River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-06-17
THE ANARCHIST.
By Prof. Bliss Perry.

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TT was the first day OF the fall term. !
had just assigned seats TO the sophie
more class in Greek. and had begun
some appropriate remarks about the
new college year, when the door of the
Tecitatiou-roOm was pushed gently
omen. The class looked up, and turned
around
ON the threshold stood a man of 90 or
p; a stoop-shouldered giant, with a
Nyice-brimmed, gray felt hat, an ill-fit-
Ting black suit-pianHed as cOmpro-
mise between Prince Albert" and n
rutaway-a long red tuft OF chin wills
hers, and narrow, imperturbable, visit
fuI ewes. He glanced at me and took of
his hat. For that one second the room
was absolutely silent.
sI'm "A freshman" he said, in a soft,
southern voice Freshman McGawney-
Am I in the right place."
a lapturous. deafening howl from the
EophOInores was his answer, and, after
a somewhat extensive experience, l
confess that the reputation of this par
1icular class COR prompt and unanimous
action with the lungs was well deserved.
The giJut waited calmly till their
mouths were open tor "a second breath.
Don't be afruii, bnys," he remarked,
rcassuriugly. I'm not gOiug TO hurt
YOU" whcreupOn he bowed himself out
The sophomorcs looked at one au-
other dubiuusIy and then al me, and ]
took advantage of their temporary dis
comfture 10y resuming my remarks
upon the opening year.
That evening ] had the pleasure of a
call from Mr.. McRawney. He was n
kentucky Scotch lrishman. ii seemed,
who had strayed nothward in search of
n better school" Why he came to us !
could not learn, though he was courteous
enough to hint that he had been drawn
by the reputation Of the Greek depart
1bcnt. lie was heavily conditioned in
Greek, never hayir 2 had a teacher; bUI
in Latin and mathematics be was eX-
cellently prepared.
lie had taught school for awhile. and
conversed with me about the pro fessiOn
with a cOmpauiOnablcness that was de
lightfuL His other occupations had
been numerous. discovered incident
ally that he had tried his hand at store
keeping, preaching, editing a country
paper. and even serving on a police force
lie stayed until midnight rambling on
about his experiences in his gentle,
queer-Cadenced Kentucky voice, ana
was sorry to have him 80.
But l wondered how ;his unsophis
ticated, genuine child of nature would
fit into our artificial college world. with
all its vanished conventions and long
established codes. Only two days later
he satisfied my curiosity on this point
and won the title Of the anarchist.
IL was SATURDAY. afternoon and Me
Rawney had started out to pay his re
spects to the president. 4 crowd Of
sOphomores, lOuuging in front of thc
college gate by the presidents house
caught sight of the tall. ungainly fig
ure Looping toward them
To their astonishmcnt he was carry
ing cane; aud what was. if possible, &
worse defiance of tradition. he had tieC
a knot OF the college colors around it
in the innocence Of his heart.
They started for him IS or 20 of them
couple of football men in the van
"HOld on. freshman" called the leader
"HuIIo, boys" said McRawney. be
nignantIy.
drop that cane! Don't you know
that a freshman can't wear the colIcg,
eolOrs?"
In an instant the cane was suatche'
from his hand and snapped into dozcr
pieces. Nc Rawuey simply stared.
Now take OF your bat to the sophie
ulores."
The freshman glanced smilingly
uuestiouingly, from one man toanother
a. If there were some joke which he ID,
not quite understand. His wide
Lrimmcd hat was promptly knockC,
into the gutter. tie stopped smiling.
SAY" he venturcd. with that soft. up
ward lift i'm his voice which they mis-
took for plaintivencss. that's the Oull
hat have. Pick IL up"
oh turn up your trousers" Gale,
some one derisiyeiy from the rear Of IN,
crowd. lie glanced dcwn at his shin,
black trousers. which indeed left
couple Of inches Of white stocking yisi
lie above his low shoes. The sopho
Iuorcs laughed and he realized that the.
were guy NJ MIN.
NO. ne drawIed. = reckon il wo7'
he ne csSary 10 turn up my trousers
nor ~ sleeves. either: and before any
bciy realized what was going to hap
zen. he had the leader by the throat AM
the next biggest man by the collar
sweeping them both from their fve
with his bLii-like, forward rush, an
before the, -ould get their footing h
swung hem apart TO his full arm,
length. sui dashed their heads tC
gethCr.
The men had good thick mops of foot
hall hair. and thick. football skulls. bU
they dropped like rags and showed II
desire TO get uP again.
ring of amazed and wrathful sophie
rnores was parted suddenly. and th
white-haired president of the Colleg
rushed up to McIawuey with an es
cited. What's this2 What's this
What's this?'
The Scotch irishman. towering up {
his fun height above his PROSTATE fcei
replied blandly: Il am waiting fOrsom
gentleman To pick up my hat"
Now the president was a gentlema
and genius "Well. well" he crics
Il will pick NJ your hat for you'll" an
he did.
The Kentuckian bowed very low an
the sophOmores availed themselves {
this interchange Of civilities to disaI
PEAR around the corner. carrying the
fallen heroes with them.
II was inst about TO call upon yol
sir" said Mcliawuey-
II shall be happy TO have you do 5
sir" said the president; and the inc
dent was closed.
Before night every student on II
campus knew that ninety-blauk had
Kentuckian who had taken two Of q
best men in the sophomore class az
knocked their heads together like
couple Of cabbages. Some one duoos