The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-01-06

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or poor Jacob Doodle-calf Gas the boys
nicknamed him), In whose hands
everything came to pieces and In whose
head nothing would stick, or Job Rud-
kin, whose scandalized mother demand
ed on the occasion of a visit from
Madam Brown: "Job, Job, where's thy
cap?"
WHAT Beanie on ma head,
mother?" replied Job, slowly extricat-
ing one hand from pocket and feel
ing for the article In question; which
he found on his head and left there,
10 his mothers horror and Toms great
delight.
Rugby was new world for Tom.
He was a sturdy, and combative urchin.
able TO fend for himself on his own
heath; yet 1t was great. boon for
him that he fell into the hands OF
boy of his own age. hut bit ahead
of him at Rugby. The first sight he
encountered on his arrival was lord
ly crowd of youngsters who looked
quite as II they owned the place. One
OF these young heroes ran ont from
the rest and accosted Tom. II say, you
fellow, Is your name Brownf
Eyes" said Tom, in considerable as
constituent, glad, however, 10 have
lighted on some one already who
seemed TO know him.
"Ah. thought so; you know my
aunt Miss East; she lives somewhere
down your way IN Berkshire. She
wrote TO me that you were coming to-
day, and asked me To give you a lift.
You see" said his friend, as they
strolled up toward the school gates,
"a great deal depends on how fellow
cuts up at first. IF he's got nothing
odd about him. and answers straight
forward and holds his head up. he gets
on. You see I'm doing the handsome
thing by you, because my father knows
yours: besides, i want to please the
old lady. She gave me half SOW
this half, and perhaps'll double II next
If l keep in her good books"
Thus began friendship which last
ed through all their school days and
meant much to both Of them. Friend
ship and loyalty and good sportsman
ship are great features in this book,
which shows an insight into the brain
and heart of boy which Is just as
wise i'm the year of our Lord 1920 as
II was I'm the days of William ~.
Tom and East were together in
games, I'm mischief. In fights, in
good deeds. or In deviltry, as they
were in ingenious syndicating meth
DDS Of working out the mysteries of
the Greek and Latin languages. And
years later, when the wise Doctor
Arnold of Rugby decided that Tom
was headed toward destruction, 1t was
by means Of friendship for weaker
boy who needed his protection that he
rescued him. What was the marvel OF
the doctors power over boys? 1--WE
couldn't enter into half that we heard
we hadn't the knowledge of our own
hearts or the knowledge of one an
other; and little enough of the faith,
hope and love needed to that end. But
we listened, as all boys in their bet
ter moods will listen (aye, and men,
too, for the matter Of thaD, TO a
man whom they felt to he, with all
his heart and soul and strength, striv-
ing against whatever was mean and
unmanly and unrlghteous in our little
world. 1t was not the cold, clear
voice of one giving advice and warn
ing from serene heights TO those who
were struggling and SHINING below.
but the warm, living voice Of one who
was fighting for us and by our SIDES,
and calling us to help him and our
selves and one another. And so,
YEARLY and little by little. was brought
home to the young boy, for the first
time. the meaning Of his life that 1t
was no fools or sluggard's paradise
into which he had wandered by chance,
but q battle field, ordained from OF
old. where there are no spectators, but
the youngest must take his side, and
the stakes are life and death. And he
who reused this consciousness In them
showed them at the same time, by
every word he spoke, and by his whole
daily life, how that battle was to be
fought, ana SIOOu DeloTe lIlelh lHeiI
fellow-soldler and the captain Of their
guard. The true sort of captain, too,
for boys army, one who had no mis-
givings and gave no uncertain word
Of command, and, let who would yield
or make a truce, would fight the fight
out ESQ every boy felt to the last gasp
and the last drop Of blood"
And so Tom lived his life from the
first green days to the last memorable
night, when he was "chaired" round
the quadrangle by the eleven, shout
ing In chorus: For he's Jolly, good
fellow" himself as great a boy as all
the rest, despite the passage of the
years and his dignity Of captain. 1t
is a story Of humanness. with all Its
good points and its frailties, but espe-
cially of loyalty and of friendship; OF
games, so much like our own In spirit,
and yet so different in details; of East
and Arthur, of the brutalities OF the
old fapVinp svstpm the school bully