Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-09-21

{. god to Johnnie We are on our wa,
to their commencement exercises. Per
haps You gentlemen are also bount
thither?'
Under this gentle encouragement
Maxwell hastened to make his friend
and himself known, and thus the for.
tunate fact was revealed that his mother
and Mrs. Grenville had been school
friends. Soon pleasant converse en-
sued, Maxwell and the mother reviv-
ing "reminiscences. Boynton and the
daughter Grace scattering the seeds for
| future ones.
care you interested in athletics?"
asked the young lady.
''Not especially" replied Boynton.
''ln my day they were a pastime, not
passion" The girl looked dissatis-
fed.
II don't know what you mean" she
retorted. "Of course they merely
/ furnish diversion from mental labor,
and should think would keep young
men straight, and make them courage
Gus and gallant and constant"
"But what if the diversion becomes
the purpose? There's George Rug
giles, for instance. A fine young fell
| low, but I'm sorry for him. If this
land were Sparta, and this time the
days of Leonidas, why, he could con
tinue in fame and be lender of men.
But the gate falls sharply on Com
mencement Day, and the graduate is
without in the darkness, and precious
little light comes from physical train
ing"
George Ruggles is my brothers
friend" said Grace, loftily, "and of
course | shall not discuss him"
'Tm sure | envy him." remarked
Boynton, inconsequentially; yet the
simple words seemed to promote
amity, and for the rest of the journey
this couple were engaged in making
agreeable discoveries about each other.
Grace was secretly amazed at the
simplicity of a postgraduate of ten
years standing, as compared with her
brothers dignity. Herbert was de-
lighted to find that Ruggles's high
consideration depended solely on re-
port, as Grace had spent her holidays
abroad and had never met him.
"lhere they are, shouted Johnnie
as the train slackened in the Pierson
station, and there indeed were two
young men waving sticks and hats in
welcome; one, tall and slender with
tiorid complexion and blue eyes that
bespoke relationship; the other,
swarthy and squat with the rectangular
lines of n stevedore.
"That's him, that's my George" :"
continued Johnnie, "aren't his biceps
daisies?"
George Rugglss underwent the in
spection of fair ayes from the car win
dow with compIacency. He was con
scious that he was the best second
base, the most rcdoubtable rusher, the
stoutest oar, the fieetest, the strongest
fed with his appearance From u
tower of adulation he gazed critically,
! near and afar, but the idea of intro
spection never occurred to him.
A Thomas Grenville led his friend for
+ ward proudly. George greeted the
e mother, delighted Johnnie with slar
on the back, aud was presented to thu
e sister.
c ''You will have an escort, Oracle
$ for Commencement Week, which vii
y make you the envy of all the girls,
< said the unappreciative brother.
rs Grace looked curiously at tn
N cavalier, who evidently saw no reasol
for disclaimer i'll this remark An in
'g voluntary comparison with the chance
'r acquaintance of her journey flashed
n across her mind, and she recalled his
remark as to envy. But George
| smiled broadly, and scanned her with
y the deliberateness of farmer at n
fair. Then he caught sight of the
| Nonpareils passing through the station,
e with Johnnie s antagonist nt their head.
Excuse me-" he blurted, and away
d he rushed, and in another moment was
r grasping "Bill" with one hand and
IS humping him nightly on the back
IL with the other. A confused murmul
is of "Old boy" "Old fellow" you're
the stuff, and "Get there, Eli,
d greeted the party
IS Grace bowed charmingly to Boynton
e and Maxwell MS they passed through
, the doorway, and her eyes followed
their carriage until it disappeared
] within its dust. Then her gaze hard
ened, her little foot tapped the floor
ing impatiently. "Mamma! Tom
must we wait?' she cried.
Really, my son, began the matron,
+ but here Ruggles sauntered back, his
hands in his side pockets, his hat on
l. the back of his head.
u 'Well, Tommy" he said, affably.
|, "there's nothing in this lettering.
e Suppose we get a gait?"
$ "Do you know that-that in
k dividual?' asked Grace
t "What, know Bill Stubbs, the
king of the third, the best all-arount
sport in the country? Well, I'd rather
f Didn't he and | invent three new
t curves and dandy set of signals aftel
j. our first game with the Nonpareils
: when we stood two and at the end o
= the tenth, and it was draw on nc
e count of darkness? You remembe
= that night, eh, Tommy"