Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-01-20

4
we graduated-came running into nv
room all out of breath for laughing.
and threw himself into my chair, so
weak he could hardly speak
"Oh, it's the rich joke on Briarwood."
| he gasped, at last; Its the photograph
he always carries around with him
Rose Thorne-oh, my eye!" And he
| exploded again. THAT picture-it's
| Thorne's own photo, taken last wear in
/ the Pi Eta thea tricaIs. Here's a dupIi-
/ cate of it. I found it in Van Ruvter's
| room to-day" And he pulled out of his
| pocket another likeness of the fair Rose
4 Thorne.
| The joke was too good to keep. The
| idea of diguiffed old Brfarwood being
/ in love with another feIlow-a shaver
/ and bewigged Rose blossomfng on
the Thorne tree!
And he carried that thing around in
I his vest pocket next his heart" roared
Goodrich. Il saw it the other day at
( the gym. Oh, the soft meat. He'll
never hear the last Of this!''
Then we concocted the fine scheme.
! We agreed that the crowd should meet
around at BriarwoOd's rooms some even
ing. quite accidentally. and manage
TO bring Rose Thorne" into the talk
somehow. till he fred up. then we would
give il all away and explain that his
}ady-lOve existed only as strappinr
alumnus. and the joke would be on him
for the benefit Of the whole college.
For we planned 10 get version of il
into the "Lampoon," with portraits.
We set one night just before class day
for our seance. and all the boys promised
to be there to see poor old Briarwood
through with it. Well. sirs. that even
ing Harry was in his best mood. He
had just finished his last examination,
and was feeling pretty fine altogether,
for his years rank was a sure thing;
however, the profs might play the deuce
with the rest of US. He did the honors
in great shape, and showed no sign of
caring for any girl, let alone the pho
tOgraph whose original he had never
seem The boys began to put up the
game before long. Goodrich was the
one to start it off.
Il say, fellows" he called across the
room, don't you remember little
ThOrne? Yes you do, at Adams spread
a year ago-littie Rose, in the red
dress?" We had all come on for class
day the year before
''Oh. yes" said another fellow, with a
grin; you mean the girl who took too
much champagne"
And couldn't walk to the carriage"
chimed in Eddy. with his horse laugh.
Il remember that. fellows; 1 carried
her
she was more than a handful for
Thorne, that little sister of his said
another And so they went on with
their jokes about the little devil in
red Rosie" as they called her. each |
growing more personal in his hints and |
innuendoes. which were received with |
rOars OF laughter and asserting grins of |
delight.
Briarwood was all this time sitting |
gIum and quiet by the window. with his |
head bent in his hands. pulling fiercely |
at his pipe without word. Then |
Goodrich said, suddenly:
Il say, fellows, how many of you have |
her picture? She only gives EN- to the /
ones she loves best, sweet Sozodont, l |
got mine the night I took her to Mar
Iiave's for little French dinner after /
the theater. How's that Briarwood? Is |
that the way you got your's?"
Harry jumped up quickly and stood |
facing Goodrich defiantIy, with his eyes |
flashing.
''Oh, you've got it there, we know"
went on Goodrich, tapping his breast /
pocket. I've seen it; isn't it like this?''
And he pulled the duplicate out of his
own pocket triumphantly.
But Goodrich overdid the thing-he |
always did. He was coarse brute, and |
the faculty was all right to get rid of |
him as soon as they did. He made some |
other remarks which were quite unnec-
essary for the purposes of our joke, and |
which we were all of Us ashamed to |
hear, and then he stepped forward as if |
TO grab the photograph out Of Harry's |
pocket.
But Briarwood was thoroughly walked |
up now. With 4 gesture he flung away
his pipe. and then planting his big fist
squarely between GoOdrich's eyes. sent |
him tumbIing back with crash against
the door.
It's a lie; it's all a-Iie." he said.
steadily. and in low tone she is
Jack Thorne's sister, and 1 know she is
fine girl. I'm not ashamed to wear
her photograph, but l won't take it out
for you fellows TO see. If any of the
rest of you dare TO say that Goodrich
spoke the truth, let him step out and
say it, and then I'll knock him down.
Just then there was Z knock on the
door. We must have made terrible
racket there with our laughing and jol-
living. and when Goodrich fell he made
big crash, for he was a heavy fellow
Lalf-back On the team until he was ex-
PEELED
At any rate, as we all stood there.
looking sheepish enough, in walked
Mr.. White, the proctor. He stood hold
ing the doorknob in one hand and look
ing first around at the crowd of US, then
straight at Harry, who was still stand
ing with his fists cIenched, glaring
down at Goodrich on the floor. Then
Mr. White asked, sternly:
What's all this row, Mr.. Briar-
wood? Did you knock this man down? ~
i did, sir said Harry, firmly.
why. may L ask?"
He insulted a lady
"A lady? What lady?"
Harry made no reply, and some of
the fellows snickered. But Harry
looked around quickly with a glance
that made US all keep quiet.
This is the lady's Photograph he
said, at last, steadily taking the pic
$780,, ], -,,,J - |