The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-07-24
ANARCHIST.
BY Prof. Bliss Perry.

some ApREop1Adto 1SmaAAS aDOub tAS
new college year, when the door of the
reeitation-room was pushed gently
open. The class looked up, and 1 turned
around.
On the threshold stood a man of 20 Of
~; q stoop-shouldered giant. with a
wide-brimmed, gray felt hat, an ill-itS
ting black suit-planned as a compro-
mise between a prince Albert" and a
cutaway-a long red tuft of chin whis-
kers, and narrow, imperturbable, visit
full eyes. He glanced at me and took of
his hat. For that one second the room
was absolutely silent.
Tim a freshman" he said, in q soft,
southern voice. Freshman McRawney.
Am in the right placer"
a rapturous, ~deafening howl from the
sophomores was his answer, and, after
a somewhat extensive experience, l
confess that the reputation of this par
ticular class for prompt and unanimous
action with the lungs was well deserved.
The giant waited calmly till their
mouths were open for a second breath.
'Don't be afraid, boys" he remarked,
r~eassuringly. SIN not going to hurt
HOut WLGIC0DOA liz OOWCA AAnlSC4A O4ls
The sophomores looked at one an
other obviously and then at me, and 1
took advantage of their temporary dis
com1ture by resuming my remarks
upon the opening year.
That evening l had the pleasure of a
call from Mr.. McRawney. He was q
Kentucky Scotch-Irishman, it seemed,
who had strayed nothward in search of
a better school" Why he came to us l
could not learn, thoughhe was courteous
enough to hint that he had been drawn
by the reputation of the Greek depart
ment. He was heavily conditioned in
Greek, never having had a teacher; but
in Latin and mathematics he was ex-
cellentiy prepared.
He had taught school for awhile, and
c~onversed with me about the profession
with a companionableness 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 ona police force.
He stayed until midnight rambling on
about his experiences in his gentle,
que~cr-cadenced Kentucky voice, and I
was sorry TO have him GO.
But / wondered how this ~unsophis-
ticated, genuine child Of nature would
fit into u 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 Me-
Rawney had started out to pay his re-
spects to the president. A crowd Of
sophotnores, 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 a cane; aud what was, if possible, a
worse defiance of tradition, he had tied
a knot Of the college colors around it,
En- 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.
sHullo. boysl" said McRawney, be-
nignantiy.
drop that camel 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 a dozen
pieces. McRawney simply stared.
NOW take of your hat to the sophie
moresl"
The freshman glanced smilingly
questioningly, from one man toanother
az il there were some joke which he die
not quito understand. His wide
brimmed hat was promptly knocked
into the gutter. He stopped smiling.
''Say," he ventured, with that soft, up
ward lift ID his voice which they mis-
took for plaintiveness, that's the only
hat I have. Pick it up"
sOh turn up your trousersl", called
some one derisively from the rear of tn,
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 sophie
mores laughed and he realized that they
were guying him. q
s'No." he dfawled, II reckon it won
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 ans
the next biggest man by the collar
sweeping theEi both from their fee
with his bull-itke. forward rush, AN
before they co1id get their footing h,
swung them apart to his full arms
length, and dashed their heads to
gether.
The men had good thick mops of foot
ball hair, and thick, football skulls, Blu
they dropped like rags and showed n,
desire to get up again.
"A ring Of amazed and wrathfuI sophie
mores was parted suddenly. and tn,
white-haired president Of the colleg'
rushed up to McRawney with an ex
eiteds WHATS thiss What's this
What's this2s
The Scotch-Irishmeh towering up t,
his full height above his PROSTATE foes
replied blandiy: II am waiting for som
gentleman to pick up my hat"
Now the president WAS d gentiemaI
land a genius. well. well.n he cried
"a will pick up your hat for you'll" ant
lie did.
Mfa K~pnfncfrion ho4vea very low AMI