The Portland daily press., 1895-06-01

SH~O OAAO~
thought them, and that college presi-
dent was merely a human being. I had
been hardened by fighting my way, as
friendless young man has to do in
great city. As the confidential clerk of
large pork house in Chicago, l felt
equal to the next man. whoever he
might be. If professor had met me
as / got off the cars here Saturday
night, it would have been easy for me
to snub him. But Sunday morning, as
familiar objects began to appear IN the
course Of my walk, the strange feeling
of which I have spoken came over me.
1t was the feeling of old times. The
white clouds, the blue lake, this won
derful scenery, thrilled me and called
back the college dreams. %
AS he spoke, my old elassmate' g voice
trembled.
"You may remember that used to
like Horace and Virgil and Homer" he
remarked, sitting up, crossing his feet
tailor fashion and looking appealingly
at me.
Ireplied, enthusiastically and truly,
that he had been one of our best lovers
of the poets.
WELL" continued Tompkins, ''that
Sunday morning those things began to
come back to me. 1t wasn't exactly de-
lightful. My old ambition to do some
thing great in the world awoke as if
from long sleep. AS I prolonged my
walk, the old associations grew stron-
ger. When I came near the college
buildings, itseemed as if still belong
ed here The hopes of an ideal career
were before me as bright as ever. The
grand things was going to do, the vol
umes Of poems and other writings by
Tompkins and his marvellous successes
were as clear as day. In short, the
whole thing was conjured up as if it
were picture, just as it used to be
when I was student in college, and it
was too much for me. -
Tompkins seemed to be getting lit
tie hoarse, and his face was very serious.
Timothy, :" suggested Mr.. Pember,
''may be you could tell us what that
big rock is out in the lake.
"Why, father, don't you remember!
That is rock Dunder,' - said Mrs. Penn
ber.
81 guess it is,' said the old gentle
man musingly.
"Well," resumed Tompkins, ''as /
was saying, on one side were Homer
and Virgil and Horace and Tompkins
and ON the other was polk. I cannot
explain it, but somehow there it was
The two pictures, 13 years apart, were
brought SO close together that they
touched. It was something I do not
pretend to understand. Managing to get
by the college buildings, I came up to
this spot where we are nov. You will
infer that my eyes watered badly, and
to tell the truth they did. Of course it
is all very well, =" explained To1ppkins,
increasing his legs, turning upon his
side and propping his head on his hand
again-''of course it is all very well to
| rake down the college and say alma
mater doesn't amount to anything. The
boys all do it, and they believe what
they say for the first five or six years
after they leave here. But we may as
we'll understand that if we know how
to slight the old lady and don't go to
see her for dozen years she knows how
to punish She had me across her knee
that Sunday morning in a way that ]
would have thought impossible. After
an hour I controlled myself and went
back to the hotel. I brushed my clothes
and started for church, with lump in
my throat all the while. My trim bust
ness suit didn't seem SO neat and nobby
as usual. The two pictures--the one Of
the poets and the other of the pork
were in my mind. I SHE'D along the
sidewalk in nervous condition, and
reaching the church without being rec
ognized managed to get seat near the
door. Gould believe my senses? I knew
that was changed, probably past al
recognition, but around me ] saw tht
faces of my Burlington friends exactly
as they had been 13 years before. I die
not understand then, as I do now, tina
Q young man in business in Chicago
will become gray headed in ten years
though he might have lived quiet life
in Vermont for quarter of century
without changing hair"
''It is the same with horses" sug
| gested Mr.. Pe1nber. ''Six years on &
horse car in New York about uses NJ
an average horse, though he would have
been good for 8 years. on farm. -
Exactly" said Tompkins. "Yor
can imagine how I felt that Sunday,
with my hair half whitewashed. Z"
"You know I always said you might
have begun coloring your hair, limo
thy. said Mrs. Pember kindly.
EYES," replied Tompkins, with al
uneasy glance at me, but l didn't dt
it. There was one thing in the church
there that morning that / shall neve,
have better chance to tell of, and
am going to tell it now while you ar,
here.
This last sentence was addressed t.
me, and my old olassmate uttered tn
words with a gentleness and franknes
that brought back my best recollection
of him in our college days, when b
was "little Tompkins, p" the warmes