The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-08-29
"a FLAT"
A COLLEGE STORY. 4.

Arthur Hoyt looked ut himself In
the glass seriously, and without self
love or self-prejudice. lie saw there a
frank, good-natured face, pair of blue
eyes, and mass of curly brown hair.
AS far as he could judge there was MOTH
ing particularly out Of the way with his
countenance.
"Say, Dick" no began to his room
mate, who was puzzling over page of
Xenophon, "I've been taking account
of stock, and don't sec anything un-
pardonably wrong about my features.
They are not angular enough to be
called sharp, nor level enough to be
justly called fiat; so can't exactly see
the suitableness of the expression which
has somehow come to be my college
cognomen."
"Don't be fool!" growled Dick,
without looking up from his book.
81 have always been great stickler
for the fitness of things, eternal and
temporal" continued Arthur; sand if
to be "a Flat is really applicable as a
correct description of the impression
my personal appearance makes on my
companions, all right I'd as soon re-
spond to that name as any other; but if
it's not mine, then, old fellow, it's got
to be stopped!p
"If you'd rob hens roosts, and steal
the housekeeper's preserves, and lay
traps to trip up old men and women,
and raise Cain generally, you'd be the
most popular fellow in college," said
Dick with disdainful grimace, still
with his eyes fixed on his book. "Thoy
let me alone, you see, because don't
care a hang for 'em, and because they
know I'm as poor as poverty and as
dull as a hard-shell clam. You get
ahead of 'em in class. I'm always in
the rear. You have money to subscribe
to everything there is going, and you
refuse to spend it in -riotous living.
haven't any money, and therefore Pm of
no consequence. Whoever says there
isn't compensation for everything don't
know what they are talking about"
"You're patient old soldier" said
Arthur, with merry laugh, "and ]
wish had something of your philoso-
ply! But, the fact is, every time I'm
called "A Flat l feel the fight ingling
all over me. ! am afraid that some
time my fist will become unmanagea-
ble."
81 guess notln Dick replied. "You'd
only get yourself in worse muss, be-
sides having something to be sorry for
all the days of your life, perhapsl But
there's the bell, and Pm out of the bolt
ropes ashsual." go f.F l.aai
s'Therc's row in the campI" said
Arthur's right-hand neighbor, as the
young men took their seats in class.
"Somo Of the boys scared old Mrs. AL
len into fits last night, and they say it
is 'liner.' Nobody thinks she'll pull
through. One Of the fellows dressed
up in white, and rode the old woman's
COW clear into tho kitchen. They let
out the pig, and stoned the house and
broke the windows, aud goodness
knows what they didn't do. There
won't be any show for the boys that
cut up those caperG,"
"Well, there oughtn't to beln said
Arthur, Indignantly.
just then the Greek professor en-
tered the classroom, and, after survey
ing the students moment, said with
great seriousness: .- 7 Ai- ~ .--.- tt.
81 am requested by the president to
say to Arthur Hoyt and Richard Den-
ham that they were to repair at once to
the library, where the faculty of this
college wait to see them."
"All right, sir" responded Arthur,
pleasantly. Concious integrity made
him bold. Dick rose slowly, and walk
ed out In his usual dogged manner a.i
"Say, "A Flatlyou're in for II 20 said
one Of the class In a low tone, as the
young man passed him. "Your turn
has come now, "A Flat,'" said another.
GMabhe vou won,t 10 90 h;s.h ..1