Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-05-19

j best society, and already a professor
was said to be paying attention to her,
not to mention a host of lesser SWANS
among the students, who since her ar
rival had grown fastidious as regards
their dress, and paid frequent visits to
the tOnsorial establishments
By exercising patience, Smith might
have continued to receive an occasional
bow or smile, and now and again re-
ceive the honor Of walking up hill witL
her on the way to class; but he wanted
to have the matter settled right away.
J The simple fact was that he was like
a volcano which has reached the stage
when an eruption must ensue accord
ing to the law Of cause and effect
In vain I told him he had no chance,
and reminded him of the professor.
IF there were thousand professors, y
he answered with the air of amartyr
Il only ask a fair field and no favor
If | have no chance, as you say, /
want to know it right now
Such a speech as that was a lament
able proof of the rapid decline and fall
of Smith. To think that a man of his
common sense would come out with
such sentimental bosh!
The expected eruption occurred about
a week later, and I had really contribut-
ed to it by mentioning the professor.
Instead of discouraging Smith it only
spurred him on to immediate action.
The more professors, the more hopeless
his prospects, the greater the necessity
for action. Now or never was the time
! to strike a blow. That same evening
he shut himself in his room and wrote
! a letter to Miss Penelope. I was dumb
founded when he told me what he had
done, but the lettr was posted-there
was no help for it now. We did not
: see her next morning, a circumstance
which put Smith so much out that if
/ had not held him by the coat he
would have rushed into the sacred
precincts of ladies' hall to find out what
was the matter. No sooner was the
afternoon class dismissed than Smith
rushed down the hill at break-neck
speed and made for his lodgings. When
[ got in, he was up in his room, look
j ing with a very woe-begone expression
at q letter he held in his hand, and
4
! 1t was from Miss Penelope, and was
, in these words.
| ''Sir-I have your note, and am sur
! prised and panied at it's contents. The
little I had seen of you had not pre-
pared me for such a gratuitous insult.
1t is my express desire to have no COM
munication whatever with you
| II am, sir, yours respectfully,
Ladies Hall, Tuesday. Penelope
Don't you wish now, Smith, that you
had taken my advice?" I asked, as
he took the letter and read it again.
'It is very neatly written-that is
nice paper-I like the way she writes
her name" Smith said, gazing with
pleasure and admiration at the letter.
! Good heavens. He was actually proud
of the letter.
"Why, have you not read the letter?'
l asked. Don't you see what the lady
says? Were I in your place l would
feel like drowning myself
| well, she has not understood my
letter, and see heren' he exclaimed,
'she has actually written my name on
the envelope" And poor Smith held
up the envelope for my inspection as
| if he were proud of it.
This was too much for mel went
out for Il walk and left him to re-
gain his senses
| The next day he came out with
new proposal. He wanted me to go
and explain matters to Miss Penelope
What on earth can I eXplain?" I
asked.
Well" said Smith, ''tell her ] meant
no OffenSe-you understand what /
mean"
At first I declined the honor but poor
Smith seemed so anxious about it that
| promised to do what [ could for him
The next day Miss Penelope went up
the hill as usual, but I had no opportu-
nifty to speak to her. She appeared
dignified and composed, and was par
ticularly careful not to look in our
direction. Next morning, however, we
saw her coming UP from ladies' hall
alone, so telling Smith to so on ahead
I waited her approach. When she
came up she bowed, and was about
to pass on when / turned and spoke.
I told her I was a friend of Smiths,
that I totally disapproved of his con-
duct, and on Smiths behalf I apollo
gized and said he had no idea of in
| Sulting her.
She listened attentvely to my re-
cital and as we neared the classroom
| she said:
Il require no apology from Mr., Smith
indeed after your statement I really
owe him one, nevertheless I prefer
| that we should remain strangers, as any
other relation so far as I am concerned
is out of the question. Good morning"
And with graceful bow Miss Penelope
disappeared.
When I saw Smith I had to repeat
the message until was almost sick of
hearing the words but Smith / believe
would have sat up all night listening
to it and asking questions as to how
she looked. But strange to say he never
/ asked any more questions from that
night, nor did he ever mention her
name in my presence, and to judge
by Appearances he had apparently re-
signed himself to put her 'out of sight
and out of mind" He applied with re-
newed diligence to his studies; his work
in class won him the golden opinion of
the professors, and was of such a ma
ture to indicate that he would be great
in his profession.
[ was agreeably surprised at the
change, for it might even be said of him