The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-04-22
THE PROFESSORS FAD

dOhn SmltherS l0ddleWlnkef could
afford to buy all the rubber bands he
chose, still 1t was a settled fact that
aothing pleased him so much as find.
ing them or even stealing them OIL
parcels on the sly, and he always kept
the little pocket on the inside OF his
coat filed with rubber bands secured
In this way.
One clear, beautiful day In January
che professor was walking Smartly up
tho Beacon street mall whistllng
eheerlly and observing everything as
was his won't He felt very happy,
for that morning a friend had told
him that there was tree on Abe
Common that the Autocrat had i'm
lmOrtalized in single line, and that
was very rare.
Well he had seen it; OF course it
6gfng winter there was no foliage
hut he could imagine that till summer
came, and he had stood and gazed low
Sngly at IT. and viewed it from the
long path and the mall and from all
Gides thoroughly, and had even cut off
a piece Of bark to examine with the
microscope when he thought nobody
was ia sight, continuing up the hill
he had just got it in his notebook and
was putting the broad rubber band
about it when, CHANGING to look
across the street. he caught the pretty
girl who occupies the window OF the
'4nfants outfitting and furnishing
store the main part Of the day laugh
ing at him.
With an assumption OF dignity he
did not feel he turned about and
eaapped ii on, when-horror it broke
the only handsome large band he
possessed and he had stolen 1t from
Fred De Jones one OF his young men,
only the day before With groan,
he slipped the book into his pocket
and mounting the stairs to the street.
walked back down the hill.
In thinking OF the tree, he soon for
got the band, and, as we said, was
whistling cheerily etc, when he
Noticed quite crowd OF little chill
6ren on the opposite side OF the
street They we're evidently Back
Bay children out to recess from one
Of the private schools in that vicinity
Gs they were in charge Of two ladies,
evidently teachers, one of whom was
already hallway across tho street
with some Of them.
She was q little dot OF lady, with
an enormous cinnamon bear boa about
her throat and very timld shrink
ing manner She was trying to get
her detachment out Of the way OF o
large coal team, which didn't seem
disposed to stop, and at the same time
bold a mulf, parcel done up in q
ted napkin and u pocketbook with
u wide elastic about it
The Professor looked just in time
70 see her drop the bocketbUok, and
Immediately ran out and held up the
horses despite the maledictlons OF
the driver who didn't want to stop on
tho steep upgrade until both squads
Of children had crossed, then pick
tnR up the pocketbook he started to
OveTtake them.
They were already on the mall,
when at that moment he noticed the
rubber band Stealthily pulling 1t off
he advanced his six-foot-one OF hu.
manity gracefully and inquired II she
had not dropped it why yes,
Helen, said the tall lady, glancing
severely at the little lady 'how very
careless OF you" Poor Miss Helen
6lushed a rosy red and in her con.
fusion dropped the parcel In the red
napkin. The professor handed her
the pocketbook, at the same time skill
fully passing the beautiful rubber band
about his wrist and then gallantly
made clutch at the parcel lying on
the snow. Man.like, he got it by the
corner splitting the contents In every
direction. 'Oh, goody, goody seed
'eakesI" cried the little boys and girls,
and, like common, low-priced crea.
Gures they scrambled for them in the
dirt
There there! Worse and worseI
Children, form In line!" said the tall
lAdy, looking more severely than ever
at the conscious professor, who was
Stammering apologies and laundering
In tho crow helping pick the cakes
up; then the helpless Miss Helen.
'Big men are hateful, | think-Thank
you, sir we can get along very nicely
now, sir" sharply as he still per-
sisted in picking them up do you
Imagine for an instant that we would,
Il starving, eat them once they have
lain upon the earthp Be so kind Of
70 pass my friend her pocketbook
elastic. Good day. sir Children,
form" but the professor stopped to
hear no more.
About p. m. that same day the
Professor-hi daily duties done
thought he would take little walk
across the public garden to clear his
brain. He had got we'll on down tho
avenue past the Ventome when he
Roticed trim little figure and the
Suffering ends OF an enormous CHINA
GaOn-bear boa just ahead OF him.