The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-10-15
HE PROVED TO BE
j A REAL HERO.
no YOU think that Charlie will
IL win the football game of the

IL win the football game of the
tGentiIhommes' crew next Monday"
I've not the slightest fear that he
will fail" was the reassuring answer,
which charmed a warm light into the
face of the girl who had just spoken.
Charlie Vandegriff was her sweetheart,
and she had set her heart on his win
ming the game.
Mildred West had been in love with
him since she could remember. They
were playmates in childhood. Mil
dred's brother Frank, who was so Ger
tain that Charlie could not lose the
game for the crew, had been his class
mate at school and in college. They
always spent their vacations together,
and it was during the Christmas holt
days under the mistletoe's red ber-
ries that Mildred and young Nande-
griff had plighted their troth.
The young college man was not ag-
gressive. He was a quiet, easy-going
fellow, of whom it was said that he
had never displayed any courage. He
refused to fight a duel nee. the chal-
Ienge for which had been rendered by
a bOorish chap from the west, whose
father was a millionaire. Some triiing
Gissension between the two men led
20 words, to which the California mil
lionaire's son took exception.
To his friend, Frank West, and the
latter's sister, Nandegriff confessed
that he could not run the risk of be-
S.r I'LL ar ,1nr,Ial hananSa nf his
mother. The Va~ndegriffs had been
rich iii their generation, but specula-
lion had ruined Charles father. He
blowout his brains when the inevitable
came and left his widow and child to
battle with the world alone. Mrs.
Nandegriff sacrificed her jewels and
her pride by offering her services as a
seamstress in the homes where she
had once been a welcome visitor. This
enabled her to keep intact the little
lifeinsurance as a capital to be devoted
to her sons education. The Vests
were welI-to-do gentlefolk and treat
ed with the same cordial friendship
their impoverished neighbors.
At first young Nandegritfs action
in declining to fight the duel gave rise
to an undercurrent of indignation, but
better counsel prevailed, and Frank
West had much to do with turning the
tide against the boyish and overbear-
ing Californian who had offended more
than one college mate by his disagree
able manners.
Forhis skill in football, young Nande-
griff had been chosen The captain CT
the "Gentilhomme" crew. which was
to vanquish the "Benares,' whose
captain was one of Vandegr:ff'< warm
est friends.
The football game was to be a gala
affair at the college. Society had
taken hold of it, and for miles about
the beauX and bellies had talked of
nothing but the game. In dozens of
wardrobes hung exquisite, fflmy sum
mer gowns to be worn on the Occa-
sion. The prize, a superb golden cup.
Vandegriff hoped to lay at the feet
of his betrOthed.
On the evening before the game Mat
punstrow, a brother of the Dunstrow
who was the captain of the Benares,
called upon young Vandegriff at his
lodgings and asked for a private in
terview. Nothing was thought of it
by the students, who sat about in the
little park in front of the hall, dis
-cussing the eventful tomorrow.
The young men were closeted to-
.gether for some time, and when final
~ Vandegrif dismissed his friend at
the door, one or two overheard his re-
mark:
III do it, Mat; depend upon it,"
Ii was taken as a renewed assurance
that the speaker had no doubt CT win
ming the game.