Evening star., 1935-04-08
CHAPTER VIII.
SCHOOL DAYS.

Ut MUST be confessed that James
at this period was neither beau
tiful nor a prepoSSessing young
4 man. The year before he sud-
denly had begun to grow, and
after he got good start 1t seemed
as If he were determined never to stop.
He grew, alas! only in one direc-
ton and was exceedingly thin for his
height-he finally reached 6 feet
1A-that when he sat down he had
the effect of doubling up like jack
knife.
His carroty red hair was another
cross Each morning he soaked it in
water, parted it in the middle, plas-
tered each half firmly into place and
put his cap on to set the mold. But
a certain cowlick on his crown refused
absolutely to stay where 1t was put
more than 20 minutes at a stretch.
James eyes were not bad. When
he grew older the girls used to claim
they we're speaking eyes" but at pres
ent he avoided girls, considering them
pests.
His best feature in after life,
deeply musical and resonant speaking
voice, had as yet only foreshadowed
a later appearance. While 1t was
already inclined toward the bass and
had many notes extremely pleasant
to the ear, it unfortunately was pune
tuated thickly with little soprano
squeaks which not only spoiled the
to the verge Of tears.
James was sent, of course, to the
famous old academy in Massachusetts,
where his father and grandfather had
been such shining lights. James,
however, lacked altogether the grand
air possessed so abundantly by the
senior Stimsons.
He was much given to dreaming
and was neither alert nor Self-confl-
dent and appeared just what he was
somewhat helpless and Inefficient.
Possessing at this time what looked
to be the longest neck in the world
outside a ZOO he was violently ad-
dicted to collars so high they looked
more like cuffs.
James clothes had been made by
Mr.. Davis, the best tailor in New
Concord, Of his finest weaves and
cloths. That they were well and care
fully made cannot be denied, but nei-
ther Is there doubt that they. like
their owner, lacked that indefinable
flair and style which distinguished
both the clothes and the manners of
the gilded youths with whom James
now found himself surrounded.
Miss Sarah went East with her
nephew and, the dormitories being
full, found him a room recommended
by a helpful member of the faculty,
in o charming old Colonial house
whose owner, Mrs. Bliss, was in re
duced circumstances" and forced to
rent rooms to young gentlemen.
Miss Sarah, after arranging for the
payment of James room and his
board with friend Of Mrs. Bliss,
gave her nephew $25 in cash for in
cidental expenses during the remain
ing three months Of school, kissed
him good-by without breaking down
and departed bravely to visit her
Eastern relatives without letting
James guess in the least what the
parting cost her.
To James, who had never needed
more than a dollar or two at time,
$25 seemed an ample amount and he
wondered vaguely when his aunt gave
it to him what he would do with all
that money. He was to learn very
shortly.
That very evening when he was
unpacking his trunk q delegation
called on him for a subscription for
the school foot ball team. James was
about TO offer them a dollar when
the supercilious upper classman who
was spokesman, shrewdly taking
James measure, made it plain at
once that any one giving less than $40
would be branded for the rest Of his
life as a piker.
James, fairly trembling with relief
at the narrowness of his escape,
promptly handed over $40. The news
spread. The next morning he gave
$40 more to the base ball team. The
following afternoon he promised a
third $40 to the track team and wrote
hurriedly to his aunt for $50.
The request staggered Miss Sarah
and she did not sleep q wink that
night debating with herself whether
to send the money.
While her father lived it had never
occurred to her to worry over her
nephew's future, but when the Gov
ernor died just as James was budding
into manhood and made her his sole
guardian, Miss Sarah was stunned by
the pressure Of her responsibility.
She realized only too well that she
knew nothing of a certain dark side
Of young men or of their temptations.