellows-fei-
lows that bat for the county and shave-are taken
in every time by girls who aren't Ia penny BET
ter than the beanstalk tale I'm fifteen. you
know: q chap mas knocked about the world a
bit by that time. and can tell you kno" some
thing about girls for I've been through the MILL
the governor says
Sisters especially. I think You can see through
sisters quicker than other girls, because you i've
with them and have no end OF chances 10 eaten
them out. Not that Nell Is such bad sort take
her all round: but somebody once told her she was
pretty, and that sort OF chan is bad for them
I tried to do her good turn orce. you know and
7 made rather Of it; and there'd have oeen
fireworks II the governor had got 70 kno"
II this way: Nell had been regular DICK
during the summer vac Ralph Nosteu was stay
ing with Us. and Nell didn't seem TO mind a Oh
coming out TO field for Us az cricket can say
she batted much. seeing we couldn't send down 4
bail so easy that Il didn't spread her wlckets OF
get her caught at mid But that only maze II
seem more decent OF her to come out day aIt7r
day for the fun OF leather hunting. and she was
quick. too-as girls aren't mOstly-to kno" long
stop from deep field Nosten taught her that and
what a Yorker was and why the wicket keeper
stood there 10 be hit
Nice chap NosteIL He's no end OF q swell In
town-wears a big wig. and has q natty Httle Dag
for briefs. and cheeks the judges But KS us on
drives that take my fancy: and l often wondered
that Nell didn't take 70 him more that summer
seeing she had such chance OF watching his play.
II had been dufrer enough 70 have bean ooTn
girl I'd have married cricketer or died young
But Nell fancied the poet JOhnnie-hs was stay
ing with u.s. too-though all he was good Tor was
10 talk big and moon over sunsets: and Wnen any
one asked why he was blowing cigarette smoke
into lilies and looking sick. he smiled IKE ninety
and said It poetry. Mother and NeA caIlso
him Pre-Raph something, and stroked MN down
Ike a tabby cat: but called him an ass So did
Nostel
Jovel you should have seen Nostells face When
the Pre-something feLow-vers Mervyns his name
was-happened 10 be hanging round Nell more Ih4o
usual I thought o. twice he was going 20
swtpe him Tor SIX. and WOULDN'T nave I14il1So
being scorer for that stroke
But I saw Nell was keen on Mr. We're Mervyne.
and I made Up my mind 10 hold the sponge IOE TIE
besstIy beggar-nOt because liked him. out De-
cause Nell was such a jolly sort Tor glrL "
course I'd rather IL had been Nj. NosteA. and
couldn't guess Why Nell wanted to throw herself
away on a chap who sleeked bis hair and olon
brush it: but could see BY fifty little things tn4t
poor old NOstell out OF the running NeA was
inst herself with Mr.. Mervyns-eaSy, you KNOW as
- she'd had only No 70 talk 70. But Whenever
Nosteu came OF the scene she began 70 put u on
TO blush and make on strokes when she ought TO
have cut the ball for four; could see she oldn
mean half she sail and the odd half wasn't worth
care about NOsteu else why did she seem 80
uneasy whenever he came into the hsld2
Wen, I got q chance Of doing Nell good turn
and 7 Jumped IL; II she wanted Mr. Mervyne.
I'd made up my mind she should have him, and
wasn't going TO stick at triie. II was after
luncheon one Saturday. you know. Nostel was on
playing IN q local cricket match Our eleven was
playing Little Swanhaul- a beastly lot OF cads'
and I'd meant go and watch en- licked al 20
pieces: but couldn't go. because IN the morning
I'd been trying a new penknlfs on the governors
rose trees was only pruning EN- % save re -.
gardener trouble but the governor Eo11 1 So 80 -
with an Old Nalacca cane-he said I wasn't 90
So here I was on a ripping July day. with moth
ing at all TO do. NOsten was knocking Up score
on the cricket ground. Nell was loahng ABOUT win
the poet Johnnie VINO pie" sl1AT 40 20 - NJ
There's jolly sycamore tree At the bottom OF ne
dangIe your legs: SO I swarued up the trunk and
whitfield away at a catapult suck enq IeLI RIs-,y
miserable The governor never would see thlngs
my way. and 1t would be Jolly long time oeIot re-
helped MN with as t{ G 800 Ike MAD a. the
catapult when I heard somebody taking down
forgot 70 tell you. there was a seat under the "a.
sycamore-the kind OF seat tnat Slows saJ~ q ~
leaves and there was Nell, looking as soft as put
velvet coat and a gray hat that looked II you'd
sat on it. Nell had her stylish voice on-the voice
wishes he would go. And I wondered at that a bit.
seeing she so keen on Mervyne- ~
Neryv1e: Things that we commonplace people never
TT Is temperament merely temperament. my
dear Miss Courtney said Mervyn s dT TS o1 Se
much less spell EN- when sat down TO VIE Us
yarn. but Nell filed EN- IN Tor me a-IerWaIG-
nature" babies Mervyne- There Is harmony. the
music OF eQ95 6roke In R S with ywn she
didn't shine in this sort Of talk ,.,.
Miss Courtney. have you ever pictured what ne
would be If It could be spent forever IN gards a
Never note OF discoFd from tns 9 G Res t
interIacIng fight Of swallows chasing the phantom
Of their hearts desire across the velvet turI
Nv hat! Chasing grubs. more ike. nearly rolled
out OF the tree agafn-wtth laughter this tinls
And thought they'd heard me- but they naan IND
song OF nightingale. and slant gray sI-ao0ss -
the cleaning tide" continued Mervyns. a. Il No
was good for another six chapters al the Is ss-
And always earwigs." laughed Nell drawing
her skirts away from the garden seat -
I was a bit puzzled with Nell sne Inlgnt e ps-
and each was harder 20 stop than the !asI Ana
whenever Meryyne got HG gel y, sos ears Button
fo- what he rad to say. She risked the eaTwigs.
though and knew ws she W WIst 5e ddt s her
char, I could see and he queted down Tor a 2lt:
about the rhythmic hum OF bumbleoees and swal-
.sf8ut the garden would be solitary II one-er-
lived alone in IT," said he all OF a sudden. His
~ o1re that Neu rad kept cutting him short be-
cause she wanted him towel you understand! he
DANCED BIT too much and girls don't Ike Ike
my aYes saws Nell Il could have sworn she was
laughing If she hadn't sounded Jolly senti-
mental yes the garden would 9s soltaTy II On. one
He stopped and looked sideways at her; I could
Uneasy y' as h Richardson was bowling az him on
fiery wicket. Then he sleeksd bis hair. and purred
single as dear Shelley says. he sighed Even the
f6s PTar 0 FOR the sea- MSS Courtney that GARDEN
OF my fancy must have an Eve among the flower
the stream Of life win me-
The beggar put. out a nabby hand-ru be shot II
- HAwHe aHA #~tN kaw nd Nail m