Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-07-01
THE ANARCHIST.
By Prof. Bliss Perry.
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new college year, when the door OF tie
recitation-room was pushed gently
open. The class looked up, and turned
around.
On the threshold stood man of 26 or
81; u stoop-shouldered giant, with
wide-brimmed, gray felt hat, an lift
ting black suit--planned as compro-
mise between Prince Albert" and
cutaway-a long red tuft of chin whis-
kers, and narrow, imperturbable, visit
full ewes. lie glanced at me and took off
his hat. For that one second the room
was absolutely silent.
I'm freshman" he said, in soft,
southern voice. Freshman McRawney.
Am in the right placer"
\ rapturous, deafening howl from the
sophomores was his answer, and, after
II somewhat extensive experience, L
confess that the reputation of this par
ticular class for prompt and unanimous
action with the lungs was we'll deserved.
The giant waited calmly till their
mouths were open for second breath.
Don't be AFRAID, boys" he remarked,
reassuringly. I'm not going to hurt
YOU" whcreupon he bowed himself out.
The sophomores looked at one an
other obviously and then at me, and l
took advantage of their temporary dis
comfiture by resuming my remarks
upon the opening year.
That evening l had the pleasure of
Gail from Mr. McRawney. lie was
kentucky Scotch-Irishman, it seemed,
WHO had strayed nothward i'll search of
n better school," Why he came to us l
could not learn, though he was courteous
enough TO hint that he had been drawn
BY the reputation of the Greek depart
ment. He was heavily conditioned i'll
Greek, never having had teacher; but
in Latin and mathematics he was en-
ceIhntly prepared.
He had taught school for awhile, and
conversed with me about the profession
with a companionableness that was de-
liehtful. His other occupations had
been numerous. l discovered incident
ally that he had tried his hand at store
keeping, preaching, editing country
paper, and even serving onapolice force.
He stayed until midnight rambling on
about his experiences in his gentle,
ouecr-cadenced Kentucky voice, and l
was sorry to have him so.
But | wondered how this unsophls-
ticated, genuine child of nature would
fit into our artificial college world, with
all it's vanished conventions and long
established codes. Only two days later
he satisfied my curiosity on this point,
and won the title of 1.-The anarchist"
1t was Saturday afternoon and Nc
Rawney had started out to pay his re-
spects to the president. a crowd of
sophomores, lounging in front of the
college gate by the presidents house,
caught sight of the tall, ungainly fig
.ure Looping toward them.
To their establishment he was carry
ing cane; and what was, if possible,
worse defiance of tradition, he had tied
knot of the college colors around 1t,
in the innocence of his heart.
They started for him IS or 20 of them,
a couple of football men in the van.
Hold on, freshman" called the leader.
"Hullo, boysl" said McRawney, be-
nignantly.
drop that cane! Don't you know
that a freshman can't wear the college
colors?"
In an instant the cane was snatched
from his hand and snapped into dozen
pieces. McRawney simply stared.
Now take off your hat to the sophie
mores!"
The freshman glanced smilingly,
questioningly, from one man toanother,
Ms if there were some joke which he did
not quite understand. His wide
brimmed hat was promptly knocked
into the gutter. He stopped smiling.
"Say," he ventured, with that soft, up
ward lift in his voice which they mis-
took for plaintiveness, that's the only
hat have. Pick it up"
'Oh turn up your trousers!" called
some one derisively from the rear of the
crowd. He glanced down at his shiny
black trousers, which indeed left
couple of inches of white stocking visi-
BILE above his low shoes. The sopho-
morcs laughed and he realized that they
were guying him.
NO" he drawled, ~ reckon 1t won't
be necessary to turn up my trousers
nor my sleeves, either;" and before any
body realized what was going to hap
pen, he had the leader by the throat and
the next biggest man by the collar,
sweeping them both from their feet
with his bull-like, forward rush, and
before they could get their footing he
swung them apart to his full arms
length, and dashed their heads to-
gether.
The men had good thick mops of foot
balRhair, and thick, football skulls, but
they dropped like rags and showed no
desire to get up again.
A ring of amazed and wrathful sophie
mores was parted suddenly, and the
white-haired president of the college
rushed up to McRawney with an cX-
cited: whats this? What's this?
What's this?"
The Scotch-Irishman, towering up to
his full height above his PROSTATE foes,
replied bhndly: ~ am waiting for some
gentleman to pick up my hat"
Now the president was gentleman
and u genius well, we'll" he cried,
II will pick up your hat for you'll" and
he did.
The Kentuckan bowed very low and
the sophomores availed themselves OF
this interchange of cipilities to disap-
pear around the corner, carrying their
fallen heroes with them.
81 was just about 10 call upon you'
sir" said McRawney.
81 Shall be happy to have you do So
sir" said the president; and the Incl
dent was closed.
Before night every student on the
campus knew that ninety-blank had Il
l.. IL IF fhn