The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-02-19

OOuRnt TOT tQelf own COllectlOnS, au(
occasionally masters would joke hin
about his supposed infallibility as t.
geography, and the dates when divers
sovereigns had assembled the throne
AS matter of fact, Simpkins wa.
not infallible; but he passed for being
so, which is much the same thing, al
his Holiness the Pope would say.
Thus, one evening at the beginning
of M,chaelmss Term, or Football
Half, Simpklns, returning from the
holidays, was greeted by his tutor
with an invitation to come to tea, and
exhibit his collection of stamps to a
young lady who was connoisseur.
'It's a sister of my wife's,' said Mr..
Jawe; she's quite eager about stamps
as you are so you must mind and not
let her coax any out of your cOllec
ton. I warn you she is most clever
at cajolery.
Bother tho stamps soliloquized
Simpkins, who, like all hobbledehoys,
thought it a proof of manliness to af
feet beng bored by female society !;
but he went and put on his white tie,
and presently made his appearance in
the drawing room with folio album
under his arm. -.e-- .454 ..r y4..
He was adably received by Miss
Nelly SDubbin, his tutors sister-in-.
law, who was merry maiden of sew.
enteen. Her enthusiasm about stamps
may have been great, but it soon ex
hausted itself in conversation for af
ter tea, when Slmpkins and she sat
down in corner on the pretense Of
having good look at the album, she
began to talk about everything except
stamps.
'How long have you been at Eton,
Mr.. Simpkins2
| 'About-sw-fve years, think.
Been often swished2 [...
'Wha-atP Here. Mr.. Simpkins
drew himself up little, and redden-
ing, looked daggers. s.sb
'Oh, 1 see am alluding to tender
subject. Never mind. You're in the
Boats, suppose3 No? Then you're
in the Eleven2 fai |s e..
sOnly eleven fellows can be in the
Eleven observed Simpkins, still Of
Tended 'and there are now above nine
hundred OF them in the school.
Mine hundred elevens, do you
mean7 Oh! you're talking of fellows
Why don't you have the sense to call
yourselves boys2 We at our schools
used to call ourselves girls; but sup
pose you go in for grand expressions
at Eton. say, Mr.. Simpkins, are you
conceited?
What should be conceited about? |
'That's what I was going to ask.
Can you bat, boat, sing, dance. box or
tell stories better than other fellows?
l see you think me an impertinent
girl, but do like boy-or fellow, /
beg pardon-to be able to do some
thing better than anybody else. Just
think, now; have you ever thrashed
fellow twice your size2 e;4a9a "A
Moo; certainly not. ,7a1oa=
'Why not? ..-..4I -fi-f il
sWhy2 What question Because
couldn't, to besurei' Almost scream
ed Simpkins, who looked redder and
more uncomfortable than ever.
Suppose you were to try?
TRY to thrash a fellow twice my
size?
Yes, just to please me, and make
me think you hero. .......
Nelly Snubbin gazed at him archly.
while his eyes, which had become
goggles. answered hers with a helpless
stare but Immediately afterwards she
burst out laughing, and Simpkins saw
that he had been roasted. He arose
with dignity and closed his album,
making the young lady a stiff bow,
this was the means he took to indi.
cate that he was no longer boy, and
disliked being treated as such. The
aext day when he met Miss Snubbin
10 the streets, and the day following
hat, and several days afterward, he
Always bowed stiffiy TO her without
to meet her glance.
On Sunday. in chapel, he encountered
ler eyes once, and she smothered a {
'mile in her muff, which made him
EEL hot all over and dry in the mouth.
3impkins had just reached the age of
II, when youth begins to attach inn
9ortance to sayings and doings of
and, perhaps, in truth, he :
vas already longing to be a hero for
he sake of Miss Snubbin, whom he
oathed. 5ss .-s
The season was autumn, and every
lay after 12-between noon and 2
he boys of the different. houses went :
o play football. Simpkins execrat-
I'd these games, which SO far as he was
consisted of idly running
lbout during an hour after ball which '
,e seldom touched. He used to play
or the propriety of the thing, just to
let an example 10 the Lower Boys,
1ut he had never been known to make
/ goal or rouge except by flukes.
Now, q day or two after Miss Snub- I
,in had laughed at him in the chapel
attired in f1annel shirt
md cap, was hobbling about and play q
ng as usual in the simplest way. The
Eame had lasted hal: an hour, and the
ide against Simpkins had scored .
hree goals and rouge to nothing.
The resistance was indeed so feeble s
hat the captain Of the other side, one
3ulloniey, hulking lout, cried out
mpatiently: Come on, you fellows
10 something to make the game
,risk. +