The Press., 1904-01-07
CUPID AND THE
MUD CLERK
80 By w. w. HINES
Copyright. 1903, by t. @. Mcclure

H. - - 49, SSS@A S--SFSgs
They rate on the company's pay roll
as third clerks. Unofficially, but more
correctly. they are known as mud
clerks
Jimmy Boynton was mud clerk on
the big side wheel steamboat Rena
Stanton, and he was proud of the fact.
Now. tine chief clerk on'a Mississippi
river boat is dignitary of no mean
Importance. while the second clerk Is
almost as impressive an individual.
The mud clerk is the youngster who
follows the foremost deck hand off the
gangplank at every landing and checks
the freight When he jumps off the
gangplank he generally lands in mud
up 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 it suited Jimmie.
He knew. too. that the way of mud
clerk. If properly directed. leads to a
chief clerkship and eventually to
post as captain. Meantime he was a
happy go 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
cargo of cotton on the levee. Jimmy
was mechanically checking the num-
bers atop the bales, but strange sort
of inner consciousness was drinking In
the beauty of the scene before him.
The setting sun had turned the muddy
waters TO Il sensuOus. LAYING 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
a tiny island. formed by the cutting in
two of a long. narrow sand bar. 4 few
cottonwood trees nodded laZily on the
willful bit of land. To his right the
old levee had crumbled away. and a
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 water had cut into an
VI.
I'D and down the river the contour of
the bank had changed. Sometimes
only foo: or two had been sliced
away Sometimes whole acres had dis
appeared.
1t was q marvellous power. was this
mother of waters. and yet Jimmie
thought eNultantly that he was master
of it. He could ride it, turn its force
into money. make it 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 it might be
desirable to be congressman after all
and wear glossy boots and unstained
trousers.
1t all happened very suddenly-sO
suddenly, in fact. that he stopped in the
midst of mighty volley of very forci-
BILE language aimed at Il lazy rouster,
dropped his stub of pencil and, in
blissful ignorance of what he was do
ing. stood deliberately staring at the
dainty vision tripping up the gang
plank.
The vision wore something very fluff
fly and thin and blue, with something
thinner still at her throat and wrists,
something which tiuttered about very
coquettishly when she turned her head
or lifted her skirts. And her broad fat
hat was wreathed in the plnkest of
pink roses. Jimmie had only one brief
glimpse. but he remembered quite dis
tinctly that the blue in her dress and
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 that
the vision was most badly dressed for
travelling. but to Jimmie good form"
was an unknown quantity. He de-
cided that the vision must be Il daugh-
ter of a railroad president at least, and
probably had million or two in her
own right Having reached this deci-
sion, he finished the vOlley of language,
picked up his pencil and resolutely
turned his back on the vision.
But visions such as Miss Lorena
Thomas possess Il haunting quality.
The ladies' cabin. so called by courtesy.
lay at the other end of the long, narrow,
oval expanse, but Jimmie was thor
oughly convinced that Miss Thomas
could see his mud spattered garments
as he rushed through his report in
front of the clerks desk. So expedi-
tiously did he complete this task that
the Rena Stanton had not got under
full Roadway before Jimmie bolted into
his tiny stateroom in search of the only
other pair of trousers he possessed.
They met Mt the supper table. and
when the meal was over Jimmie thank
ed his stars that. after all. he was only
the mud clerk.
Both the first and second clerk had
desk work before them. and Jimmie
had only a long. lazy evening on deck,
during which he could show Miss
Thomas the beauties of his river life.
There were moments when this pleas
ure palled. however. That was when
the soft, thin stuff, at Miss Thomas
neck and wrists fluttered with a par
ticularly elegant air or the pink roses
in her hat bent with languid dignity
In his direction. They seemed to re-
mind him that daughters of railroad
presidents with their purple and fine
linen. which in this instance appeared
I'm the form of forgetmenot blue and
rose pink, were not for mud clerks,
even If the latter had f1attering pros
poets. He had about decided to lead
up to the topic OF her family when the
Kate Adams hove In sight. and they
leaned against the rail while Jimmie
liscOurSed upon the feats performed
Jy this the fastest boat on the river.
In truth, Jimmie's ambition had once
stopped with the captaincy of the Kate
but now he thought with
sigh, What is the Kate Adams after
all?"
But he did not linger on the thought
Everything happened too quickly. Miss
Thomas in her excitement had climbed
up on the foot rail when the imperti.
nent evening breeze took a fancy to the
pink crowned hat Away 1t went