Iron County register., 1897-06-10

1
rushed up TO McRawney with an ex.
cited: whats this? What's this:
What's this?'
The Scotch-Irishman, towering up to
his full height above his PROSTATE foes
replied blandIy: 81 am waiting for some
gentleman to pick up my hat
Now the president was a gentleman
-and genius. "Well, weIl,'' he cried
Il will pick up your hat for youi" and
he did.
The Kentuckian bowed very low and
| the sophomores availed themselves o1
this interchange of civilities to disap
pear around the corner, carrying their
fallen heroes with them
Il was just about to call upon you
sir" said McRawney.
Il 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 a
Kentuckian who had taken two of the
best men in the sophomore class and
knocked their heads together like a
couple of cabbages. Some one dubbed
him the anarchist" as being an enemy
of the established order of things
The name stuck, but ere a week was
over the freshman had elected him
president of the class, and the varsity
football captain had personally invited
him to try for the team.
His record as a football player was a
brief one. For a space of some Is min
utes one afternoon he was persuaded to
| line up on the scrub, with a coach sta
/ toned behind him to tell him when to
hold and when to break through, since
/ he was utterly ignorant of the game.
/ The anarchist seemed to enjoy that
\ quarter of an hour extremely. So did
the spectators, and SO, indeed, did every
body except the varsity guard and two
substitutes, who, in rapid succession,
yielded to one another the honor of
trying to block him.
AS the third man limped off the field,
the anarchist announced to the captain
F.! that it was nice game, but he was
. afraid he might hurt somebody, and
reckoned he wouldn't play any more.
No one could induce him to put on a
football suit again, and his rapidly-won
popularity suffered temporary eclipse.
But it soon proved impossible, after
all, not to grow fond of the tender
hearted giant. With all his strange ac-
cumulations of experience he was abso-
lutely unworldly. He liked all the
''boys," regardless of class distinctions,
and all the ''profs," without the slight
est reference to the reputation they had
hitherto enjoyed among the undergrad
yates.
His presence in the Greek recitation
room, it must be admitted, did not con-
tribute much to the cause of exact schol-
arship. but he had not learned that it
was bad form to ask questions. and L
always awaited his inqueries with curl
osity, and sometimes with fear.
1t was fine to see him there, side by
side with well-groomed boys from the
preparatory schools, who were loath to
betray any interest in the text lest they
should be thought ''grinds," and afraid
to express any opinion about college
matters lest they might injure their
standing with this or that fraternity
McRawney was an object-lesson in IAN
archy,' and made converts every day.
1t was in connection with the examin-
ations at the end of the term that the
anarchist sealed his reputation, and
added something, surely, to the reputa-
tion of the college. remember the day,
the room and the moment with perfect
distinctness.
The freshman Greek paper had re-
ceived the undivided attention of the
class for something more than an hour.
The best men were writing steadily, but
those ranking near the 'danger-line"
were beginning to wriggle in their seats
and sharpen their pencils aimlessly, and
watch the December snowfiakes swirl
against the little, old fashioned win
dow-panes. The anarchist. in partic-
ular. seemed to be in distress. l looked
up from my book once or twice, and saw
him pull his red beard through his fin
gers, and cross and recross his sprawl
ing legs, and smile pityingly at his
paper.
was sorry for him, but there was
nothing to be done. Presently he
seemed to become interested in the
methodical way in which a high-rank
man near him was reeling off the an
swers, and he grew quiet-absorbed,
supposed, in good-natured envy. My
eyes drifted back to my book, and
soon forgot all about him.
All of sudden the anarchist startled
me by leaping to his feet. No one
had vet left the room, and every man
in the class looked up to see who was
lucky enough or reckless enough to be
the first TO go. They stared on per-
ceiving that it was the anarchist, and
stared decidedly more when he turned
excitetlIy to me and asked: professor. |
NAV call meeting of the class?''
During the middle of an examination |
such request was unheard of. hest |
tated.
lit will take two or three minutes |
ONLY" said McRawney, so deferentially |
that it was impossible to refuse. nod |
ded assent. # 1 had had more pres
ence of mind, I should have left the |
room, but in that case l should have |
missed most singular and memorable |
scene.
THE class of fninety-blanl1 will please
rome to order said the Kentuckian.
strengthening himself to the last inch
of his six feet four. Every trace of un-
gainliness slipped from him in that
instant. and he faced the roomful OF
boys with the air of born
leader of men. As soon as he had
opened his lips he forgot my presence
m the room, am sure.
.GentIemen," he began, Il will state
The object of this meeting. though do
:, ,,-;.b reoret. For the first time since