sunshine sketches of a little town-第8部分

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they　had　three　extra　barkeepers　working　on　the　lager　beer　pumps。

They　were　selling　mining　shares　on　the　Main　Street　in　Mariposa　that
afternoon　and　people　were　just　clutching　for　them。　Then　at　night
there　was　a　big　oyster　supper　in　Smith's　caff；　with　speeches；　and　the
Mariposa　band　outside。

And　the　queer　thing　was　that　the　very　next　afternoon　was　the　funeral
of　young　Fizzlechip；　and　Dean　Drone　had　to　change　the　whole　text　of
his　Sunday　sermon　at　two　days'　notice　for　fear　of　offending　public
sentiment。

But　I　think　what　Jeff　liked　best　of　it　all　was　the　sort　of　public
recognition　that　it　meant。　He'd　stand　there　in　the　shop；　hardly
bothering　to　shave；　and　explain　to　the　men　in　the　arm…chairs　how　he
held　her；　and　they　shoved　her；　and　he　clung　to　her；　and　what　he'd
said　to　himselfa　perfect　Iliadwhile　he　was　clinging　to　her。

The　whole　thing　was　in　the　city　papers　a　few　days　after　with　a
photograph　of　Jeff；　taken　specially　at　Ed　Moore's　studio　（upstairs
over　Netley's）。　It　showed　Jeff　sitting　among　palm　trees；　as　all
mining　men　do；　with　one　hand　on　his　knee；　and　a　dog；　one　of　those
regular　mining　dogs；　at　his　feet；　and　a　look　of　piercing　intelligence
in　his　face　that　would　easily　account　for　forty　thousand　dollars。

I　say　that　the　recognition　meant　a　lot　to　Jeff　for　its　own　sake。　But
no　doubt　the　fortune　meant　quite　a　bit　to　him　too　on　account　of　Myra。

Did　I　mention　Myra；　Jeff's　daughter？　Perhaps　not。　That's　the　trouble
with　the　people　in　Mariposa；　they're　all　so　separate　and　so
differentnot　a　bit　like　the　people　in　the　citiesthat　unless　you
hear　about　them　separately　and　one　by　one　you　can't　for　a　moment
understand　what　they're　like。

Myra　had　golden　hair　and　a　Greek　face　and　would　come　bursting　through
the　barber　shop　in　a　hat　at　least　six　inches　wider　than　what　they
wear　in　Paris。　As　you　saw　her　swinging　up　the　street　to　the　Telephone
Exchange　in　a　suit　that　was　straight　out　of　the　Delineator　and　brown
American　boots；　there　was　style　written　all　over　her；the　kind　of
thing　that　Mariposa　recognised　and　did　homage　to。　And　to　see　her　in
the　Exchange；she　was　one　of　the　four　girls　that　I　spoke　of；on　her
high　stool　with　a　steel　cap　on；jabbing　the　connecting　plugs　in　and
out　as　if　electricity　cost　nothingwell；　all　I　mean　is　that　you
could　understand　why　it　was　that　the　commercial　travellers　would
stand　round　in　the　Exchange　calling　up　all　sorts　of　impossible
villages；　and　waiting　about　so　pleasant　and　genial！it　made　one
realize　how　naturally　good…tempered　men　are。　And　then　when　Myra　would
go　off　duty　and　Miss　Cleghorn；　who　was　sallow；　would　come　on；　the
commercial　men　would　be　off　again　like　autumn　leaves。

It　just　shows　the　difference　between　people。　There　was　Myra　who
treated　lovers　like　dogs　and　would　slap　them　across　the　face　with　a
banana　skin　to　show　her　utter　independence。　And　there　was　Miss
Cleghorn；　who　was　sallow；　and　who　bought　a　forty　cent　Ancient　History
to　improve　herself：　and　yet　if　she'd　hit　any　man　in　Mariposa　with　a
banana　skin；　he'd　have　had　her　arrested　for　assault。

Mind　you；　I　don't　mean　that　Myra　was　merely　flippant　and　worthless。
Not　at　all。　She　was　a　girl　with　any　amount　of　talent。　You　should　have
heard　her　recite　〃The　Raven；〃　at　the　Methodist　Social！　Simply　genius！
And　when　she　acted　Portia　in　the　Trial　Scene　of　the　Merchant　of
Venice　at　the　High　School　concert；　everybody　in　Mariposa　admitted
that　you　couldn't　have　told　it　from　the　original。

So；　of　course；　as　soon　as　Jeff　made　the　fortune；　Myra　had　her
resignation　in　next　morning　and　everybody　knew　that　she　was　to　go　to
a　dramatic　school　for　three　months　in　the　fall　and　become　a　leading
actress。

But；　as　I　said；　the　public　recognition　counted　a　lot　for　Jeff。　The
moment　you　begin　to　get　that　sort　of　thing　it　comes　in　quickly
enough。　Brains；　you　know；　are　recognized　right　away。　That　was　why；　of
course；　within　a　week　from　this　Jeff　received　the　first　big　packet　of
stuff　from　the　Cuban　Land　Development　Company；　with　coloured　pictures
of　Cuba；　and　fields　of　bananas；　and　haciendas　and　insurrectos　with
machetes　and　Heaven　knows　what。　They　heard　of　him；　somehow；it
wasn't　for　a　modest　man　like　Jefferson　to　say　how。　After　all；　the
capitalists　of　the　world　are　just　one　and　the　same　crowd。　If　you're
in　it；　you're　in　it；　that's　all！　Jeff　realized　why　it　is　that　of
course　men　like　Carnegie　or　Rockefeller　and　Morgan　all　know　one
another。　They　have　to。

For　all　I　know；　this　Cuban　stuff　may　have　been　sent　from　Morgan
himself。　Some　of　the　people　in　Mariposa　said　yes；　others　said　no。
There　was　no　certainty。

Anyway；　they　were　fair　and　straight；　this　Cuban　crowd　that　wrote　to
Jeff。　They　offered　him　to　come　right　in　and　be　one　of　themselves。　If
a　man's　got　the　brains；　you　may　as　well　recognize　it　straight　away。
Just　as　well　write　him　to　be　a　director　now　as　wait　and　hesitate　till
he　forces　his　way　into　it。

Anyhow；　they　didn't　hesitate；　these　Cuban　people　that　wrote　to　Jeff
from　Cubaor　from　a　post…office　box　in　New　Yorkit's　all　the　same
thing；　because　Cuba　being　so　near　to　New　York　the　mail　is　all
distributed　from　there。　I　suppose　in　some　financial　circles　they
might　have　been　slower；　wanted　guarantees　of　some　sort；　and　so　on；
but　these　Cubans；　you　know；　have　got　a　sort　of　Spanish　warmth　of
heart　that　you　don't　see　in　business　men　in　America；　and　that　touches
you。　No；　they　asked　no　guarantee。　Just　send　the　money　whether　by
express　order　or　by　bank　draft　or　cheque；　they　left　that　entirely　to
oneself；　as　a　matter　between　Cuban　gentlemen。

And　they　were　quite　frank　about　their　enterprisebananas　and　tobacco
in　the　plantation　district　reclaimed　from　the　insurrectos。　You　could
see　it　all　there　in　the　picturestobacco　plants　and　the
insurrectoseverything。　They　made　no　rash　promises；　just　admitted
straight　out　that　the　enterprise　might　realise　400　per　cent。　or　might
conceivably　make　less。　There　was　no　hint　of　more。

So　within　a　month；　everybody　in　Mariposa　knew　that　Jeff　Thorpe　was
〃in　Cuban　lands〃　and　would　probably　clean　up　half　a　million　by　New
Year's。　You　couldn't　have　failed　to　know　it。　All　round　the　little
shop　there　were　pictures　of　banana　groves　and　the　harbour　of　Habana；
and　Cubans　in　white　suits　and　scarlet　sashes；　smoking　cigarettes　in
the　sun　and　too　ignorant　to　know　that　you　can　make　four　hundred　per
cent。　by　planting　a　banana　tree。

I　liked　it　about　Jeff　that　he　didn't　stop　shaving。　He　went　on　just
the　same。　Even　when　Johnson；　the　livery　stable　man；　came　in　with　five
hundred　dollars　and　asked　him　to　see　if　the　Cuban　Board　of　Directors
would　let　him　put　it　in；　Jeff　laid　it　in　the　drawer　and　then　shaved
him　for　five　cents；　in　the　same　old　way。　Of　course；　he　must　have　felt
proud　when；　a　few　days　later；　he　got　a　letter　from　the　Cuban　people；
from　New　York；　accepting　the　money　straight　off　without　a　single
question；　and　without　knowing　anything　more　of　Johnson　except　that　he
was　a　friend　of　Jeff's。　They　wrote　most　handsomely。　Any　friends　of
Jeff's　were　friends　of　Cuba。　All　money　they　might　send　would　be
treated　just　as　Jeff's　would　be　treated。

One　reason；　perhaps；　why　Jeff　didn't　give　up　shaving　was　because　it
allowed　him　to　talk　about　Cuba。　You　see；　everybody　knew　in　Mariposa
that　Jeff　Thorpe　had　sold　out　of　Cobalts　and　had　gone　into　Cuban
Renovated　Landsand　that　spread　round　him　a　kind　of　halo　of　wealth
and　mystery　and　outlandishnessoh；　something　Spanish。　Perhaps　you've
felt　it　about　people　that　you　know。　Anyhow；　they　asked　him　about　the
climate；　and　yellow　fever　and　what　the　negroes　were　like　and　all　that
sort　of　thing。

〃This　Cubey；　it　appears　is　an　island；〃　Jeff　would　explain。　Of
course；　everybody　knows　how　easily　islands　lend　themselves　to　making
money；〃and　for　fruit；　they　say　it　comes　up　so　fast　you　can't　stop
it。〃　And　then　he　would　pass　into　details　about　the　Hash…enders　and
the　resurrectos　and　technical　things　like　that　till　it　was　thought　a
wonder　how　he　could　know　it。　Still；　it　was　realized　that　a　man　with
money　has　got　to　know　these　things。　Look　at　Morgan　and　Rockefeller
and　all　the　men　that　make　a　pile。　They　know　just　as　much　as　Jeff　did
about　the　countries　where　they　make　it。　It　stands　to　reason。

Did　I　say　that　Jeff　shaved　in　the　same　old　way？　Not　quite。　There　was
something　even　dreamier　about　it　now；　and　a　sort　of　new　element　in
the　way　Jeff　fell　out　of　his　monotone　into　lapses　of　thought　that　I；
for　one；　misunderstood。　I　thought　that　perhaps　getting　so　much
money；well；　you　know　the　way　it　acts　on　people　in　the　larger
cities。　It　seemed　to　spoil　one's　idea　of　Jeff　that　copper　and
asbestos　and　banana　lands　should　form　the　goal　of　his　thought　when；
if　he　knew　it；　the　little　shop　and　the　sunlight　of　Mariposa　was　so
much　better。

In　fact；　I　had　perhaps　borne　him　a　grudge　for　what　seemed　to　me　his
perpetual　interest　in　the　great　capitalists。　He　always　had　some　item
out　of　the　paper　about　them。

〃I　see　where　this　here　Carnegie　has　give　fifty　thousand　dollars　for
one　of　them　observatories；〃　he　would　say。

And　another　day　he　would　pause　in　the　course　of　shaving；　and　almost
whisper：　〃Did　you　ever　see　this　Rockefeller？〃

It　was　only　by　a　sort　of　accident　that　I　came　to　know　that　there　was
another　side　to　Jefferson's　speculation　that　no　one　in　Mariposa　ever
knew；　or　will　ever　know　now。

I　knew　it　because　I　went　in　to　see　Jeff　in　his　house　one　night。　The
house；I　think　I　said　it；stood　out　behind　the　barber　shop。　You
went　out　of　the　back　door　of　the　shop；　and　through　a　grass　plot　with
petunias　beside　it；　and　the　house　stood　at　the　end。　You　could　see　the
light　of　the　lamp　behind　the　blind；　and　through　the　screen　door　as
you　came　along。　And　it　was　here　that　Jefferson　used　to　sit　in　the
evenings　when　the　shop　got　empty。

There　was　a　round　table　that　The　Woman　used　to　lay　for　supper；　and
after　supper　there　used　to　be　a　chequered　cloth　on　it　and　a　lamp　with
a　shade。　And　beside　it　Jeff　would　sit；　with　his　spectacles　on　and　the
paper　spread　out；　reading　about　Carnegie　and　Rockefeller。　Near　him；
but　away　from　the　table；　was　The　Woman　doing　needlework；　and　Myra；
when　she　wasn't　working　in　the　Telephone　Exchange；　was　there　too　with
her　elbows　on　the　table　reading　Marie　Corellionly　now；　of　course；
after　the　fortune；　she