The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-27

lie was six feet two, and as clumsy
as he was tai He would come into
r. citations and lectures, take his seat
without a word or 4 sign Of recognition
to any one, fall at work upon hi, notes
in perfect slice, AID thea shamble ou;
again. At first an amused smile went
around the class whenever he entered
the room, but the stu Tents soon got
used to his odj ways and he came and
went without remarks.
HIS name was Hiram Jordan. High
Jordan, big, good-naturcd Joe Stanley
caucl him one day, with 4 laugh, and
the nickname stuc< < like burr, as nick
names will.
No one seemed to know anything
about him. lie was poor, that was cvi-
dent enough, for his ill-ftting clothes
were Of the cheapest material. He as
sociated with none OF tn, boys, and sci
dON appeared on the campus.
There happened that year to be un-
usual interest IL the class races. The
crews were very cvcnly matched, and it
was hard to say which Of them stood
the better cha c. Of winning.
Its dollars a1d poanits which comes
in first" gloomily sail J>c Stanley
captain of our crew. IF 1 only had a
gool 'stven,' l think 1 could make it,
but there doesn't seem to be a man in
the c;as5 fitted for the positon;" and,
try cur best, We 60 I'D fad no better
man than Charley Harvey who was a
good fellow, certainly, but not good
seven"
One afternoon, as the members OF
this crew were lying around on the
float, just before their usual daily pull,
High Jordan came up and asked for
Stanley. Joe was in the boat-housc fix
ing his stretchcr, and Jordan was tod
to walk in. The two men did not couc
out for some time, and when they Ill
finally appear, every one was surprised
to hear Joo say:
"Boys, Jordan has rowed good deal,
and wants to try 'scven,' and 1 am
going to give him chance to pull there
today"
Poor Charley Halvey's face showed
his disappointment. He had been
working very hard to keep his place in
the boat, aud now he was to be crowded
out, and of all men by High" Jordan
"Shan't row today?" he asked, un-
able to conceal his chagrin.
81 don't sec how We can work it,
Charley" answered Joe, kindly.
Hadn't you just as lief rest todayH
Harvey watched the boat as she slid
off the fl )at. His eyes were on one man,
the new number seven. At the word,
the men leaned forward, their oars
struck tho water simultaneously, and
the shell shot lightly ahead, The time
was perfect.
'1ts all up with me" murmured
Charley. "That's the man we have
been looking for." aud he turned and
went eff to his room.
Every man in the boat sympathizcd
strongly with Charley Harvey. High
Jordan's popularity was not increased
by his sudden cutting ont of the hard
est worker and one of the most popular
men of the class, and no littIo grum b.
ling was heard from the crew, though
they must have seen at once that Jordan
was the better man of the two.
'Its 4 beastly shame to put Charley
cut, know" said Joe Stanley, who
could not help noticing the prevalent
feeling. 81 would ike to see him in
the boat as well as any of you. You
know thai, for there is no man in col,
lege I like better. l know Jordan oes
lot belong to our set, and is what you
call muff, but he is a good fellow, fol-
all that, and the best oar in the boat,
and as captain OF the crew, am bound
to keep the best mau."
The weeks slipped by, and confdenc &C
in our crew steadily increased. The
race was now only three weeks off, and
the names of the crew were officially
announced in order that the men might
be initiated into the II. K ," the clas:
society.
This society, although one remained
an active member of it for only one
year, was the controlling fact in the
social life OF the class. The first men,
bers were e!Acted by those who had
formed the society in the preceding