TOLD BY READERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 134, 8 June 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

TOLD BY READERS.

J ORIGINAL STORIES UNDER THIS HEADING ARE .mH' 1 Hj INVITED FOR OUR FORTNIGHTI.V COMPETITION. 1-11

JIMMY MAKES GOOD. (By Sheila Quiiin, Tennyson Street, Mount Edeii, age 3 5.) Jimina Hodgere arrived at St. Anns in the middle of the term. To say slie caused a eensation is putting it mildly. Bho was the seven days' wonder of the .school. It was one hot afternoon and Joy Cooper, Irene Dale and I were watching a cricket match between the upper school and the lower school. "There aren't any new girls in the fourth form this term/' Irene, our captain, exclaimed; "I'd like some good cricket player to ■" "I say," a squeaky voice interrupted us from behind, "where'll I find the headmistress." We gasped. The American twang in the voice (as Irene' said later) fairly 'knocked, one flying. We jerked round to see the owner of that unfamiliar voice and noarly fainted lit the sight of her.

She was dressed in scarlet. \ There was no doubt about it, she looked'very fashionable from her red hat, under which peeped unruly black curls, to her..little red shoes. She had a perky face with a freckled, turned up nose, blue eyes and An impudent smile. Added to this she wore *the characteristic horn-rimmed gpecs., and altogether -this girl was the strangest person we had seen at St. Anns for years.

Seeing no one gave the required information, the high-pitched irehle continued:—

"I'm a freshman. By jove!" "A what?" I asked faintly. "A freshman,," "Miss Scarlet" repeated brightly. "Oh!" said Eene, "I suppose you mean you're a new girl. What's your name?" "Jimmy." "Jimmy," I murmured feebly. "Yes, what's yours?" chirped back the amazing person. . "Eobin,"l replied. "He! he! he!" Jimmy chuckled, evidently getting much amusement from my name. "That's not bad. I think I'll call you Birdie." "Look here!" I protested, "I hate " "Fiddlesticks," interrupted Jimmie. "Tell me where the head- mistress is."

"Don't know," I retorted crossly. "Aw, well, au revoir," Jimmy said carelessly, quite unabashed, and she walked off towards the school, whistling blithely. • Thus was our. first meeting with Jimmy Rodgers. As I said before, she was the seven days' wonder of the school. Her exploits were absolutely amazing. She left us gasping- for breath. But somehow or other .she was not popular with the girls, For one thing, she had our form in trouble,every day with her mad pranks. Then iher high-pitched treble, her Yankee twang and her slang got rather on our nerves. Also, she had a terrible habit of making fun of everyone and reverything. There was not* girl in the .school she hadn't some nickname for. Thus Jimmy was left more or less to herself. The one great subject talked about at St. Anns those clays was the forth-, coming cricket match with Belmont College, This was an event of annual importance. For two years'now St. Anns had won the cup for cricket, and if they won it for three years in succession they were entitled to -keep it. So we were terribly anxious to win it this year and eagerly looked forward to the great .event.

So the important day came at last. The fourth form were seated in the front row of the crowds of spectators, and I. found that I had Jimmy sitting next to me.

Jove! Birdie. Look at Professor Lauvance. He looks like a sour grape that s been squashed," Jimmy squeaked. 1 looked, and chuckled. Truly Jimmy was a genius for describing some-people. If a unstress, or prefect hears you warned y ° U,ll ** S l uashed >" *™

Oh! fiats!" J lmmy retort 3 , j Jimmy Bodgers, what did you say?' Betty Lawson, a prefect inquired

"Eats," said Jimmy, assuming a rather pious air. "Eats? Whatever for?" Betty demanded. "Oh, we were just talking about rats/ , Jimmy answered innocently. "VVell," said Betty, rather at a losb, "don't talk about them," and passed on. "Cat," Jimmy murmured after her. "Oh, shut up," Eene interrupted. "Are you going to keep on talking of animals all the afternoon?" But at that minute the teams entered the field, so further discussion ou the subject of rats and cats was stopped. The play began at once. Belmont was having first innings and, there was no doubt about it, their team was good. St. Anns were going to hare a hard fight to win.

The runs mounted up alarmingly. No girl mado. Jess than ten runs, and Belmont's star player, a red-headed girl, made thirty-nine before she was caught out.

Finally, however, the last girl was bowled out, and found they had 135 runs to their credit. So the St. Aim's girls commenced their innings, and the play waxed fast and furious. Then alarming news readied the onlookers. Sybil Jvempthorne, St. Ann's captain and star player hud sprained her wrist, and would be unable to play. We almost groaned aloud in despair. Sybil was to have gone in last to try and get the necessary number of runs to win. What was to be done? In the general excitement I noticed that Jimmy had slipped away, but took no notice of the fact.

At Jast it came Sybil's turn to tßke the bat. We leaned forward eagerly. Who would take her place? Then the onlookers gasped in amazement. Who was this, in the place of the school captain ? Why was Jimmy playing for the school ? But the news soon spread among the excited girls, and we heard snatches of conversation.

"Jimmy, a great cricketer. Played for two big colleges in America. Impossible."

At last it came Jimmy's turn to take the bat. The St. Ann's total number of Tims was 95. Forty to win and the last man in. Could she do it?

The first ball Jimmy sent flying far away from the fielders, and made four runs on it.

The girls were tingling with excitement. Slowly the score mounted higher, and higher. Steadily Jimmy made the runs. Seven to win. Could she do it? Now, three to win. The excitement grew intense. The ball came swiftly and Jimmy sent it speeding over the pitch. "Kun, run," the cry rent the playing •fields.

And Jimmy ran as she had never run before. The cheers and drying w:re thunderous. Above the din the r:\ .roe's v.-liistlc sounded. "A win fyr St. Ann's with 157 runs, not ,out. ; ' Again the clapping was ternhc. Jimmy was the heroine of the day, and fourth-formers carried her off the field in triumph. , , Above the notes a:-d confusion Jimmy s high-pitched treble (squeaked. ' "By ipve, Birdie, I'm hot. Let's— "Three cheers for Jimmy," Betty shouted lustily, "Hip, liip—" . "Humih! Hip, liip, hurrah! Hip, hip, hurrah!"

CATGH-AS-CATCH-CAN

READ THIS

an umbrella with all

Thunderstorm? me who alls mud

Can you read this sentence? It is quite simple—if you begin at the correct place. Answer: Who follows me after a thunderstorm under an umbrella with overalls all over mud?