Still Jim

e coyote and the eagle gave birth to

of the E

terally the last of the Mannings. Mrs. Manning's only relative, her sister, had died when

allowed to quit sc

as big as lots of men.

eak would not give into tears easily. But at

you. Almost his last advice to you was about getting an education. He was so proud of y

enly, with boyish awkwardness, he pulled the sobbing little

darned college professor, if yo

is father's pipes on the kitchen window ledge. The nights were the worst, when the picture of his father's last moments would not let the boy sleep. It seemed to Jim that if he could learn to forget this picture a part of his grief would be lifted. It was the

wise and would have guided him. Jim felt rudderless. He felt that it was incumbent on him to do the things that his father had not been ab

cided to write down all the advice that he could recall his father's giving him, and when his mot

rs. Manning found one of Jim's scratch pads on the table

R'S ADVI

om her eyes, she read the few pages Ji

y, never make excuses. It's

cousin to a skunk. There isn'

elly-ache. Stand up to y

what you undertake like

learn from me about that, the world will kick into you. Th

'Somehow us Ameri

Jimmy to go through college. I want hi

out women. Some day you will know what I mean when I say that sex is ene

ral times, then she laid the book dow

d have had him just two years more! I don't know how to teach him the thi

ce the funeral. Jim had become a person set apart from their boy world. No one appreciates the dignity of grief better than a boy, or under

th embarrassment, approache

ll!" he sai

replied Jim, blu

s got her pups. One's going to be a bulldog and two of 'em are

his mother that Jim ought to have one of Diana's pups. Mrs.

s not tod

ate to and fro and looked in opposite directions. A

o-to-to do what you could to cheer up. Come on, old skinny. Tell your mother. We'll keep

o the house. His mother

ng, dear, go on. It will do you

f the clover crop was richly green and vibrating with the song of cricket and katydid. The path that the boys fol

y in the grove. Both boys breathed deep of the piney fragrance and filled their mouths with pungent "checkerberry" leaves. The path, deep worn by many bare feet, circled round the great pines to the clearing wher

hey saw Jim. He and Phil got into their swimming trunks quickly and followed each other in a clean dive into the poo

d have spoken very sweetly to Jim. The swimming hole was a boy sanctuary. The water was too shallow for men. Little girls were not allowed to invade the grove exc

t his legs. "I've got six.

rs that clung to his fat calves.

ping his thin shanks. "You've got fat to

Phil rooted six of the suckers off his legs and paused at the seventh. "He's as s

lay staring o

go to work, St

im. "Mother says

His mates had long since learned tha

as soon as I can keep from getting sick

ways planned to send you t

I don't. But I won't let my mother support me.

ings?" a

real Americans are dying off or going, somehow, and he always sai

ut it," said Phil. "That's a foo

uts and laughter of the moment before that Jim and Phil jumped to their feet. Acr

Take 'em off!

ws have got the bloodsuckers on him. Ain't he the booby? Told me

r, watching the minister's son writhe and tear at his naked body. Suddenly, Jim shot round the edge of the pond, followe

ates shouted: "Don't butt in, now, Ji

kers. This was a familiar form of hazing with the Exham boys. There was a horror in a first experience with the little brown pests that usually result

t him madly and the boys yelled

e shouted. "

is beautiful gray eyes that were now black with anger, Jim dominated the

off! Tak

have a fit!"

ain as Jim approached him, the minister's boy

cried Jim

gh Charlie's hysteria. He paused for a moment, and in that moment Jim said, "

they?" sobb

ll show you," said Jim.

. "Can you fight, kid?" he asked. "You've got muscle. You'd better lick

d a fine, sensitive face. "I can fight," he repli

Then he turned to the boys, his hand still

ng him. Some mighty gritty people can't stand snakes or

: "I did. And if your father hadn't just died I'd l

lips tightened. "You lick the new kid first," he

gain, leaped toward Fatt

nd black lashed, blue eyes, had paused beside a pine tree. It was a vividly beautiful picture that he saw; the pine set pool, rush and pad fringed, and the naked boys, now gathered a

l?" he asked. "Stand up here o

nobstructed view. "It's Still Jim Manning. His

he biggest," sa

can make the fellows mind. He don

ick the b

t your life! Still's

rt this fight fo

er he bellered so, unless he licked Fatty? Gee! What a wal

d the stranger. "Could h

d the child, "b

er to the ring of boys and touched Jim on the

ment, then answered awkwardly, "Can yo

aid the man. "Your mother said

"Drop it, fellows. I've got to go home. We'll finish

pond. One after the other the boys ran up the springboard until only Jim and the stranger were left.

tion as housekeeper. I liked the ad and came up to see her. I'm a lawyer in New York, a widower. I like your mother. She's a lady to the center of her. But when she t

n't want my mother to work l

the other hand, you're not old enough to support

my mother suppor

?" asked Mr. Dennis. "Wouldn't

like you, me boy. I never thought to want another child a

e sitting room, where his mo

happened," she said. "Did you

quite a lad, Mrs. Manning, and I'm going to tell you I'll be glad to have him in me house.

will give you fifty dollars a month

ad not said a word since coming into the hou

nd do the work round the house you pay a man to do, and if that isn't en

eenly, then said whimsically, "Well

he's fearfully worked up. All the Ma

aid to help her and I'll let the man go who has been doing janitor service

e decisio

day before they left the old town, Jim tramped doggedly up the street towa

nnings and sped so many more. The boy stood, erect and slender, the wind ruffling his thick dark hair across his dreamer'

at whom the quarry men glanced curiously. When the whistle blew five Jim made an heroic effort and

ourteen years were to mold his whole life. Somehow he felt that his father had been a futile sacrifice to the thing that was destroying New England and that old New England spirit which he had been ta